Trump posts chart proving 72% of US Somali households are on welfare

President Donald Trump shared a chart on social media this week showing welfare usage rates among immigrant households in the United States.

The chart, titled “Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin,” lists the percentage of immigrant households receiving public assistance, broken down by country or region of birth. According to the data shown, approximately 72 percent of Somali-born households in the US receive some form of government welfare, placing Somalia among the highest-listed countries on the chart.

Other groups shown with high welfare participation rates include households from Bhutan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, and several African, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean nations, with many exceeding 50 percent.

The chart also includes regional groupings labeled “not specified,” which similarly show elevated levels of assistance usage.

Federal authorities have said that the alleged fraud uncovered in Minnesota could carry serious immigration consequences. FBI Director Kash Patel said this week that Somali Americans found to be operating fraudulent businesses to obtain government grants and subsidies could face denaturalization and deportation. Patel described the schemes uncovered so far as only the “tip of a very large iceberg” and said investigations into fraud in Minnesota remain ongoing.

In a statement posted to social media, Patel said the FBI had already surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota prior to the issue gaining wider attention online. “Fraud that steals from taxpayers and robs vulnerable children will remain a top FBI priority in Minnesota and nationwide,” Patel wrote.

Patel cited the dismantling of a $250 million fraud scheme tied to the Feeding Our Future network, which involved federal food aid intended for children during the COVID pandemic. According to the FBI, the investigation uncovered sham vendors, shell companies, and extensive money laundering operations.

“The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg,” Patel added. “We will continue to follow the money and protect children. Many individuals are also being referred to immigration officials for possible denaturalization and deportation proceedings where eligible.”

The Feeding Our Future case has resulted in 78 indictments and 57 convictions to date, mostly involving individuals of Somali descent in Minnesota.