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Minnesota Republican’s Defense of Somali Immigrants Resurfaces Online
Newsweek ^ | Dec 30, 2025 | Jenna Sundel

Posted on 01/02/2026 4:49:55 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

Representative Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, defended Somali immigrants to his constituents during a 2015 town hall, according to an episode of the podcast This American Life.

Emmer said on X on Sunday that he is calling for “the denaturalization and deportation of every Somali engaged in fraud in Minnesota.”

At the 2015 event, Emmer said, according to the podcast: “I'm going to tell you, the Somalis, according to the measurements that have been used over time, are some of the fastest-assimilating populations that we've had."

Emmer also said, “If you're asking me how I feel about immigrant populations who are in this country legally, and who are actually trying to find a better way for themselves and their families, I support it wholeheartedly. I mean, the Germans had the same problem when they came over. The Polish had the problem. The Chinese had the problem.”

Newsweek reached out to Emmer’s office for comment.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: jennasundel; jennathepos; leftistsource; minnesota; newsweek; ohjuststop; randpaulsucks; sundelthepos; tenyearslater; tomemmer; trollfarm
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1 posted on 01/02/2026 4:49:55 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Emmer is in on the graft?


2 posted on 01/02/2026 4:50:42 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: ConservativeMind

Interesting. The Mexicans and railroad-building Chinamen accepted their place in the new country and stayed ‘in their lane’. Vietnamese and Cubans too. These moozlems make demands. Kill people too.

So do we cut off immigration totally or restrict it to western thinking countries? There are a lot of South Africans and Ukraine widows who could contribute to this country and hit the ground running.


3 posted on 01/02/2026 4:56:57 PM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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To: DIRTYSECRET

We need the kids.


4 posted on 01/02/2026 4:57:36 PM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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To: MinorityRepublican

“””Emmer said, according to the podcast: “I’m going to tell you, the Somalis, according to the measurements that have been used over time, are some of the fastest-assimilating populations that we’ve had.””””


That is likely true.

Before the plane landed at MSP, the Somalis were already pre-approved to receive:

1. Section 8 Housing
2. SNAP benefits
3. Free Smartphone
4. Free Medicaid
5. And other welfare benefits that I as a long time taxpayer am unaware of.

Yes it likely true the Somalis are some of the fastest-assimilating populations that we’ve had.


5 posted on 01/02/2026 5:01:59 PM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: All

US Representative Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, defended and praised Somalis
to his constituents during a 2015 town hall, according to “This American Life podcast.”

Emmer said on X recently that he is calling for “the denaturalization
and deportation of every Somali engaged in fraud in Minnesota.”

Yet at the 2015 event, Emmer said: “I’m going to tell you, the Somalis, according to the measurements that have been used over time, are some of the fastest-assimilating populations that we’ve had.”

Emmer also said, “If you’re asking me how I feel about immigrant populations who are in this country legally, and who are actually trying to find a better way for themselves and their families, I support it wholeheartedly.”


6 posted on 01/02/2026 5:03:56 PM PST by Liz (Jonathan Swift: Government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

“I’m going to tell you, the Somalis, according to the measurements that have been used over time, are some of the fastest-assimilating populations that we’ve had.”

Well, the US does lead the world in scammers and crooks. But somehow, I don’t think that’s the kind of assimilation the honorable Congresscritter meant.


7 posted on 01/02/2026 5:06:33 PM PST by proxy_user
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To: MinorityRepublican
Great investigative reporting, Newsweak! 👏 👏 👏

Now do the fraud taking place in Minnedishu. Yeah. Right.

8 posted on 01/02/2026 5:10:48 PM PST by Texas Eagle ("Throw me to the wolves and I'll return leading the pack"- Donald J. Trump)
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To: Liz; All

Just another politician pandering publicly because there was a reporter in front of him. He had no evidence to support the that statements regarding assimilation that he made. It was “feel good” statements for him to virtue signal.


9 posted on 01/02/2026 5:11:42 PM PST by Reily
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To: MinorityRepublican; bitt; little jeremiah

Newsweak quoting emmert’s speech from 2015, but did CPR with current date line:

At the 2015 event, Emmer said, according to the podcast: “I’m going to tell you, the Somalis, according to the measurements that have been used over time, are some of the fastest-assimilating populations that we’ve had.”


10 posted on 01/02/2026 5:16:33 PM PST by thinden (Buckle Up!)
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To: ConservativeMind

Unknown.... probably not since he is now calling for fraud charges and deportations...

Typical though. “Finger in the wind” policies.


11 posted on 01/02/2026 5:23:07 PM PST by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
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To: Texas Eagle

LOL!

WeakNews is ALL OVER something a hated Republican said ten years ago.

On the current Scamolian antics, Timpon, and Ilhan the treasonous POS - nada.


12 posted on 01/02/2026 6:03:43 PM PST by kiryandil (Resistance to The Odor is defiance to grainpidity)
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To: MinorityRepublican

10 years ago...the fraud was not invented yet.


13 posted on 01/02/2026 6:04:16 PM PST by blackberry1
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To: MinorityRepublican

10 years later, he has come to realize the Somalis are not interested in assimilation. The new MN flag is an indication of their intent. The claim this land is stolen just means it’s their turn to steal it from us. Pirates roll like that.


14 posted on 01/02/2026 6:04:25 PM PST by griswold3 (Truth, Beauty and Goodness)
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To: MinorityRepublican

The fyi on that he was in Saint Cloud courting a big donor that wanted cheap Somali labor for their packing plant. So disappointing…


15 posted on 01/02/2026 6:05:32 PM PST by miliantnutcase
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To: miliantnutcase
The fyi on that he was in Saint Cloud courting a big donor that wanted cheap Somali labor for their packing plant.

Apparently, they're not interested in working. Especially when they're recieving benefits.

16 posted on 01/02/2026 6:07:16 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: Liz
Yet at the 2015 event, Emmer said: “I’m going to tell you, the Somalis, according to the measurements that have been used over time, are some of the fastest-assimilating populations that we’ve had.”

The ones that were allowed to, yes.

It appears that was a minority of them. Bad for the country and also to them...it is now generational as they have been not only conditioned, but intentionally trained, to be poisoned with this mentality. It is difficult to break that cycle once it has taken hold...and this did *not* happen by accident.

17 posted on 01/02/2026 6:14:19 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: MinorityRepublican
Emmer said on X on Sunday that he is calling for “the denaturalization and deportation of every Somali engaged in fraud in Minnesota.”

Sounds like he has changed his mind. A lot has happened in the last 15 years.

Are there any other reasons to dump on this guy other than old news recycled by Newsweak?

18 posted on 01/02/2026 6:15:52 PM PST by TigersEye (The primary Democrat/leftist strategy is "Create maximum chaos every which way you can.")
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

“Yes it likely true the Somalis are some of the fastest-assimilating populations that we’ve had.”
Rapidly becoming parasites that the rest of us have to support.


19 posted on 01/02/2026 6:18:01 PM PST by wjcsux (On 3/14/1883 Karl Marx gave humanity his best gift, he died. )
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To: wjcsux


"Rapidly becoming parasites that the rest of us have to support."


Heck, they're parasites in their OWN country.
20 posted on 01/02/2026 6:20:18 PM PST by Bikkuri
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