81% of Somalians are on welfare in Minnesota, so why does America keep bringing them here?

After reading the information below, you're gonna say to yourself: "why do we bring them to America if they're just going to waste taxpayer money accomplishing absolutely nothing?" Because that's exactly how I feel. Why bring people to America if they can't fend for themselves after a certain amount of time? Why not spend those tax dollars bringing up American people out of poverty instead? We have so many problems at home that we don't need to be importing problems from other places.

Recent reports from December 2025 indicate that the 81% figure specifically refers to Somali-headed households in Minnesota that utilize at least one form of welfare. This statistic, derived from an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), describes a specific demographic and regional context rather than all Somalis globally or nationally.

81% of Somali households in Minnesota use at least one means-tested aid program, compared to approximately 21% of native-born Minnesotan households.

Specific Programs:

Medicaid: Approximately 73–75%.

Food Stamps (SNAP): Approximately 54%.

Cash Assistance: Approximately 27%.

Households with Children: Participation increases to 89% for Somali-headed households with children in Minnesota.

Roughly 66% of Somali immigrant adults and 80% of Somali immigrant children in Minnesota live in or near poverty, a primary eligibility factor for these programs.

Many Somali immigrants arrived as refugees fleeing civil war, often facing initial language barriers and lower education levels that impact immediate earning potential.

Even after residing in the U.S. for more than 10 years, welfare usage remains relatively high at 78%, which researchers attribute to low earnings spread over large families.

These statistics gained attention in late 2025 alongside federal investigations into large-scale fraud within Minnesota's social service programs, though analysts note high legal eligibility due to poverty levels remains the primary driver of usage rates