Local media outlets in Minnesota jumped to defend the Somali community after President Donald J. Trump was a little too honest in his response to reports of a major $1 billion-plus fraud scandal centered around a scheme to siphon federal funds intended for child nutrition and other social services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t want them in our country. I’ll be honest with you, OK. Somebody will say, ‘Oh, that’s not politically correct.’ I don’t care. I don’t want them in our country. Their country is no good for a reason,” Trump said, before adding, “You know, if they came from paradise, and they said, ‘This isn’t paradise,’ but when they come from hell and they complain and do nothing but b*tch-, we don’t want them in our country. Let them go back to where they came from and fix it.”
In their rush to run interference for Somali Minnesotans, local CBS affiliate KSTP inadvertently proved they are a net drain on the economy when it reported that the Somalis “generate at least $500 million in income annually and pay about $67 million in state and local taxes.”
The problem for KSTP is that the math ain’t mathing, as conservative commentator Matt Walsh noted.
“There are around 80 thousand Somalians in Minnesota. If they contribute 67 million dollars in state and local taxes, that means they each pay on average about 800 bucks or so,” Walsh pointed out. “To put that in perspective, the average Minnesotan pays anywhere from 8 to 10 THOUSAND in state and local taxes. Which means Somalians are contributing more than 10 times less, to say nothing about the billions of dollars in fraud.”
“The media is trying to make the point that Somalians contribute to the economy but instead they’ve proved exactly the opposite,” he accurately concluded.
There are around 80 thousand Somalians in Minnesota. If they contribute 67 million dollars in state and local taxes, that means they each pay on average about 800 bucks or so. To put that in perspective, the average Minnesotan pays anywhere from 8 to 10 THOUSAND in state and… https://t.co/kpDwlXcbEJ
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) December 4, 2025
Not to be outdone, the local Fox affiliate reported that the Somali community in Minnesota “has a rich history, shaped by migration and integration over the past 30 years.”
But that generous assessment doesn’t account for the reality on the ground:
80% of the Somali “community” didn’t finish high school. 37% don’t speak English. Assimilate? Nah. https://t.co/qmYwfD1G4k
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) December 4, 2025
Unless, Fox 9 was cleverly referring to the $1 billion scam with the phrase “rich history.” Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and the MPD chief have taken to speaking Somali at press conferences.
Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story, as seen on X:
“They stole billions, but they paid $67 million in taxes” https://t.co/GQF9GRpfjp
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@christopherrufo) December 4, 2025
They’re stealing much more than $67 million a year, and they also have enormously high rates of welfare participation and public-service usage. Huge economic negative.
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@christopherrufo) December 4, 2025
This is actually insane when you think about it.
There are an estimated 80,000 Somali adults in Minnesota. If their average income is only $6,000, can you imagine how much government assistance is being collected? https://t.co/XaYbsrwTS3
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) December 4, 2025
Minnesota Somali population key statistics:
in Poverty: 58%
on Food Stamps: 42%
Unemployed: 40%
w/o H.S. Education: 41%— First Words (@unscriptedmike) December 4, 2025
— Conservative AF (@ConsvAF) December 4, 2025
Per capita strikes again.
Democrats hardest hit.
— Jeremy Carl (@realJeremyCarl) December 4, 2025
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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