Minnesota’s Somali Community: From Refugee Crisis to Political Force

The largest Somali community in the United States calls Minnesota home, having built a significant presence over three decades marked by both achievements and controversies. Currently, federal investigators are examining a network of nonprofits and individuals, including some Somali Minnesotans, accused of misappropriating hundreds of millions of dollars in pandemic food aid by fabricating records of children who never received meals.

This latest controversy represents just one chapter in a complex story of immigration, integration, and growing influence.

The community’s roots in Minnesota trace back to the early 1990s, when Somalia’s intensifying civil war created a massive humanitarian crisis. According to the Minnesota Historical Society, the conflict displaced more than 2.5 million Somalis, with over one million fleeing as refugees or asylum seekers. In response, the United States began issuing refugee visas to Somalis in 1992, establishing a legal pathway for resettlement.

Today, Minnesota’s Somali population has grown substantially, with most estimates placing the community between 80,000 and 100,000 residents. This concentration has made the Twin Cities, particularly Minneapolis, one of the most significant Somali diaspora communities globally.

Immigration policies affecting Somalis are frequently misunderstood in public discourse. Temporary Protected Status (TPS), established by Congress in 1990, provides humanitarian protection for people from countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. While Somalia has received TPS designation intermittently since the 1990s due to ongoing instability, this protection applies to only approximately 700 Somali nationals nationwide.

The vast majority of Somali Minnesotans did not arrive through TPS but instead came through the formal refugee resettlement program, which involves extensive security vetting, resettlement support services, and pathways to permanent residency and citizenship. This distinction is crucial for understanding the community’s legal status and integration journey.

What distinguishes Minnesota’s Somali community is its remarkably swift rise to political influence. Within a single generation, Somali Americans transformed from newly arrived refugees to significant political stakeholders in local and national politics.

The Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis became the epicenter for community development during the 1990s and early 2000s, with the establishment of mosques, cultural centers, and advocacy organizations. These institutions created the infrastructure necessary for subsequent political mobilization.

Political breakthroughs soon followed. In 2013, Abdi Warsame made history as the first Somali American elected to the Minneapolis City Council. Three years later, Ilhan Omar achieved national recognition when she became the first Somali American elected to a state legislature. Her political ascent continued in 2018 when she won election to Congress, becoming the first Somali American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Community leaders attribute this rapid political ascent to the social networks Somali refugees developed during resettlement. The Minnesota Historical Society notes that Somali newcomers “arrived with social and cultural resources” and built extensive support systems that facilitated access to housing, employment, and education—networks that later proved essential for political organizing.

Today, Somali Americans serve in numerous elected positions including the Minneapolis City Council, Minnesota House of Representatives, local party leadership structures, and Congress. This political representation reflects both successful integration and the community’s determination to have a voice in shaping policies affecting their lives.

However, this success story has not been without challenges. The ongoing federal investigation into alleged fraud within some community organizations highlights the complexity of the community’s experience and the scrutiny it continues to face in American society.