Somalis

Homeland Security Investigations agents executed a search warrant Monday at Rep. Ilhan Omar's Washington, D.C. residence, seizing her phone, passport and computers, as part of a probe into whether she or her late father falsified her citizenship paperwork decades ago. The investigation could potentially lead to denaturalization proceedings against the congresswoman. Members of Minnesota's Somali community, including Minneapolis City Council Vice President Jamal Osman, denounced the raid as an abuse of power and an escalation of Trump's rhetoric against Omar and Somali Americans. Omar called the raid an "outrageous abuse of power" meant to intimidate a political opponent. Trump said the matter was up to the Department of Justice, calling Omar a "terrible person."

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota, shared the meaning of her Ojibwe name in a social media post, framing it as a statement of political identity. Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, said her name, "Gizhiiwewidamookwe," translates to "Speaks in a Loud and Clear Voice Woman," adding that she intends to be "Minnesota's voice in the U.S. Senate" rather than President Donald Trump's.

Flanagan, who has twice been elected as Gov. Tim Walz's running mate, is facing Republican candidate Michele Tafoya in the race. The post drew mixed reactions online, with some critics mocking the translation and others accusing her of political posturing. The exchange follows earlier scrutiny of Flanagan after video surfaced of her wearing a hijab while addressing Somali migrant constituents, amid broader controversy in Minnesota over fraud involving welfare funds tied to Somali community programs.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is seeking to become Minnesota's next governor, casting herself as a moderate Democrat who can repair the state's reputation and address pandemic-era welfare fraud scandals that Republicans have used to paint Minnesota as a cautionary tale of liberal governance. Klobuchar, who built a national profile during her 2020 presidential run and has served in the U.S. Senate, is widely seen as the favorite in the race.

Her campaign comes as Minnesota Democrats face scrutiny over fraud tied to pandemic relief programs, along with lingering political fallout from the 2020 murder of George Floyd and subsequent unrest in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Klobuchar is positioning herself against more progressive currents within her party, emphasizing pragmatic governance over ideological approaches associated with democratic socialism. The race is being watched as a test of whether centrist Democrats can reclaim ground in a state Republicans have targeted as emblematic of government mismanagement, with implications for broader 2026 gubernatorial and midterm dynamics.

St. Louis Park Mayor Nadia Mohamed, the first Somali-American elected mayor in Minnesota, drew criticism after a video circulated on social media showing her responding to concerns about gun violence tied to Somali gangs by calling for a broader gun ban. In the clip, Mohamed dismissed criticism framing the violence as a Somali-specific issue as "irresponsible" rhetoric, arguing instead that stricter firearm restrictions were the solution.

The comments gained renewed attention after a shooting near Eden Prairie High School, a Minneapolis suburb, on a Friday night in early October. According to the Eden Prairie Police Department, two Somali males, ages 17 and 18, were injured in the gunfire; their injuries were not described as life-threatening. The incident has intensified debate over gang-related violence in the Twin Cities area and reignited arguments between gun-control advocates and Second Amendment supporters over how best to address it, with Mohamed's remarks becoming a flashpoint in that broader political dispute.

The Star Tribune has published a lengthy investigation examining how Gov. Tim Walz's administration responded to fraud across Minnesota's human services programs, centered on the Feeding Our Future scandal, the largest COVID-related fraud case in the country. The report, based on newly public records and interviews, describes missed warnings and a delayed reckoning within the administration, though critics note it downplays the role of the Somali community's political ties and largely omits Walz's past public statements blaming a Ramsey County judge for blocking efforts to halt fraudulent payments.

Court records show Judge John Guthmann never ordered the Minnesota Department of Education to resume payments to Feeding Our Future; the department did so voluntarily after determining the nonprofit had resolved "serious deficiencies." That false narrative was nonetheless repeated by officials, including Walz, for years. Federal raids on Feeding Our Future sites began in January 2022, leading to indictments and convictions. Walz's office declined interview requests and did not respond to written questions for the Star Tribune's report.