Good Question: Why Did Somalis Locate Here?

January 19, 2011 7:15 AM

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It is perhaps the least likely place to find tens of thousands of African refugees: the cold, snowy, middle of America. So why are there so many Somalis in Minnesota?

“Maybe someday they will enjoy the ice fishing,” laughed Dr. Ahmed Samatar, dean of the Institute for Global Citizenship at Macalester College. Samatar was born in Somalia.

As far as living in such a cold weather climate, “on the surface it may look bizarre,” said Samatar, however “there is so much goodness in this state.”

The Somalis are here as legal refugees, largely. The Somalis Minnesota story tracks to 1991, when civil war broke out in Somalia. Millions fled to refugee camps, many in Kenya.

Two years later, the first wave of Somali refugees were sent to Minnesota.

“In the beginning the U.S. federal government assigns people,” said Samatar.

To qualify as a refugee, there is a process. The U.S. State Department ultimately decides where refugees will live, but it has to do with the voluntary agencies, called VOLAGS, that contract with the State Department.

Minnesota has very active ones like Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Charities, and World Relief Minnesota. Those agencies agree to help the refugees get settled, to learn English, find housing, get health care, and begin a new life.

They “are known to be welcoming, and they invest a significant time of labor and resources, to help people find some comfort here and hope,” said Samatar.

It’s the same reason this is a population center for Hmong refugees. The VOLAGS make the initial wave happen. But just because people are relocated to a place like the Twin Cities, doesn’t mean they’ll stay.

“They have the opportunity to move,” said Samatar.

But the Somalis have largely stayed, somewhere around 30,000 of them, partially because of the strength of the non-governmental VOLAGS, and partially because of the strength of governmental programs to help refugees begin a new life, according to Samatar.

After the first wave is assigned here, the second wave of relatives and friends soon followed.

“As Somalis settle down, find a life, the good news spreads: ‘Hey this is a good place, you can find a life here,’” said Samatar.

Over the past 25 years, the United States has admitted about 84,000 Somali refugees. Close to 40 percent live in Minnesota.

“The institutions of this state, private or public, have an important place in the mind of Somalis,” he noted.

Good Question: Why Did Somalis Locate Here?

http://andrewtmiller.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/jason-derusha-%e2%80%94-the-rare-broadcast-journalist-who-gets-it/ Jason DeRusha — The Rare Broadcast Journalist Who Gets It | The Miller Times

[...] Last night, DeRusha took on a tough one — “Why have so many Somalis chosen to come here?” Most journalists would avoid the question in the name of cultural sensitivity, but DeRusha went for the jugular: [...]
Random reader

I live in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis, which is immediately adjacent to the Cedar Riverside neighborhood where the majority of the Somali population lives. We also have high-rise public housing that is predominantly Somali, along with many Somali businesses and the main public elementary school serving the Somali population. I regularly take my child to play in parks where we are the only non-Somali people, shop in the halal markets, and try to keep up with issues of importance to the Somali community by following the local and national websites catering to the Somali Diaspora (i.e. Bartamaha, Hiiraan, Camel Milk Threads…). All in all I would say that as an outsider I have about as much exposure to the Somali population as possible without being a social worker.

And I must say that I am very worried by what I see.

While many Somalis are hard working, law abiding, good citizens, there appears to be a significant percentage who maintain their clan ties and animosities, make no attempt at integrating themselves into the general population, and are prone to violence. Some of the violence is Somali vs. Somali- for example the triple murder at the Seward Market in 2010 and the daytime shooting a few weeks ago on Franklin Ave. But a lot of it is more akin to the piracy which takes place off the Somali coast: gangs of Somalis have been mugging area bicyclists for years and the trail that follows the light rail. Residents of Minneapolis will also likely remember the youtube video posted by young Somali gangsters a year or two back showing them assaulting random pedestrians and bicyclists with no apparent motive other than laughs.

In addition to the violence, there seems to be other major “quality of life” issue with the Somali population. For example, rampant littering, uninsured driving, treatment of Somali women as chattel and sex slaves by the men, welfare fraud. Even little actions show great disrespect: II can say honestly that every person I have seen but into a line in the last few years has been a young Somali.

