❓WHAT HAPPENED: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) pledged to bring more Somali immigrants to his state amid backlash over a major welfare fraud case tied to the Somali community.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Walz, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson (D), and attendees at a Seattle fundraising luncheon.
📍WHEN & WHERE: December 9, 2025, at a fundraising luncheon in Seattle, Washington.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Instead of demonizing our Somali community, we’re going to do more to welcome more in.” – Tim Walz
🎯IMPACT: Gov. Walz and state officials face intensified scrutiny amid a federal investigation into welfare fraud in Minnesota and whistleblower claims of a cover-up.
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.
The failed Democrat vice presidential nominee 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. Walz echoed a favorite far-left trope, stating 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,” the Minnesota Democrat 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.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, under fire for failing to prevent a major welfare fraud scheme in his state, was in Seattle on Tuesday as the special guest at Gov. Bob Ferguson’s fundraising luncheon.
He told attendees that Somalis were being ‘demonized’ and vowed to bring more into… pic.twitter.com/fjT9yXZhtE
— The Center Square Washington (@TCSWashington) December 10, 2025
The Walz administration in Minnesota is facing mounting allegations that it actively ignored evidence of rampant welfare fraud schemes perpetrated by Somali immigrants in the state.
The National Pulse reported last week that whistleblowers with the Minnesota Department of Education claim state officials first uncovered evidence of fraud involving the Feeding Our Future nonprofit organization in July 2019. However, the whistleblowers allege Gov. Walz and state officials backed down from investigating the group after intense pushback from Feeding Our Future’s leaders, who accused state officials of discrimination against Minnesota’s Somali community.
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