At a party fundraising event in Seattle, Minnesota’s Democratic Governor Tim Walz received a warm standing ovation after he pledged to support Somali immigrants who may be vulnerable to scams.
During a luncheon organized by Governor Bob Ferguson of Washington, Walz addressed the criticism facing Minnesota’s Somali community, which has been accused of causing significant fraud and theft involving state welfare funds. He argued that these immigrants were being “demonized” unfairly.
“These individuals should not mistake our kindness for weakness. We’re here to protect our neighbors,” Walz stated. “It frustrates me when they resort to pettiness and anger, aimed at you. But the remedy is positive action to enhance lives rather than to demonize a community that’s already facing hardships.”
Walz, facing criticism over his handling of a billion-dollar fraud situation in Minnesota, also took a moment to criticize President Trump shortly after commending Ferguson.
“There are folks who tend to irritate Donald Trump, but they are, I think, quite intelligent,” Walz remarked, perhaps suggesting his own capabilities as well.
He expressed strong support for the Somali community, stating, “Minnesota is home to more refugees per capita than any other state. Yet, our neighbors are being demonized and even terrorized off the streets.”
Recent media coverage of Minnesota’s Somali population has been notable. A recent piece by Beckett Adams highlighted how an ABC affiliate in Minnesota branded an article “Somali Minnesotans Drive Economic Growth and Pay $67 Million in Taxes a Year,” which caught attention for framing the community’s tax contributions.
However, Adams pointed out that on a per-person basis, Somalis contribute about $630 in taxes, while the average Minnesotan pays over $8,000 annually. Additionally, the Somali community is also withdrawing welfare funds at a much higher rate, which diminishes the overall value of these funds for the state.
Amidst all this, just before his fundraising appearance, Walz confronted a reporter who claimed his assertion that he jailed a Somali fraudster was incorrect.
Last week, the reporter challenged Walz’s claims of actively prosecuting serious welfare fraud in the state, revealing that investigations and prosecutions appear to be mostly at the federal level rather than state-led efforts.