While it would be worrying enough that there is a group in the state with this apparent love of violence and disrespect of social conventions, what makes me even more scared is the growth of the community. Although I have never been able to find any firm numbers, it appears that the local Somali community is maintaining the fertility rate of their homeland- somewhere around 5 or 6 kids per family. And likewise- although official numbers are not available a huge percentage of the Somali population relies on public money and social services for almost every facet of their lives (i.e. subsidized housing, food stamps, use of our public county hospital…). Honestly, I do not see how Minnesota (and Minneapolis/Hennepin County in particular) will be able to support this population in the future. And if public support ever goes away, the muggings seem sure to get even more frequent.

I welcome the fact that CBS opened a comment section on this story. Our local papers, the Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press will almost never allow comments on articles related to the Somali community, and when they do the comments are heavily censured. Likewise the local community email list, e-democracy.org, will kill any thread which talks about crime related to the Somali community. While I understand not wanting to provide a space for ignorant racial ranting it also means that there is not a single open forum in Minneapolis where issues surrounding this issue can be discussed.

As a lifelong resident of Minnesota I have seen waves of immigrants come to our state, due to the work of Lutheran Social Services. And I welcome (for example) the Liberians, Hmong, Laotians, Cambodians and Ethiopians who arrived ready to work hard and make a better live. But being close to the heart of the Somali community, I think I am starting to understand why Somalia has not been able to maintain a government since 1991.

Note: this is an edited version of a comment submitted and published on the NYT website in regards to another article on the Somali Minnesota Population

random_reader

Sorry for the various spelling / case errors. I type public comments more or less stream of consciousness and so lots of errors slip through.

Thank you for leaving my comment up, while approximately 200 comments were reviewed. Many were odious I agree. To those folks whose comments were deleted: some of you were really just being inflammatory If this is an issue you really care about, there is no reason to descend into some of cliches. If you really care about this issue, please try to elevate the discussion so that we can keep this a public and productive discussion.

Mr. DeRusha, I would be very interested at some time in discussing this issue with you directly.

To the Somali readers: could any of you please address the issues I raised above?
Outsider

No More Somali’s. I am from Minnesota, but thankful that I no longer live there. What is going on? These people are “spoon-fed” from the day they arrive here in the U.S. I am open to immigration. My great grandfather came here from Ireland, but he was not handed anything to him on a silver platter. He worked hard and assimilated into the culture. Previous immigrants loved America. This new breed harbors hatred toward Americans and many have terroist connections with the Islamic world. Wake up Minnesota!!!!
Ali

I am appalled by your RACIST remarks and overgeneralizations about the Somali community. Here is what you need to know:
First, SOMALIS ARE NO LONGER REFUGEES and we are here legally and most of us are U.S. citizens. Second, most of Somalis are law-abiding and hard-working people. Many Somalis own business.

So, are there some Somali kids who are misguided and commiting crime? yes, as any other community Somalis are not 100% perfect! actually majority of Somalis dont have drugs and alcohol addiction problems.

Finally, Somalis are here to stay and there is nothing you can do about it! I am a Somali and have causins in the army or the police force. This is our country and we are here to stay

Alicia

Somali Refugee Program Halted As DNA Tests Show Fraud

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121919647430755373.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Thousands in Africa Lied about Families To Gain U.S. Entry.

The State Department has suspended a humanitarian program to reunite thousands of African refugees with relatives in the U.S. after unprecedented DNA testing by the government revealed widespread fraud.

In February, the State Department launched pilot testing in Kenya to verify family relationships, mainly among Somalis. When applicants arrived for a previously scheduled appointment, a U.S. official asked them to volunteer for a DNA test. The tests proved that over 80% of Somalis were lieing about being related family members.

The government hasn’t decided whether to expand testing to compare the DNA of relatives in the U.S. with those abroad to verify kinship.

Ali … YOU’RE A RACIST!
And you hate all other Somalians that aren’t in your clan.
iker

no, your country is the dumpster you and your 7 kids left behind over there, go fix your own home and live there before you destroy mine. I’ve been serving here for 7 years in the military and i’m a latino and it’s sad to see that not every inmigrant loves the U.S as they should.

