“State Can’t Survive Without Us”: Somali Leaders Push Back Amid Welfare Scandal

Patriot Brief

  • What Happened: Somali leaders in Minnesota claim the state’s economy would collapse without them, even as massive welfare fraud tied to Somali-run programs comes to light.

  • Why It Matters: Billions in taxpayer dollars are allegedly missing, raising questions about accountability, assimilation, and government oversight.

  • Bottom Line: Minnesota voters are being told to ignore fraud and say thank you instead. That argument is wearing thin fast.

As Minnesota reels from one of the largest welfare fraud scandals in U.S. history, some Somali migrants are now claiming the state’s economy would collapse without them. Yes, really.

The claim comes as investigators, journalists, and federal authorities continue uncovering billions of dollars in alleged fraud tied to Somali-run welfare operations, particularly in childcare and transportation programs. The same week new fraud figures surfaced, Democrat State Sen. Zaynab Mohamed declared that “Minnesota would not be able to survive, nor thrive, without the Somali community.”

That is a bold statement, especially considering the numbers.

Minnesota has been rocked by repeated fraud cases totaling well into the billions. Much of it, according to court records and reporting, flowed through Somali-operated nonprofits and service providers that billed the state for services that were never delivered. Citizen journalist Nick Shirley recently went viral after documenting daycare centers receiving millions in taxpayer funds while appearing to have zero children present.

Rather than address the fraud directly, Mohamed dismissed criticism as racism and warned that once Somalis are criticized, “the racists” will simply move on to another group. She has also accused President Donald Trump of trying to “purge people like me from this country,” despite Trump’s focus on crime, fraud, and enforcement of existing immigration law.

Other Somali leaders have echoed the same line. Activists have claimed Somalis are “as Minnesota as the state fair,” while left-wing outlets insist the community contributes $8 billion to the economy. Critics quickly noted that number does not balance out allegations of $18 billion in fraud.

Meanwhile, more than 80 percent of Somali refugees in Minnesota rely on some form of government assistance, with poverty rates triple the national average.

The question voters are asking is simple. If the system is working so well, why does it keep hemorrhaging taxpayer money?

Photo credit: AP Photo/Abbie Parr

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