Minneapolis — Recent statements by President Donald Trump and senior administration officials disparage Minnesota Large Somali community Renewed attention has focused on migrants from the war-torn East African country and their descendants.
Trump said on Tuesday that he doesn’t want Somalis in the United States because they “don’t contribute anything.” The president spoke shortly after a person familiar with the planning said federal authorities were preparing to Targeted immigration enforcement process in Minnesota, which will focus primarily on Somali immigrants living illegally in the United States
Here are some things to know about Somalis in Minnesota:
An estimated 260,000 people of Somali descent were living in the United States in 2024, according to the Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey. The largest population in Minneapolis-St. Paul area, inhabited by about 84 thousand people, most of whom are American citizens. Ohio, Washington, and California also have large populations.
Nearly 58% of Somalis in Minnesota were born in the United States. Of foreign-born Somalis in Minnesota, the overwhelming majority — 87 percent — are naturalized U.S. citizens. Among the foreign-born population, nearly half entered the United States in 2010 or later, according to the Census Bureau.
Among them are many who have fled the long civil war in their East African country, drawn to the country’s welcoming social programs.
He has become Trump Increasingly focused in recent weeks on Somalis living in the United States, saying they have “caused a lot of trouble.”
Trump and other administration officials intensified their criticism after the conservative City Journal newspaper alleged that taxpayer money from fraudulent government programs flowed to the Al-Shabab armed group, an al-Qaeda affiliate that controls parts of rural Somalia and has often targeted the capital, Mogadishu.
While Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent he said in a social media post On Monday, when his agency said it was investigating whether “tax money paid by hardworking Minnesotans was diverted to the terrorist organization,” little evidence had emerged so far to prove a connection. Federal prosecutors have not charged any of the dozens of defendants in recent public program fraud cases in Minnesota with providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations.
Last month, Trump said he was Termination of temporary protected status Somali immigrants in Minnesota have a legal safeguard against deportation. A report submitted to Congress in August estimated that the number of Somalis covered by the program was only 705 across the country.
The announcement sparked immediate reaction from some state leaders and immigration experts, who described Trump’s announcement as a legally questionable effort to sow fear and doubt.
Local Somali community leaders, as well as allies such as Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have also pushed back against those who would blame the broader Somali community for some of the recent cases of widespread fraud in public programs.
Among them is what is known as Feeding our future The scandal, which federal prosecutors say is the largest in the country COVID-19 related fraud issue. It included a program aimed at feeding children during the pandemic. The defendants were accused of fraud by claiming to feed millions of meals to children. Although the alleged leader of the group was white, many of the defendants were Somali, and most were American citizens.
Prosecutors in recent months have raised their estimate of the thefts to $300 million from the original $250 million, and the number of defendants rose last month to 78. The cases are still working their way through the court system.
Republican candidates for governor and other offices in 2026 are pinning their hopes on voters who blame Walz for failing to prevent losses to taxpayers. Trump criticized Walz for allowing the fraud to occur during his watch.
Authorities in Minnesota He struggled for years to stop Recruitment of Somali youth by ISIS and the armed group Al-Shabaab based in Somalia.
The problem first emerged in 2007, when more than 20 young men went to Somalia, where many viewed Ethiopian forces supporting the weak UN-backed government as foreign invaders.
While most of these cases were resolved years ago, Another one appeared Earlier this year. A 23-year-old defendant pleaded guilty in September to attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
In the 2000s, ISIS also found recruits in Minnesota’s Somali community, where authorities said nearly a dozen left to join the militants in Syria.
Arguably the most famous Somali American is Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar, an ardent progressive whose district includes Minneapolis and who is a frequent target of Trump.
Many other Somali Americans have served in the Minnesota State Legislature and the Minneapolis and St. Paul city councils. Senator Omar Fatah, Democratic Socialist, He got second place In the November Minneapolis mayoral election for incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey.