The Somali Fraud scandal continues to draw national attention as Rep. Ilhan Omar voiced frustration over how the “Feeding Our Future” scheme is being framed, arguing that Somalis were victimized as taxpayers who lost potential support from the program. The fraud case, labeled by federal prosecutors as the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the country, has placed Minnesota’s Somali community and state leadership under heightened scrutiny.
During an interview on “Face the Nation,” Margaret Brennan noted that the Biden-era Department of Justice reported the majority of alleged offenders were Somalis. Omar responded, “We also could have benefited from the program and the money that was stolen. So it’s been really frustrating for people to not acknowledge the fact that we’re also, as Minnesotans, as taxpayers, really upset and angry about the fraud that has occurred.” She emphasized that her constituents felt harmed by the misuse of funds intended to support children during the pandemic.
Questions about state oversight remain central. Brennan asked whether Minnesota’s Democrat-led government failed in preventing the scale of the deception. Omar pointed to her previous inquiries, saying, “How can this amount of money disappear fraudulently without there being alarms set off? And it is something that, you know, we have to continue to investigate.” She called the scam “reprehensible,” reiterating earlier comments to KARE 11 that “anyone who participated in this scheme must be held accountable.”
President Trump has highlighted the scandal as an example of what he calls mismanagement and “incompetence” under Gov. Tim Walz. Minnesota has faced renewed criticism over alleged failures in distributing and monitoring federal funds tied to child-nutrition programs. According to The New York Times, “fraud took root in pockets of Minnesota’s Somali diaspora” as individuals allegedly billed the state for services never provided.
The political tension has grown as President Trump and Omar exchanged sharp words in recent days. Omar and other critics condemned his remarks about Somalis, while supporters of the former president argued he was drawing attention to systemic failures. The feud underscores how the Somali Fraud investigation has evolved from a state-level scandal into a national flashpoint over oversight, community accountability, and government stewardship of federal relief programs.
