Overview
- Video of Wu telling a Somali-American rally that Boston’s achievements in safety, jobs, economic development, and education cannot be discussed without the Somali community circulated widely on Tuesday.
- Wu paired her praise with a pledge to expand services and support for Somali residents, framing the message as a rejection of hate.
- Right-leaning outlets and Republican figures amplified pushback to her remarks, tying them to high-profile Minnesota welfare fraud cases.
- Federal prosecutors in Minnesota have charged 92 defendants in pandemic-era social-service fraud schemes, including dozens identified as Somali Americans, with more than $300 million alleged in losses through Feeding Our Future.
- Wu’s comments follow earlier symbolic gestures recognizing Somalis in Boston, and come after her past clash with DHS over remarks about masked ICE agents and a recent incident she cited at Faneuil Hall involving Somali-Americans at a naturalization event.