Minnesota’s Somali community has found itself under a harsher spotlight in recent weeks, following a fraud scandal that has dragged state leaders into controversy.
The public backlash has already had major political fallout. Minnesota’s Democratic Governor Tim Walz announced last week that he would not seek reelection. Then, an ICE officer shot and killed an unarmed woman, pushing Minnesota back into national headlines.
Against that backdrop, new Daily Mail polling — conducted January 5 and 6, before the fatal ICE shooting — suggests the scandal is affecting how Americans view Somali immigrants.
In a J.L. Partners survey, Somali immigrants received the weakest ratings of any immigrant group tested. They were also the only group to land in negative territory overall.
Thirty percent of registered voters said Somali immigrants have a bad impact on the United States. That compares with 24 percent who said they have a good impact, and 29 percent who described the community’s impact as neutral.
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar — the most prominent Somali-American elected official — including comments at a Pennsylvania event in December, where he mocked her for wearing what he called a “little turban.”
This week, Vice President JD Vance also weighed in, telling Fox News host Jesse Watters that “America has a bit of a Somali problem” while discussing the Minnesota scandal.
Democrats, meanwhile, have argued the scandal is being used to stigmatize a vulnerable community.
A sharp partisan divide
The poll showed a clear split along party lines:
- Republicans: 46% said Somali immigrants have a negative impact
- Independents: 32% said Somali immigrants have a negative impact
- Democrats: 15% said Somali immigrants have a negative impact
When asked about a positive impact:
- Democrats: 30% said Somali immigrants have a positive impact; 35% said neutral
- Independents: 22% said positive; 31% said neutral
- Republicans: 19% said positive; 20% said neutral
How other groups ranked
Somali immigrants were the only group to score below zero on net impact. Other groups with relatively low, single-digit net positives included:
- Colombians: +2
- Venezuelans: +6
- Haitians: +6
Chinese immigrants posted a +13 net rating.
At the higher end of the list:
- African and Mexican immigrants: +23
- Indian immigrants: +29
- Filipinos: +33
The most positively viewed groups were immigrants from the United Kingdom and the European Union.
- United Kingdom: +44 net rating
- European Union: +43 net rating
In both cases, 51% of voters said these groups have a good impact on the United States. The UK held a slight edge because 7% said British immigrants have a bad impact, compared with 8% for EU immigrants.
Poll details
The survey included 999 registered voters and reported a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points.