A Somali

My father was born in the jungles of Somalia, my mother was born in the capital city of Yemen, Adan. I was born in Al Ain, UAE, my 2 sisters in Abu Dhabi, UAE and finally my brother in Hartford,CT. There’s a lot of Somalis who have this way of life. Somalia has always been a hot mess since the late 80′s, which the Americans have partly to blame by the way, but that’s an another story. It’s a constant warzone, you never know when the next strike will be, constant fear. You cannot raise a family there.
We’ve been in Minnesota for 5 years. We came here legally through the lottery after living in the UAE for 18 years. Never have I felt a sense of belonging till I’ve been to Minneapolis an actually see a community that’s made by Somalis for Somalis. And to only know it’s been done in ~20 years was astonishing to me.
I believe us Somalis are inherently opportunistic. Yes, there’s a considerable amount that are on welfare. It’s beleived to be free money by those who use it. Why not use it? Those that you brought over here are still considered to be first generation. Their English is poor, don’t have a good education or professional skills. Yet you want them to earn 30k a year to sustain themselves? What you really need to look at are the children. They’re the ones that have been raised through the American system. Those are the kids that are less likely to be on welfare. I’ve been volunteering at Somali youth centers and proud to say that there is progress.
The real solution to the problems that you are facing aren’t simple. I’ve seen the trouble the Somali teenagers and young adults can cause. It’s a mentality issue. They copy the hip hop culture. I know some of those kids. Their father is always at a coffee shop socializing with people because he doesn’t have a job since he’s on welfare. The mom is taking care of the kids but can’t really help them when it comes to homework since she never received a proper education. She wouldn’t check up on her children’s school performance because she doesn’t know it exists, and the communication would be hard anyways. The kids would take advantage of this and if there isn’t proper form in the house, they’re easily influenced by friends & media.
To even start chipping on this problem would to pour MORE money into the problem. To make parents more aware, through workshops and individual care.

alicia52

Quote from a somolian immigrant …”Never have I felt a sense of belonging till I’ve been to Minneapolis an actually see a community that’s made by Somalis for Somalis. And to only know it’s been done in ~20 years was astonishing to me.”

Do you see any desire by Somalians to assimilate from that statement?

I believe us Somalis are inherently opportunistic. Yes, there’s a considerable amount that are on welfare. It’s beleived to be free money by those who use it. Why not use it? Those that you brought over here are still considered to be first generation.

“It’s beleived to be free money by those who use it.”
It’s beleived to be free money by those who use it.
It’s beleived to be free money by those who use it.

This “free money” could be better used by Americans …..

Pollies don’t know who real Americans are.

A Somali

When I said “by Somalis for Somalis”, I meant it like chinatown or Little Italy. Are those people not willing to assimilate?

It’s beleived to be free money by those who use it.
Yes, it is. That’s how they think about it. FIRST GENERATION SOMALIS. My father thinks of it that way, I don’t. But never have I seen them waste that money. Never have I seen it go on drugs or alcohol. It goes back to the family or abroad to save their other family members in Somalia. Do you really expect like I’ve said before someone in his 30′s who doesn’t know English and has a non-existent education to get anything more than a minimum paying job at this time and age? They need help. A welfare system doesn’t exist in Somalia or in any Non-Western country that I can think of. It’s a weird concept. It was always family that you had to depend on in Somalia and it usually worked because f the tribe system, but I digress.
What’s a polly if you don’t mind me asking? And please try and discuss this with an open mind. The money that you want Americans to have won’t be solved by the welfare that’s given to the Somalis in Minnesota. Remember too that It’s Non-profit organizations that are helping too. Defense spending, medicare/medicaid and social security make up more than 70% of the government spending. Go after the meat and pototoes instead of that single pea in the mixed vegetables.

alicia52

I was working at Celestica Corporation the morning of 9/11/2001 in Rochester, Minnesota. We were listening to radios as the planes flew into the towers and killed thousands of innocent infidel Americans. About 500 primitive untrained Somali’s were working for this company because the stupid American government paid the company to hire the worthless primitives. Tax right offs … the government paid 60% of the sammies wages …etc…..

It was the happiest day of these sammies lives!!!
The sicko sammie men were holding hands and smilling … I have never heard “Usama Bin Ladin” so many times in my life. The somolians loved that Americans were killed by muslims!

I learned about muslims that day and I will hate them forever.

Us Whites were afraid to say anything because we would be fired …A muslim woman told a White woman …”America is getting what it deserves.”

I will fight against muslims taking over America as long as I live!

