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MN leaders respond to Trump order on Somalis
Minnesota leaders, including Rep. Ilhan Omar and Attorney General Keith Ellison, responded to President Trump's vow to end temporary protected status for Somalis in Minnesota.
(FOX 9) - Republicans that represent Minnesota both federally and within the state’s legislature are calling on U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen to investigate what they are calling "fraud that is winding up in the hands of overseas terrorist organizations."
Minnesota fraud investigation request
What we know:
A letter co-signed by Reps. Tom Emmer, Michelle Fischbach, Rep. Brad Finstad and Pete Stauber urge U.S. Attorney Rosen to "conduct an open investigation into reports that Minnesota taxpayer dollars are ending up in the hands of the Al-Shabaab terrorist network in Somalia."
More specifically, the letter says that "it is alleged that Minnesota’s Somali community… has been sending millions back to Somalia" through an informal money trafficking scheme. The letter cites a report from the right-leaning thinktank Manhattan Institute.
Locally, GOP members echoed the same sentiment in a statement co-signed by Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Lisa Demuth, House Republican Floor Leader Harry Niska, and a group of House Republicans that called for a similar investigation.
"The sprawling fraud that has become endemic under Governor Walz’s failed leadership is troubling enough for Minnesota taxpayers; the notion that these dollars could be flowing to foreign terrorist organizations adds a truly disturbing and urgent dimension. If these allegations are confirmed, immediate action must be taken at both the state and federal level to crack down on illicit remittances and any other payments making their way to terrorist groups. We are asking the DOJ to immediately launch an investigation into these claims so Minnesotans can have clarity as soon as possible," the statement read in part.
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Trump’s Somalia TPS announcement: Minnesota response
Minnesota legal authorities are breaking down what President Trump's plans for ending Somali Temporary Protected Status means for Somalis in Minnesota.
Trump protective status order
Dig deeper:
The announcements come after President Trump posted on Friday that he would seek to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for Somalis in Minnesota.
Posting on Truth Social on Friday evening, Trump said that "under Governor Waltz" Minnesota has become a "hub" for fraudulent activities.
"Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER" he wrote.
The backstory:
The national TPS program is granted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to immigrants of countries who cannot return home safely due to conditions like civil war or natural disaster. A total of 17 countries are currently applicable for the designation.
Eligibility for the program is tied to each specific country designation, and Minnesota’s program falls under the DHS’ oversight.
Minnesota's TPS program currently has an existing extension through March 2026 for refugees from Somalia.
Estimates show there are roughly 700 people in the U.S. with protected status from Somalia, with approximately 500 residing in Minnesota.
Fraud in Minnesota
Big picture view:
In recent years, Minnesota has dealt with massive fraud – most notably the Feeding our Future scheme that embezzled more than $250 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
Of the 78 people that have been charged so far, 56 people have pleaded guilty to their role in the scheme.
The other side:
Members of the Somali community gathered in Minneapolis on Sunday to oppose the decision.
"I think this is a political act. We believe that this is fabricated and created for the single purpose to reign in the young conservatives in this country," Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director of Minneapolis Care, told FOX 9.