As I continue my Walk Across America, a journey of millions of steps for merit and the restoration of the American Dream, I have been reflecting on the devastating news pouring out of Minnesota. There, controversy continues to rage over a series of high-profile allegations and investigations into widespread fraud in government-funded social services programs, disproportionately involving members of Minnesota’s large Somali-American community.
I’ve seen headlines about over a billion dollars allegedly swindled from hardworking American taxpayers and given to daycare centers with no children. The same goes for autism therapy, housing programs and Medicaid.
But recently a video circulated on social media that angered me and reminded me why this Walk Across America is so important. In this video, a young Somali American woman proudly declares that her community is “successful” in America. However, this success does not come from entrepreneurship or innovation, but from controlling the government support system.
As I continue toward the West Coast, I will continue to pray for merit and the renewal of the American Dream – for every immigrant and every native citizen.
This same woman claimed that nearly 89% of Somali immigrant households with children in Minnesota rely on some form of welfare. She proudly claimed that this figure remains alarmingly high: around 86% for those who have lived in the US for more than a decade.
MAGNITUDE ‘CANNOT BE OVERDATED’: FEDS SAY FRAUD IN MINNESOTA COULD EXCEED $9 BILLION
In contrast, only 21% of native households receive some form of social assistance. Twenty-seven percent of Somali-headed households in Minnesota receive benefits, compared to 6% for natives. Fifty-four percent of Somali-headed households depend on food stamps, compared to 7% of natives. And 73% of Somali-headed households use Medicaid, compared to 18% of natives.
Brothers and sisters, this is not a success. This is exploitation. This is a robbery by any other name. Above all, this is the worst of all dependencies: intentional dependency.
As a pastor who spent years fighting on Chicago’s South Side to break the cycles of poverty and violence through Project HOOD, I know the dependency all too well. It is a trap that robs people of their dignity, stifles dreams and weakens communities. But be proud of it? To exploit it to the point of “success?” That is sinful. That’s anti-American in values.
WALKING ACROSS AMERICA SHOWS ME WHY FAITH AND FREE THOUGHT CAN STILL WIN
I also blame the Americans who allowed this exploitation to take place. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have taken the white blame approach, calling anyone who objects to this exploitation a white supremacist.
Fine, call me a white supremacist like they did with Larry Elder. Who cares? We cannot shy away from these Americans. You saw how they allowed Black Lives Matter to overtake our nation in 2020. Are we going to allow them to bring us here again? Are we that soft? These white, guilty Americans have been undermining our great nation since the 1960s, and they are destroyers of merit – the great principle that built our nation.
LOEFFLER: LARGE NETWORK OF SOMALIAN NON-PROFITS PRESSED FROM MINNESOTA’S WELFARE STATE
Despite all this, there is another side to this story that gives me hope. During my Walk Across America, I walked alongside immigrants from all over the world – Latinos, Asians, Africans – who came with nothing but faith, determination and, above all, the desire to live as free Americans. They opened businesses, raised families and contributed immensely to their communities. They understood the American promise: work hard, trust God, and opportunity will follow.
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That is the hope I have held on to throughout this journey. America thrives when we reward merit and responsibility, not entitlement. Policies that concentrate refugees in enclaves, discourage assimilation, or encourage dependency do not benefit anyone. They hinder the very people they are meant to help and burden hardworking taxpayers.
As I continue toward the West Coast, I will continue to pray for merit and the renewal of the American Dream – for every immigrant and every native citizen. Let’s teach skills, build families, and promote faith. Let’s reject the victimhood that lets people down and embrace the opportunities that lift us all to the next level.
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But first we must punish those who have exploited the American worker’s dollars with impunity. Let them become an example for the rest of us. That is a necessary step we must take if we truly want to restore and repair the American Dream.
May God bless our steps, and may He bless the United States of America.
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