My title is the first line in this Star Tribune article about a new book to be published shortly about the Somali migration to America (and through America). It should read: ‘Ever wonder who brought so many people from Somalia to Minnesota, and why!’
Maybe it’s in the book, but no where in this description is any mention of the fact that we, the US government, brought them here in the first place. We are always left with the impression that these downtrodden and pioneering Africans just “made their way” to America because they heard how great we are and that they want to live just like we do!
As for Minnesota, the author of the new book, Ahmed Ismail Yusuf, claims that the Somalis made their way to Minnesota because Minnesota has such “welcoming” people! Oh, and meatpacking jobs!
You should stop here and revisit this post which realistically tells us why they went to Minneapolis—they were resettled there by the thousands by federal “church” contractors who chose Minnesota because the social services were so generous and Minnesotans didn’t squawk about the huge influx of Africans (likely fearing they would be labeled racists if they did!). The US State Department and the contractors are also always on the look-out for meatpacking jobs for refugees, so there is likely some element of truth in that.
Here is the Star Tribune on the new (sure to be politically correct) book:
A new book published by the Minnesota Historical Society offers a detailed explanation, documenting the political, economic and social factors that led tens of thousands of Somali immigrants and refugees to make the state their new home.
Ahmed Ismail Yusuf, a local writer, is the author of “The People of Minnesota: Somalis in Minnesota.” It’s the latest in a book series that chronicles the lives of people who have helped define the state, including Swedes, Jews, Ojibwe, Germans, Hmong and African-Americans.
Yusuf writes that three words best tell the story of Somali people: sahan, or pioneer; martisoor, meaning hospitality, and war, a Somali word that literally means news. Somalis are a chatty bunch, and news travels fast and mostly by word of mouth. Those same three words also explain the migration to Minnesota.
Somali refugees first began flocking to the state in 1993, and today Minnesota has the nation’s largest Somali population.
Though the first arrivals came to the United States in 1990, they initially went elsewhere. San Diego was the original magnet city, but jobs were scarce there.
On May 20, 1992, an ad in the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus Leader announced that a turkey plant in Marshall, Minn., was hiring. Four Somalis from Sioux Falls applied and were immediately hired. News of their success reached San Diego, and soon a sahan party left to investigate. Four bachelors from California hopped in a car and traveled to Marshall’s Heartland Poultry plant, where they, too, found work.
Jobs were the initial draw, but those who chose to stay did so because they saw something in Minnesotans that resembled their own ways — hospitality.
Books may be purchased at the Minnesota History Center store or at local bookstores. A book launch with the author will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 24 at the African Development Center*, 1931 S. 5th St., Minneapolis.
* Read more about the African Development Center, here.
For new readers we have resettled more than 100,000 Somali refugees to cities large and small in the US over the last 25 years. See one of the most widely read posts here at RRW. In three years since 9/11 ( Bush years 2004, 2005, 2006) the number of Somalis arriving topped 10,000 per year. Those refugees then began bringing in the family (chain migration!) until 2008 when shock of shocks! the State Department discovered that as many as 30,000 Somalis had lied about their kinship and weren’t related at all. The State Department then closed the “family reunification” program for Somalis. It has recently been re-opened for new and legit family members, but they have no intention of finding and deporting the liars.
And, on that “hospitality” issue, you might want to see reports on the latest Somali terrorism trials, here (Portland, OR) and here (San Diego) . Or how about those Somali youths we raised in Minnesota who went back to Africa for Jihad training? First we fly them here and resettle them, feed them, give them welfare, educate them and then we have to pay for their trials and imprisonment too!
Don’t forget—read about Al-Hijra, the Islamic Doctrine of Immigration!