Rep. Ilhan Omar On Somalis: “We are doctors, we are teachers, we are entrepreneurs”…….90% of Somalis in this country are on welfare.
byu/BowlingForAmmo inlibsofreddit
81% of Somali‑headed households in Minnesota use at least one welfare program.
https://yournews.com/2025/12/11/5326054/study-finds-nearly-90-of-somali-households-with-children-in/
Among households with children, the number rises to nearly 90%.
Overall Households: Over 80% of Somali immigrant households overall received some form of welfare benefits in analyses of past data.
Households with Children: Nearly 90% of Somali households with children in Minnesota were reported to receive welfare benefits.
Specific Programs:
Medicaid: Nearly three-quarters (73%) received Medicaid.
Food Stamps (SNAP): 54% received food stamps, with other reports citing figures around 42% for those receiving SNAP benefits.
Long-Term Residents: Even among households that had been in the U.S. for over 10 years, 78% were receiving welfare, compared to only 21% of native-born households in the same studies.
These statistics often reflect the circumstances under which many Somalis arrived in the U.S.—fleeing civil war and with minimum education or capacity to adopt immediately, often arriving as refugees. The data highlights significant socioeconomic challenges, with over two-thirds of Somali immigrant adults living in or near poverty, as do over 80% of Somali immigrant children.