Stephen Miller calls billion-dollar Minnesota welfare scam ‘single greatest theft of taxpayer dollars’ with dozens of Somali migrants convicted
The story in plain speak
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for policy, Stephen Miller—who also acts as a homeland security adviser to President Trump—called the welfare‑fraud network that has taken hold of Minnesota’s Somali community “the single greatest theft of taxpayer dollars through welfare fraud in American history.” He warned that the operation, allegedly run by a sizable group of Somali migrants, will “rock the core of Minnesota politics and American politics.” In a Fox interview with Sean Hannity, Miller added, “We believe that we have only scratched the very top of the surface of how deep this goes.”
Prosecutors have already charged dozens of Minnesotans with scamming a federal program that was meant to provide food to children during the pandemic. About 59 people have been found guilty in fraud cases that total more than $1 billion, and federal authorities have pressed charges against nearly 80 individuals.
Trump said on social media that he would send Somalis “back to where they came from,” and during a cabinet meeting he told lawmakers that Somalis “contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country,” adding that “Their country is no good for a reason. Your country stinks and we don’t want them in our country.”
Minnesota’s Somali community numbers roughly 80,000, and includes political figures such as Rep. Ilhan Omar, a “squad” member. According to the Post, Omar was photographed with alleged fraudster Abul Dahir Ibrahim, who has a lengthy criminal record and removal orders dating back to 2004.
The fraud scheme first surfaced in 2022, when prosecutors dubbed it the “largest pandemic fraud in the United States.” Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit that worked with state and federal agencies to feed kids, was a key part of the operation. Officials said the group handed in fake meal‑count documents and invoices to create a false picture that it had delivered food aid.
Former U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger noted that the fraudsters’ goal was to “make as much money for themselves as they could while falsely claiming to feed children during the pandemic.” At that time the fraud was believed to have cost about $250 million.
Small Business Secretary Kelly Loeffler has ordered a probe into pandemic‑era Paycheck Protection Program loans in the state, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is leading another investigation to see if state taxpayer money was allegedly diverted to al Shabaab, a U.S.‑designated terrorist group.
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