Rob Finnerty ripped into the leftist media’s claim that Somali immigrants are somehow woven into “America’s long-standing history,” calling it revisionist spin designed to deflect from real problems. He was blunt: large-scale Somali migration to the United States is a recent phenomenon that began after the collapse of Somalia’s government, not something rooted in colonial-era settlement or centuries of American tradition.
The facts back him up — most Somali arrivals came as refugees after the civil war in the early 1990s, and many were admitted under Temporary Protected Status and refugee programs in the decades since. Cities like Minneapolis and towns such as Willmar saw the biggest influx starting in the 1990s, which is why these communities are sometimes called “Little Mogadishu.” Americans deserve honesty about when and why these migration patterns began, not woke fairy tales.
What the leftist press wants you to ignore is how policy failures have consequences for taxpayers, and recent fraud probes in Minnesota have exposed cracks in a system that rewards abuse. Investigations and reporting by independent journalists and conservative outlets revealed mass misuse of public funds tied to some Somali-affiliated programs, prompting federal scrutiny and outrage among hardworking citizens who fund these programs. If the media spent half as much time reporting facts as they do protecting narratives, Washington might actually fix these problems.
Instead, we get sanctimonious narratives that conflate political virtue-signaling with truth — the kind of storytelling that protects political allies at the expense of honest reporting. Federal authorities are now preparing enforcement actions in Minnesota, showing that the consequences of lax oversight and political correctness finally have to meet the rule of law. The American people should celebrate enforcement, not demonize those calling for accountability.
Policy matters. ICE and other officials have warned that asylum and TPS programs can be exploited, and conservatives are right to demand tighter vetting, immediate revocation of benefits for fraudsters, and a restoration of immigration policies that prioritize national security and the American taxpayer. We can be compassionate and also enforce the law — that balance was abandoned by elites who reflexively side with open borders and endless handouts.
This isn’t an attack on hardworking Somali-Americans who have come here to build a life and contribute; it’s a fight for fairness for every citizen who pays taxes and plays by the rules. If progressives are going to insist on rewriting history to suit political ends, patriots will keep insisting on facts, accountability, and policies that put Americans first. Washington’s first duty is to protect its citizens and the integrity of American institutions — and nobody who cares about this country should accept less.
