Ilhan Omar Blasted for Defending Somalia as Fraud Scandal Explodes in Minnesota

Rep. Ilhan Omar is once again under fire this time for defending Somalia’s territorial claims over the breakaway region of Somaliland just as a massive fraud scandal in her home state of Minnesota is drawing national attention.

Omar’s opposition to recognizing Somaliland, a stable and self-governing region with growing ties to Israel and the West, has raised red flags among national security analysts who say her stance aligns more with internal Somali politics than American interests.

Michael Rubin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, drew a direct line between the “governance failures” of Somalia and the corruption now exposed in Minnesota, where Somali-linked operators allegedly exploited taxpayer-funded welfare programs.

“The corruption exposed in Minnesota mirrors the governance failures that have plagued Somalia for decades,” Rubin told Fox News Digital. “Somaliland has charted a different course entirely.”

Rubin's comments come as Minnesota deals with revelations of widespread fraud across state-run programs. The now-infamous "Feeding Our Future" case uncovered a $250 million fraud scheme, resulting in 78 indictments and dozens of convictions. That’s just one part of the iceberg, according to law enforcement officials.

A Wall Street Journal report estimated that total fraud across various programs in Minnesota since 2018 could reach billions of taxpayer dollars.

Adding fuel to the fire, a viral video posted by independent commentator Nick Shirley this past weekend showed multiple shuttered daycare centers that allegedly billed the state for millions while serving few, if any, children.

And where does Ilhan Omar fit in?

• She backed the MEALS Act, legislation that critics say watered down fraud prevention and helped open the door for widespread abuse.

• She continues to prioritize Somali interests, repeatedly referring to Somalia as her "home" in Somali-language speeches.

• She vocally opposes the recognition of Somaliland, a peaceful and democratic region that has functioned independently from Somalia for over 30 years.

Rubin didn’t hold back “Ilhan Omar left Somalia, but Somalia never left her. Clan dynamics shape Somali politics, and that same lens appears to inform her position on Somaliland.”

While Somalia remains unstable, corrupt, and dependent on foreign aid, Somaliland has built a democratic system, maintained internal security, and opened diplomatic relations with Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced formal recognition of Somaliland, making Israel the first UN member state to do so. Somaliland is also signaling interest in joining the Abraham Accords, aligning itself with pro-Western, pro-Israel, and business-friendly policies.

Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to send billions in aid to Somalia, while ignoring the far more competent and cooperative Somaliland government.

Even President Trump took notice, telling the New York Post that he is “looking into” Netanyahu’s pitch to recognize Somaliland.

“We’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions, and they turn out to be correct,” Trump said from his golf course.

Rubin noted that Somaliland’s model aligns with Trump’s America First foreign policy low on aid, high on accountability, and focused on mutual benefit rather than endless handouts.

“By any reasonable metric, recognizing Somaliland makes sense,” Rubin said. “It is business-friendly, security-focused, and wants partnerships, not perpetual aid.”

Ilhan Omar’s consistent defense of Somalia’s failed state while the state she represents is rocked by a Somali-linked fraud crisis paints a damning picture of where her loyalties truly lie.

The question for voters isn’t just about corruption in Minnesota. It’s whether a sitting U.S. congresswoman is using her position to prop up a failed foreign government while undermining America’s true allies in the region.

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