The streets of the Twin Cities have become a ideological battlefield as the Trump administration begins executing the most aggressive deportation strategy in Minnesota’s history. The move has ignited a fierce war of words: while Somali community leaders declare their people the “backbone” of the state, the White House has characterized the population as a source of “industrial-scale fraud” and national security concern.
The tension reached a fever pitch this week after President Trump, during a Cabinet briefing, reportedly stated that the Somali community “contributes nothing” and cited the massive “Feeding Our Future” scandal as the ultimate justification for removing protections.
The “Backbone” Argument
Somali leaders and local economists argue that the community’s contribution is vital to Minnesota’s survival. With a labor force participation rate of over 70%—higher than the general population—Somali Minnesotans are heavily concentrated in critical sectors such as healthcare, long-term care, and transportation.
“If you remove the Somali workforce, our hospitals stop functioning and our trucks stop moving,” one community leader stated. “We are entrepreneurs who built malls out of vacant buildings. We are the taxpayers of the future.”
The Billion-Dollar Shadow
However, the administration’s “Fact Check” focuses on a different set of numbers. The “Feeding Our Future” scandal, which saw over $250 million stolen from a federal child nutrition program (with total fraud estimates in the state exceeding $1 billion), has become the primary weapon for those calling for mass removals.
Federal prosecutors have charged over 78 individuals, the vast majority of whom are Somali Americans, for using pandemic aid to buy luxury cars, Maldives vacations, and overseas real estate. U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson recently labeled Minnesota a “national poster child for public corruption,” a sentiment the President has echoed in his call to “send them back.”
250 Years vs. 30 Years
Critics of the current immigration levels point out that America and Minnesota flourished for 250 years before the first large-scale Somali arrivals in the 1990s. They argue that the high poverty rates (27.9%) and heavy reliance on public assistance (with 54% of Somali households receiving food stamps) place a social burden on the state that far outweighs the labor benefits.
“America was built by pioneers, not pirates who steal from hungry children,” a prominent pro-deportation activist argued. “We don’t need ‘help’ that comes with a billion-dollar bill for the taxpayers.”
The Looming Exodus
As of late December 2025, the DOJ has intensified raids on “suuqs” (Somali malls) and businesses linked to money laundering investigations. With thousands of individuals holding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) now facing revocation, the “Minnesota Miracle” of integration is being put to its ultimate test.
The question for Minnesota is no longer whether the community contributes, but whether the state is willing to pay the price for the corruption that has flourished in its shadow. For the White House, the answer is clear: the path forward is a one-way ticket.
Ilhan Omar just filed an EMERGENCY appeal to prevent deportation — and the U.S. Supreme Court flatly REJECTED it