A Somali

I really want to have an open dialog with you Alicia. I can see you are hurt. But being this way doesn’t help. What I have told you and wrote on this site isn’t a you are wrong and I am right thing. It’s so I can give you an understanding of the situation so you can think for yourself on how to feel about it.
I’m not here to attack anyone. By the way, I’m not sure that “sammies” would take off anytime soon as a racist term for Somalis. And it’s Somali people or Somalians, not Somolians. It makes it sound like they’re from Samoa.
A lot of Arab and Muslim nations reacted the way those Somalis did at that time. Ask the majority again if they feel the same way. Ask those worthless primitives if they feel the same way. America’s influence has been global at 2001. Mc Donalds on every corner. Movies that outsold local ones. Television and fashion. A lot of Muslims resented that since it was against their Islamic beliefs but felt helpless to stop it. So when it happened, people thought that would remove American influence away from their countries. Those countries officially denounced the attack, as well as ALL the Islamic clerics. Those that celebrated were a minority.This is just an opinion by the way.

I’m not even sure why I’m trying to discuss this. It changed from Somali immigrants to Islam and 9/11. So if you can put all Muslims in a single bucket, is it fair to do the same thing with Christians?
I’m just hoping you’d have something more respectful or worth discussing about if you decide to reply. Just please keep it open minded. Tell me what you don’t understand and I’ll try and reply as soon as I can.

Random reader

Anyone know why this thread is alive again?

Jan

i agree with many of the comments. Our country should have done something years ago. Now our melting pot is over flowing. What really bothers me, however, if we were to move to another country to live, would we be able to receive welfare or other assistance? Also, we would have to learn the language of that country. Nothing would be given to us on a silver platter! I’m seeing more bumpers stickers that say, “Welcome to America! Now speak English!” I admit I wouldn’t dare put one on my car though.

carla

If you are talking privately to another Somalian, then it’s not an issue. However, if you are doing so in the mix of english speakers, it is rude. That goes for anyone speaking a foreign language. I used to work at a clinic in the insurance dept. and when I would try to talk to someone who spoke another language, they would sit there and laugh amongst themselves and then talk to me. Very rude

MTR

Yes maybe you should do another story and tell everyone the truth/ I lost my house because of my kids medical condition. I couldn’t get help from the state or govt or my mortgage company. But when it comes to immigrants the state and govt are right there helping them. Piss me off. I work 50 to 60 hours a week to make ends meat nd then I see stories like this. It is a big lie. We the full fledged Americans are the minorities now. Why don’t we get help from the state and govt.

ME

I’m with you MTR. I am having medical issues where I am living now. I would like to bring my fiance back with me but because of a 9 day overstay she has to do a visa. But that is also a pain in the butt. Financially we are struggling. These people complain and everyone jumps to help them. I remember saying back when they first started to show up that they are up to something. Someone from this community will do something in the name of their religion. I gurantee it. Remember this is a group that cheered when one of our helicopters was shot down and dragged dead soldiers through the streets while kicking them.
I have no love for this community at all. I have no time for them at all. I was even at a store one time. This poor woman with 3 kids was trecking through the store. She was in the line ahead of me. I walked out behind her to my car. It was raining out. Her car was next to mine. I got there just behind her. To my amazment there was a man sitting in the car. That poor woman had to put the kids in the car and load the groceries into the trunk. I ended up helping her out. That load of trash sitting in the car didn’t lift a finger.
But, again. Like I said. I need to get back to Minnesota but do you think my government cares? Nope, but they do for this lot.
Brooke

I agree.

lebrok

We need to stop the importation and the open arms to these and other groups. we cannot support anymore. I personally have given our church much needed money to take care of our buildings and grounds I hope they are not wasting it on our social demise. I am going to confront our pastor, if the loot is helping in any way I will shut if off. These government boneheads just keep jaming this and other crap down our throats. If one views the opinions of readers and viewers of the local and national media. There is definetly a tone in the air of citizens being fed up with whats is hapening around them and will not take it much longer. I am sure the the brilliant government that WE elected to office has a good answer to all our problems.

Lebanese

Church did the right thing!!! Shame on you for talking like that!

SKIP

Pay no attention to the muslim invader behind the welfare curtain

Bubba

Linda, don’t be so ignorant. The government had a *balanced budget* for one year during the Clinton administration.

