Republicans call on US attorney to investigate allegation of Somali fraud schemes funding al-Shabaab

Trump's move to end TPS for Somalia drew quick support from Republican leaders who say Minnesota’s fraud scandals have become a national security concern.

By
Jenna Gloeb
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Department of Justice text on the side of its headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Shutterstock)

President Donald Trump’s surprise weekend announcement on Truth Social declaring he would “immediately” terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants in Minnesota sent shockwaves through the state.

Citing welfare fraud, gang violence, and money allegedly funneled to terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab, Trump blasted Gov. Tim Walz’s leadership of Minnesota calling the state a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity.”

The actual number of Somali TPS beneficiaries in Minnesota is reportedly small — roughly 430 as of the most recent count — meaning the vast majority of the state’s Somalis will be unaffected by the move.

But for many frustrated taxpayers, Trump’s announcement is a welcome first step.

Minnesota House Republicans demand DOJ probe into alleged terror funding

Minnesota House Republicans are adding to growing calls for federal action. On Monday, House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R–Cold Spring, House Republican Floor Leader Harry Niska, R–Ramsey, and several GOP members sent a letter to U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen urging the Department of Justice to immediately investigate new allegations that stolen Minnesota tax dollars may be reaching overseas terrorist organizations.

Their request comes the same day Senate GOP leaders also moved to escalate the issue. Sens. Jordan Rasmusson, R–Fergus Falls, and Paul Utke, R–Park Rapids, — the Republican leads on the Human Services and Health and Human Services committees — sent their own letter to Rosen urging a federal investigation into what they called the “international” impact of Minnesota’s ballooning fraud problem.

“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,” the House letter states.

And just hours before Trump announced plans to terminate TPS for Somalia — House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation sent a letter to Rosen calling for a federal investigation into whether stolen Minnesota taxpayer dollars were funneled to al-Shabaab.

“These new allegations present not only a serious betrayal of taxpayer trust, but also a grave threat to our national security. Therefore, we request a thorough investigation into reports that these and other stolen funds have been sent back to Somalia via the hawala network and into the hands of Al-Shabaab,” the letter stated.

Gov. Walz also weighed in — accusing Trump of using the Somali community as a political distraction. Walz posted: “It’s not surprising that the President has chosen to broadly target an entire community. This is what he does to change the subject.”

However, Walz offered no comment on the fraud allegations that sparked the national attention.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., whose district includes the largest Somali population in the country, blasted the announcement on social media and during a press conference Monday with other state Democrats where she called Trump supporters “ignorant people.”

National GOP figures praise Trump’s TPS decision

Trump’s move to end TPS for Somalia drew quick support from Republican leaders who say Minnesota’s fraud scandals have become a national security concern.

On Monday, Vice President JD Vance pointed to Minnesota in his broader critique of national challenges. In an X post, Vance wrote that “a welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota reveals that large numbers of new arrivals aren’t assimilating and are funneling our tax dollars to literal terrorist groups.”

He cited the Minnesota case as one example of domestic problems Washington should prioritize, arguing the political class shows more outrage over foreign policy than crises at home.

House Speaker Mike Johnson called the fraud-to-terror allegations “disgusting,” writing on X: “Democrats built a system so loose, so corrupt, and so politically timid that fraudsters exploited it to bankroll terrorists abroad. This is a national security problem.”

Johnson linked to a recent City Journal report outlining how stolen Minnesota welfare funds allegedly reached al-Shabaab.

Even golf legend Phil Mickelson weighed in, firing off a scathing X post on the City Journal report and calling it “treasonous behavior as are those who allowed this to happen.”

Protests erupt at Karmel Mall

The political fight over Trump’s announcement also spilled into the streets. Residents gathered at Karmel Mall in Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood as speakers condemned the announcement as an attack on immigrant families.

“We’re not here by accident, and we’re here to stay forever,” one demonstrator told reporters.

“What the president is doing is un-American — it is not Minnesotan,” another protester said.

Minneapolis directs residents to ‘free legal help’ in response

The City of Minneapolis also weighed in with legal instructions. In a bilingual Facebook post from its official page, the administration expressed solidarity with Somali residents while steering them to free immigration attorneys.

The post reads: “President Trump has announced plans to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Somali residents living in Minnesota. We stand with the entire Somali community in Minneapolis. If you have concerns, we recommend you contact an immigration legal service provider.”

 

Jenna Gloeb
Website

Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.

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