Following the announcement regarding Somali TPS, controversial links resurface between Ilhan Omar and figures convicted in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme in Minnesota

President Donald Trump's recent announcement of his intention to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants residing in Minnesota has reignited political tensions in the state and, in doing so, brought to light new details indirectly connecting Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to individuals later convicted in a widespread federal fraud scheme.

The controversy resurfaced after the Justice Department revealed in January the convictions of two local figures: the co-owner of Safari Restaurant, a well-known establishment within Minnesota's Somali community, and a former city hall aide. Both were identified as key players in a scheme to illegally misappropriate millions of dollars from a federal child nutrition program.

According to an official statement from the Department of Justice, between April 2020 and January 2022, the defendants orchestrated a scheme to exploit the federal reimbursement system, designed to cover the costs of providing meals to vulnerable children. The fraud involved laundering program funds while reporting services that were never provided or inflating the number of children served.

While the published information does not directly accuse Representative Ilhan Omar, the reappearance of previous connections—such as photographs, community events, and ties to influential members of the Somali community—has been used by critics to suggest political or social affinity with individuals implicated in the scheme. This context, combined with Trump's decision on Temporary Protected Status (TPS), has intensified a climate of polarization, especially among those who see the presidential announcement as an attack on a key community in the district Omar represents.

The case is especially sensitive because Minnesota is home to one of the largest Somali communities in the United States, and many of its members rely on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to legalize their status and work legally. For supporters of the program, Trump's decision threatens the stability of thousands of families; for its detractors, it is part of a broader rethinking of temporary immigration policies. This is particularly relevant given that Somalis have become especially notorious for trying to impose their religion over the traditional religions of Europeans and some U.S. states.

The combination of these two issues—the potential cancellation of TPS and the conviction for fraud in a social program linked to community members—has created fertile ground for political disputes in a year of high electoral and media tension. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice continues to prosecute other cases stemming from the same scheme, which is considered one of the largest child food assistance frauds in the state's recent history.