It has not been debt free since January of 1835 during the administration of Andrew Jackson.

If you are going to harp, get the facts straight.

BiteMe

Balanced only on paper, not reality.

RIII

Like the Nazi’s censorship is alive in the USSA. Last I looked there were more then 200 negative comments here. What’s next burning books you don’t agree with?

Randy

Funny how things are magically deleted when people speak up about how they feel. Anyone who read the former comments knows how the majority of people in this state feel about this situation. Welcome to the United States of Soviet Socialist Republics.

SKIP

Don’t you mean “Welcome to the Islamic Republic of America”

BiteMe

Ooh leave it to Minnesota Nice and cco to make for such a wonderful story for the rest of the country to read, and have their distrust of Minnesotans in general be reinforced by what they have read here. Babble Babble? …Maybe… But the distrust and anger toward Minnesota and the people who live HERE is quite real.
We are viewed as pacifists, silent and weak. We just can’t say no, they might call us racist. Well, I say NO! No More!!
Seriously?

So all the comments were offensive? Yes, people were venting & posting points of view, but I don’t think it’s up to you to delete opinions. People feel very strongly about this topic. Why can’t we express our thoughts? If WCCO did not delete the comments, then it was not your business to do so. And apparently you find facts offensive. It is a FACT that the Somali population has a 90% UNemployment rate. Sorry if the truth hurts. Also, it was not offensive for people to post true stories of encounters w/ the Somali population. Why are those offensive if they are true? I say people should repost their stories. It’s your right to have freedom of speech.

random_reader

Could you please verify the 90% unemployment rate? Is that U3 or U6? Please send a link. If you can not verify, please do not post numbers.
random_reader

It took me about 2 minutes googling to find that you are just making up numbers. Here is a report by the Minneapolis Foundation that looks at employment levels of immigrants: http://www.wilder.org/download.0.html?report=2334

Page 11 shows that 57.5% of Somali adults are working. As opposed to 77.2 percent of the general population.

Again, if you really feel this is an important topic do not resort to ignorant lies. The fact that the Somali population has the lowest employment level of any immigrant group speaks for itself. Exaggeration only hurts the case of those who want to address this issue.

PY77

Imagine if people harassed them like this.

http://islaminaction08.blogspot.com/2009/07/minnsomalians-verbally-abuse-and-throw.html
FYI

More true stories about Somalis.

http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/015062.html
FYI

Forgot this one:

http://islaminaction08.blogspot.com/2008/08/non-muslims-under-attackusa.html
random_reader

Could you please say about who you are and how you deleted the comments? Is this Mr. DeRusha saying he deleted the comments? Is it somebody at Kare11? Is it simply a reader who flagged it somehow?

It is not clear from what you say.
http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/view/happy-birthday-jason Happy Birthday, Jason! — Secrets of the City — Minneapolis + St. Paul

[...] according to his Facebook page. He’s also getting some love from a local viewer who liked his story on African immigrants in Minnesota. He’s already had his day, but let’s all wish him a happy birthday [...]
Monica

What happened to all the comments that were on here previously?

Katy

The PC Gods have deleted them. Apparently they were “offensive.”

Mark

The real reason why the Somali’s keep coming here is because we are to Minnesota nice and we offer a lot of welfare. Welfare is the biggest reason they are here. Most of them live there whole life off welfare and get no incentive to work. Don’t get me wrong I know and am friends with some Somali guys but most of them are just ignorant and disrespectful. They have made a bad name for themselves. We give them what they need to start a new life here and they could care less. They just take, take, take. They have no respect for us and our society. We need to start limiting the number of Somali’s coming into the U.S.
brooke

Exactly — The only reason “refugees” and immigrants come to Minnesota is to live off of our hard-earned tax money. I don’t live off of welfare or food stamps — I got a job! and when I wasn’t making enough money at my one job, I got a new one! Too bad I can’t live off of my own tax money. The system should be in place to guide and help people get started, except it seems there is no limit on how much they give out. I agree that some people ruin it for others, but when that is what the majority of the population is doing, its pretty hard to look the other way and not have an opinion about it.
Bob

