History of Somalis in Minneapolis–Saint Paul

The Somali population in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, MN, with Minneapolis and St. Paul highlighted in red.

Somalis are an ethnic group in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area that makes up the largest Somali diaspora in the United States. In 2018, approximately 43,000 people born in Somalia were living in Minnesota (0.77% of the population), and approximately 94,000 Minnesotans spoke the Somali language at home.[1][2]

History

In the early 1990s, ethnic Somalis first emigrated to the Twin Cities in the United States after the start of the civil war in Somalia, or from other parts of Greater Somalia.[3][4] Many of the newer arrivals moved to Minnesota through voluntary agencies (VOLAGS), such as Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota and Catholic Charities.[5][6] Somalis who arrived earlier assisted the more recent immigrants.[3] Minnesota offered decent entry level jobs in meatpacking which employed many of the early Somali migrants.[7]

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, 23,915 refugees arrived in Minnesota from Somalia between 1979 and 2017. The Minnesota Department of Human Services recorded 13,582 Somali refugees arriving between 2005 and 2018.[8] In 2024, Minnesota recorded 1,267 arrivals from Somalia. Secondary migration from other U.S. states has also been a large source of population growth. Between 2010 and 2016, Minnesota received 3,740 documented secondary arrivals, primarily from New York and Texas, settling mainly in Hennepin, Stearns, and Kandiyohi counties.[9]

Somalis in the Twin Cities and elsewhere in the United States often send resources to their extended families abroad, remittances that were facilitated by the signing of the Money Remittances Improvement Act.[10] Following a greatly improved security situation in Somalia in 2012, many Somali U.S. residents have also begun returning to Mogadishu and other parts of the country.[11] A few of the homeward-bound immigrants along with some American-born associates have been sought and/or prosecuted for allegedly providing material support to the Al-Shabaab and Islamic State political militant groups.[12][13]

By late 2013, fewer expatriates were joining the groups' ranks, according to intelligence officials.[14][15] Most of the returnees have instead repatriated for investment opportunities and to take part in the ongoing post-conflict reconstruction process in Somalia. Participating in the renovation of schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure, they have played a leading role in the capital's recovery and have also helped propel the local real estate market.[11]

Feeding Our Future was a Minnesota nonprofit founded in 2016. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it claimed to distribute many thousands of meals to schoolchildren, but instead stole hundreds of millions of dollars while providing few or no meals at most of its locations. The organization was shut down following FBI raids and federal indictments in 2022.[16][17] Most, though not all, of those charged and convicted in the case were members of Minnesota's Somali American community, whether first-generation immigrants or native-born. Aimee Bock, the leader of Feeding our Future and a white woman, accused state agencies of discrimination against the Somali community.[18][19]

The case led to internal debate and discussion in the Somali American community and broader political arena.[20] A Somali American investigator for the Attorney General of Minnesota's office, Kayseh Magan, suggested that these accusations of racism made against state agencies led to hesitancy in taking action against Feeding Our Future. Magan argued that the Somali American community's close social cohesion led to a disconnect between fraudulent activity and public attention.[21]

Hamse Warfa, a Somali American former state and federal official, wrote in the Star Tribune that the case should not be used to scapegoat the entire community.[22] Several years after the first charges were brought, the Feeding Our Future case was cited by President Donald Trump as a reason to cut off temporary protected status for some Somali refugees in Minnesota.[20]

Demographics

In early 2016, the Minnesota Demographers Office estimated that there were between 40,200 and 52,400 Somalis in Minnesota. Some from the Somali community put the number as high as 80,000. These estimates include people born in Somalia, and those of Somali descent.[23]

Somalis in Minnesota reside throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area and the surrounding towns. Many Somalis inhabit Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, particularly newly arrived immigrants. Some Somali professionals move to the suburbs to raise their children away from the inner city. Although Somalis have established ethnic enclaves, there is an easy commute between Somali areas and the wider metropolis.[3]

Cities in Minnesota by Somali concentration in 2020[24]
City Count Percent of

total city

Waite Park 1,590 19.1%
Pelican Rapids 359 13.9%
St. Cloud 7,515 10.9%
Faribault 2,328 9.5%
Willmar 1,991 9.5%
Columbia Heights 1,942 8.8%
Hopkins 1,269 6.7%
Minneapolis 26,082 6.1%
Burnsville 3,809 5.9%
Hilltop 56 5.8%
East Grand Forks 469 5.1%
Savage 1,416 4.4%

Commerce

A Somali grocery store in Minneapolis.

