Somali Fraud in Minnesota: Prosecute Bad Actors but Don't Demonize Entire Community

 The Wall Street Journal published on 4 December 2025 an article titled "A Sprawling Fraud Scandal Puts Minnesota's Somali Community in the Spotlight" by Scott Calvert and Jeanne Whalen.  

About 80,000 people of Somali descent live in Minnesota. About 60 persons have been convicted of massive fraud from child nutrition, housing, and autism service programs funded by taxpayers.  President Trump has used the situation to refer to the Somali community in Minnesota as "garbage" and urged them to return to Somalia.

Comment:  This episode is clearly a major blot on the reputation of the Somali community in Minnesota.  But the answer is to prosecute to the full extent of the law all of those persons who are guilty and not to vilify the entire Somali community.  

Trump Lashes Out at Somalis in US

 The Wall Street Journal published on 2 December 2025 an article titled "Trump Says He Doesn't Want Somali Immigrants in U.S. as ICE Plans Operation" by Michelle Hackman, Natalie Andrews, and Jack Morphet.  

President Trump said he does not want immigrants from Somalia in the country ahead of an expected ICE operation in Minnesota, where the Somali American community is concentrated.  Last month, Trump said he would revoke Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in Minnesota.  

He referred to Somali American elected member of Congress, Ilhan Omar, as "garbage."  Omar responded that "his obsession with me is creepy" and "I hope he gets the help he desperately needs." 

Trump Now Turns Against Somalis in Minnesota

 The Washington Post published on 22 November 2025 an article titled "Trump Says He Will Cancel Temporary Protected Status of Somalis in Minnesota" by Frances Vinall.  

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said, without evidence and without providing further explanation, that "Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of dollars are missing."  As a result, he was terminating effective immediately temporary protected status (TPS) for Somali immigrants living in Minnesota.  

The Minnesota Attorney General pointed out that you cannot terminate TPS for just one state.  There are more than 75,000 persons with Somali heritage living in Minnesota.  Few of them reside there with TPS; the vast majority are US citizens.  According to the Library of Congress, nationwide there were only 705 Somalis with TPS as of August.  

Would a Harris/Walz Administration Shift US-China Policy?

 World Politics Review published on 17 September 2024 a commentary titled "Harris--and Walz--Could Shift the Focus of U.S. Policy on China" by Mary Gallagher, Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, and her vice-presidential running mate, Tim Walz, could shift the way Washington looks at China.  While Harris has relatively little experience concerning China, Walz has had a long relationship with the country.  The author speculates this combination of background could result in a China policy that is tougher on Beijing's human rights record than was the case in either the Biden or Trump administration.