Still wondering “why”
dmedic69

It makes me mad that they can get welfare and subsidised housing yet my 64 yr disabled mother has give most of her money to medical so she can have a PCA and Oxygen. She is only allowed $600 gross income that doesn’t include her rent or other bills coming out yet Somalis can keep spitting out kids get all the help they want because they are refugees. They seem to be a protected class of people as well. I drove tow truck for yrs and we had a contract to tow vehicles parked in front of drives and in fire lanes in the hud housing in Savage as I was trying to load one said vehicle a woman came along and told me to put the car down I told her it would cost her $50 to drop the car she tried to get in the car and start to prevent damage I stopped her. Next thing I know I was surrounded by about 15-20 Somalis from 2 townhomes I was pinned into the car and was being punched and kicked when I fought my way out of the crowd and into my truck I called 911 the officer showed up and said because I was throwing people he would put me in jail too if I pressed charges. Again another a group came into our station and started trouble called the cops they didn’t come till the somalis called them. Now how is that fair to us the real taxpaying citizens of MN… And what about the fact of there are sSomalis that were suppose to kicked out of the country because they commited felonies and we can’t because they don’t have a working government… It says something when there own neighboring countries don’t like them either
nobizofyours

Your governments at the federal, state, county level don’t work for you–they provide cheap immigrant labor to the hyper-wealthy. No group of American citizens ever stood up and demanded we give out citizenship to refugees from the entire world. And certainly no Minnesotan group stood up and said “not only do we want them in America, we want 30,000 of them in Minneapolis!”
.
Concerns

Another thing to keep in mind with a Minnesota state budget in crisis is the medical costs associated with African immigrants. Not just food, housing, schooling, but the medical costs. Many African countries have an alarming rate of HIV/AIDS. I have posted below a snip of information regarding the United State’s brilliant decision to take HIV/AIDS off the restricted list of persons who can immigrate here…thus assuming the cost of their treatment upon their arrival. It’s shocking. How is this not a communicable disease??? Not to mention the burden being put on the state when we already have medical assistance issues and general assistance/MA possibly being on the chopping block. Come on people, think.

In November 2009, the Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) published final
regulations removing HIV from its list of communicable diseases, meaning that as of January 4, 2010, being HIV-positive is no longer
relevant to immigration applications. HHS also
amended its rules for the green card medical
exam, and HIV testing is no longer required as
part of a green card application.
Richfield Mom

I’m with the majority of you. The taxes I pay are footing the bill for a group of immigrants that aren’t contributing to our communities in return. Perhaps we all need to call or write our congressman about this issue and see if we can get this addressed?????
Alicia

Join NumbersUSA.com we’ve been trying to stop immigration since 1990. With this new republican congress we will be able to get somewhere. Mexicans, somolians, all the third world savages vote for the ones most likely to give them welfare (democrats) right now.

Soon the blacks/browns will outnumber Whites and we will never have a White president again.

That will be the end then.
Alicia

2010 census states 43% increase in Mexican population, 1% increase in White population.

Who do you think is using all of the welfare? The 1% White population with 1 kid per family…or the mexicans/somolians with 8 kids per family?

Welfare Use by Immigrant Households with Children
A Look at Cash, Medicaid, Housing, and Food Programs

http://www.cis.org/immigrant-welfare-use-2011

# Households with children with the highest welfare use rates are those headed by immigrants from the Dominican Republic (82 percent), Mexico and Guatemala (75 percent), and Ecuador (70 percent). Those with the lowest use rates are from the United Kingdom (7 percent), India (19 percent), Canada (23 percent), and Korea (25 percent).

# The states where immigrant households with children have the highest welfare use rates are Arizona (62 percent); Texas, California, and New York (61 percent); Pennsylvania (59 percent); Minnesota and Oregon (56 percent); and Colorado (55 percent).

# We estimate that 52 percent of households with children headed by legal immigrants used at least one welfare program in 2009, compared to 71 percent for illegal immigrant households with children. Illegal immigrants generally receive benefits on behalf of their U.S.-born children.
JumboJuice

if welfare stops somalis leave. Somalis are rude, disrespectful, and do not work. I am a Somali and I can tell you that all they do is stand around, I appreciate what this gov. has for Somalis but they are taking advantage of the system. There are hundres and thousands of Somalis moving to mn and more on the way. That is so horrible. America must stop bringing them here since they clearly don’t appreciate it.