Minnesota Governor Tim Walz pushed back on Friday against suggestions that the Somali community bears collective responsibility for a massive fraud scandal, drawing a sharp parallel to how society views crimes committed by white men.
The exchange occurred as Walz fielded questions regarding the state’s ongoing investigation into alleged fraud schemes. Prosecutors have charged dozens of individuals—many within the local Somali community—accusing them of stealing nearly $1 billion in taxpayer funds meant for social service programs, including initiatives to feed children from low-income households.
During the press conference, a reporter pressed the governor on the community’s role in the wake of the scandal. “Do you want to see more ownership and oversight from within the Somali community?” the reporter asked.
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Walz rejected the premise of the question, arguing that criminal behavior shouldn’t impugn an entire demographic.
“Look, it’s not law-abiding citizens. If that were the case, there’s a lot of white men should be holding a lot of white men accountable for the crimes that they have committed,” Walz said.
He continued by suggesting that focusing on the community at large ignores the complexity of the fraud, noting that many residents were unaware their identities were being used.
“I think what you’re seeing here is there’s secondary victims in this,” Walz explained. “There’s providers inside the community that are then victimizing the community themselves by signing them up… when we’re going to some of these people, they’re like, ‘I had no idea I was in this program.’”
Walz concluded his thought by reiterating his stance on how crime is categorized. “For every crime, which of course the majority being committed by white men, [it’s like] asking us to do more about that. I think it’s crime in general.”
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The comments come amid an increasingly volatile political atmosphere in Minnesota involving public safety and immigration. State officials have previously scrutinized the Walz administration, accusing the governor’s office of disregarding early warnings and rules that could have prevented the fraud.
Simultaneously, the governor is engaged in a public feud with the White House. While Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ramped up operations in Minnesota to detain Somali nationals—moves Walz has dismissed as “PR stunts” designed to “indiscriminately target immigrants”—President Donald Trump has leveled personal attacks against the governor. In a November 27 post on Truth Social, Trump used the slur “seriously retarded” to describe Walz, blaming him for allowing heinous crimes to occur.
Tensions have been further inflamed by recent high-profile violent crimes, including the July sentencing of Qalinle Ibrahim Dirie, a Somali national, to 12 years in prison for the abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl.
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