Somalis in Minnesota have established many community enterprises. In 2006, they accounted for $164–$494 million in purchasing power and owned 600 businesses.[25] Minneapolis hosts hundreds of Somali-owned and operated commercial ventures.[26]

Stalls inside several Somali shopping malls, such as the regionally famous Karmel Mall, offer halal meat, leather shoes, clothing for men and women, gold jewelry, money transfer or hawala offices, banners advertising Somali films, video rental stores fully stocked with nostalgic love songs not found in the mainstream supermarkets, groceries and boutiques.[27]

Workplaces in Minnesota have grown more culturally sensitive and accommodating of differing religious traditions.[28] In 2018, Minneapolis officials named a new, innovative shared-use pathway near downtown Samatar Crossing, in recognition of the Somalia-born Hussein Samatar's many civic contributions to Minneapolis.[29]

Community organizations

The Somali community in Minnesota is represented by Somali-run organizations. Among these are the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota (CSCM) and Somali American Parent Association (SAPA), which offer social services to the state's resident Somalis.[30][31] The Somali community organizations provide ESL classes, job finding, legal advocacy and union services to their constituents.[3]

In October 2014, Minneapolis became the sister city of Bosaso, the third-largest city in Somalia.[32]

Politics

A recycling sign in Minnesota with instructions in English, Hmong, Spanish, and Somali.

Politically, a Somali American Caucus in the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) was formed to represent the Somali community.[33] In 2012, a Somali American chaired the Republican Party's Immigrant Relations Committee in Minnesota.[34]

In August 2018, Ilhan Omar won the Democratic primary for Minnesota's 5th congressional district. In November 2018, she was elected to the US House of Representatives, becoming the first Somali-American elected to Congress.

Even though the Somali American community has heavily leaned Democratic, support for the party has declined significantly between 2020 and 2024. In 2020, Biden won 91% of votes in Cedar-Riverside. While Kamala Harris still won a majority of votes in the same precinct in 2024, her support dropped by 14 percentage points compared to that of Biden. Much of the Somali decline in support for the Democratic Party has been attributed to the party's more liberal stances on family and cultural values such as gender identity and LGBTQ+ issues, as well as Biden's handling of the Gaza war.[35]

