Trump Says ‘We Don’t Want Them’: Former President Targets Minnesota Somali Community

Former President Donald Trump has reignited controversy over immigration policy by leveling serious accusations against Somali immigrants in Minnesota, alleging widespread welfare fraud and excessive dependency on public assistance programs.

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Speaking at a recent event, Trump claimed that approximately 88 percent of Somali immigrants in the state rely on government benefits while making minimal economic contributions. The former president characterized this as a drain of billions of dollars from state resources, though these figures have not been independently confirmed by government agencies or academic researchers.

The remarks specifically targeted Representative Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American congresswoman representing Minnesota’s Fifth District, along with what Trump described as her political associates. Omar has long been a frequent subject of criticism from Trump and conservative commentators since her election to Congress in 2018.

Trump’s statements come against the backdrop of legitimate federal investigations into fraud schemes affecting Minnesota. The most prominent case involves Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit organization where federal prosecutors have alleged a conspiracy to steal more than $250 million from federal child nutrition programs. Multiple individuals have been charged in connection with that investigation, which represents one of the largest pandemic-era fraud cases in the country.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has publicly supported Trump’s characterization of the situation, suggesting that visa fraud has proliferated under Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s administration. However, specific data supporting these broad claims remains unavailable for independent review.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have reportedly been planning enforcement operations in the region, though details about the scope and targets of such actions have not been officially disclosed.

Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States, with community estimates ranging from 30,000 to over 50,000 residents concentrated primarily in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Many arrived as refugees fleeing civil war and instability in Somalia beginning in the 1990s.

The allegations have drawn sharp responses from immigrant advocacy organizations and civil rights groups, who contend that such rhetoric unfairly stigmatizes entire communities based on the actions of individual bad actors.

As federal investigations continue, questions remain about the accuracy of the broader claims and whether enforcement actions will be proportionate to actual evidence of wrongdoing rather than based on national origin or ethnicity.

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