ICE agents have arrested 12 people as part of a crackdown on illegal Somali immigrants as the White House lifts the lid on the ‘greatest theft of taxpayer dollars in US history’.
The arrests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, resulted in the detention of six Mexican nationals, five people from Somalia, and one from El Salvador, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.
Those who were arrested by agents this week have been called “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens” by ICE, with eight of them allegedly having been charged or convicted of crimes including DUI, domestic violence, and assault.
Meanwhile, in his war against immigration, President Donald Trump has ramped up the rhetoric calling Somali immigrants “garbage” who “contribute nothing” which has been slammed by local and state officials.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Democratic Governor Tim Walz have both been accused of failing to enforce immigration laws, endangering citizens, by DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
Frey previously said that city police would not be taking part in federal immigration enforcement.
Now, one of the Somalian immigrants arrested on Friday, has been revealed to have apparent connections with Democratic politicians in Minnesota including Walz and Representative Ilhan Omar.
Abdul Dahir Ibrahim, who has had removal orders against him since 2004, per Fox News, has a lengthy rap sheet including fraud and has been pictured with Walz, Ilhan, and Senator Omar Fateh.
Sharing the images, as well as those of his arrest, the Department of Homeland Security said: “Criminal illegal alien, Abdul Dahir Ibrahim has been linked to Minnesota’s top sanctuary politicians.
“In these pictures Ibrahim can be seen with @GovTimWalz, @Ilhan, and @OmarFatehMN.
“Ibrahim was convicted in Canada for Asylum and Welfare Fraud prior to his entry into the United States.
“On April 3, 2004, an immigration judge ordered Ibrahim removed, citing the significant amount of fraud associated with him. Bye-bye, Abdul.”
Ibrahim arrived in the US in 1995 following his deportation from Canada but was given Temporary Protected Status for Somalis – something Trump axed this week which led to his arrest.
‘FULLY COMPLICIT’
The images come as White House officials have claimed that local Democrats have been “fully complicit” in the “biggest theft of taxpayer dollars in US history” by Somali fraudsters.
Authorities claim that state funding for Minnesota’s social welfare has been plundered with over $1 billion stolen from programs funded by public money to help fight poverty and homelessness, feed children, and provide health services.
Federal prosecutors say that of the 86 people who have been charged, 59 have been convicted from three separate fraud schemes including nonprofit Feeding Our Future.
According to authorities, the group which claimed to provide meals to thousands of low income children during the pandemic, distributed no food and instead spent the cash on luxury property, cars, and jewelery.
“No one will support these programs if they continue to be riddled with fraud,” Joseph H Thompson, one of the federal prosecutors, told The New York Times.
“We’re losing our way of life in Minnesota in a very real way.”
“Minnesota under Governor Walz is a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
On Friday, US Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that “officials believe the state government is fully complicit in this scheme, and we believe that what we uncover is going to shock the American people.”
According to Miller, evidence already gathered by federal prosecutors shows that “the Somali fraud operation in Minnesota is the single greatest theft of taxpayer dollars through welfare fraud in American history.”
“We believe that we’ve only scratched the very top of the surface of how deep this goes.”
The investigation is thought to be probing if the stolen funds have been funneled to Somalia-based terror group al-Shabab, City Journal reported.
Meanwhile, Governor Walz has slammed Trump’s “vile attack” on the Somalian community.
“Demonizing an entire group of people by their race and their ethnicity, a group of people who contribute to the vitality, economy, culture of this state, is something I was hoping we’d never have to see,” he said.
Speaking to The Times about the alleged $1 billion fraud that emerged from his generosity during the pandemic, he said that “the programs are set up to move the money to people.”
“The programs are set up to improve people’s lives, and in many cases, the criminals find the loopholes.”
He has rolled out a new task force focusing entirely on fraud in the state with the use of AI to help uncover suspicious financial activity at the government level.
“Look we see it here, you commit crimes, you go to jail. It doesn’t matter what your race is,” Walz added.
Minnesota has roughly 37,000 Somali-born residents.