Notable residents

Further information: List of Somali Americans

See also

References

  1. ^ "B05006 Place of Birth for the Foreign-Born Population in the United States - Minnesota - 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "B16001 Language Spoken at Home by Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over - Minnesota - 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Rutledge, Doug (2008). The Somali Diaspora: A Journey Away. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-5457-4.
  4. ^ Barkan, Elliott Robert (editor). Immigrants in American History: Arrival, Adaptation, and Integration. ABC-CLIO, 2013. ISBN 1598842196, 9781598842197. p. 693.
  5. ^ "2014 MAA-CBO Directory" (PDF). Minnesota DOH. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  6. ^ Abdi, Cawo Mohamed (2019). "The Newest African-Americans?: Somali Struggles for Belonging". In Armila, Päivi; Kananen, Marko; Kontkanen, Yasemin (eds.). The Contexts of Diaspora Citizenship: Somali Communities in Finland and the United States. International Perspectives on Migration. Vol. 17. Cham: Springer. pp. 19–32. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-94490-6_2. ISBN 9783319944890.
  7. ^ "Building a Community Resilience A Minneapolis St Paul Pilot Program Fact Sheet". U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
  8. ^ Numbers, The (2019-03-20). "Refugee arrival map / Minnesota Department of Human Services". Minnesota Department of Human Services. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
  9. ^ "Somali Refugee Health Profile". MN Dept. of Health. 2017-04-30. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
  10. ^ "Ellison and Paulsen Reintroduce Money Remittances Improvement Act To Help Somali Families Send Money Home". House Office of Keith Ellison. 6 May 2014. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  11. ^ a b "SOMALIA: Returning diaspora help rebuild". Heegantimes. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  12. ^ Gred Moran (31 January 2013). "Terror Trial of 4 Somalis Begins". San Diego Union Tribune. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  13. ^ Forliti, Amy (21 April 2016). "Feds: Minnesota men spoke of terrorist attacks in US". Associated Press.
  14. ^ "Al-Shabaab Recruits in the U.S." CNN. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  15. ^ "Report: ISIS publishes 'kill list' for Minnesota police officers". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  16. ^ Nelson, Sarah (24 November 2025). "Shakopee man sentenced to 10 years in Feeding Our Future fraud case". Minnesota Star Tribune.
  17. ^ Meitrodt, Jeffrey (2025-03-28). "How much of the $250 million in taxpayers' money will Feeding Our Future fraud case recover? Prosecutors hope to recoup 'millions' more". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
  18. ^ Smith, Kelly (2022-01-29). "Leader of St. Anthony nonprofit raided by FBI defends organization". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  19. ^ Magan, Kayseh (2024-07-17). "A Somali-American former investigator: why you're hearing about fraud in my community • Minnesota Reformer". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  20. ^ a b Winter, Deena; Walsh, James; Minor, Nathaniel (26 November 2025). "Minnesota Somali community grapples with fraud cases while pushing back against stereotypes". Minnesota Star Tribune.
  21. ^ Magan, Kayseh (2024-07-17). "A Somali-American former investigator: why you're hearing about fraud in my community • Minnesota Reformer". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  22. ^ Londoño, Ernesto (29 November 2025). "How Fraud Swamped Minnesota's Social Services System on Tim Walz's Watch". New York Times. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  23. ^ Dickrell, Stephanie. "Nearly 74,000 speak at least some Somali in Minnesota". sctimes.com. SC Times.
  24. ^ "Somali ancestry in Minnesota by city". Peter M. Grund. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
  25. ^ "Economic Contributions of Somalis in Minnesota" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  26. ^ "Talking Point by M.M. Afrah Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA) Aug., 12. 2004". Archived from the original on 2017-05-25. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  27. ^ "Talking Point by M.M. Afrah Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA) Aug., 12. 2004". Archived from the original on 2017-05-25. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  28. ^ Rutledge, p.137.
  29. ^ Gitaa, Tom (2018-08-24). "Minneapolis dedicates Samatar Crossing". Mshale.
  30. ^ "CSCM - About Us". Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  31. ^ "Somali American Parent Association". Somali American Parent Association. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  32. ^ "Minneapolis sister city vote is small gesture, big moment for Somali community".
  33. ^ "Somali American Caucus". Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  34. ^ Shah, Allie (13 October 2012). "Somali-Americans begin making mark on local politics". Star Tribune. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  35. ^ Rao, Maya (2024-11-13). "Democrats lost support with Somali Minnesota voters in 2024 presidential election". www.startribune.com. Retrieved 2025-03-15.

Further reading

  • Darboe, Kebba (2003). "New Immigrants in Minnesota: The Somali Immigration and Assimilation". Journal of Developing Societies. 19 (4): 458–472. doi:10.1177/0169796X0301900402. S2CID 145655359.
  • Rutledge, Doug (2008). The Somali Diaspora: A Journey Away. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-5457-4.
  • Warfa, Hamse; Kofiro, Ali; Abdulle, Habon; Ahmed, Zuhur; Ahmed, Osman; Ahmed, Abdirahman; Hassan, Saida (2018). "Somalis + Minnesota". Minnesota History. 66 (1): 20–25. JSTOR 26384853.
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