Omar reappears at Minneapolis Somali mall after DC home raid

Rep. Ilhan Omar reemerged in her home state of Minnesota at the Karmel Mall in Minneapolis, a commercial hub dominated by Somali businesses and Somali culture, days after federal agents raided her home in Washington. Fox News Digital was given a tour of the mall, which the outlet described as an enclave where Somali language, goods and services are central to daily life.

According to the report, the mall functions as a community hub, with many of its shops run by women entrepreneurs. Vendors sell electronic SIM cards for calling overseas, offer foreign currency exchange and arrange travel to the Middle East and East Africa. Other stores sell gold, fragrances and traditional Somali clothing, and the complex includes Somali barbershops, cafes, food vendors and henna tattoo shops. Fox News Digital noted that English is a second language for most people inside.

The mall was developed by Basim Sabri, a Gaza-born immigrant who came to Minneapolis to study and later became a real estate investor. He now owns the mall and several apartment complexes that house Somalis, has political ties at local and state levels, and is a friend of Omar. He also knew the congresswoman's father. Sabri gave conflicting figures on the number of stores in the mall, first saying 900 and later 750. He described the mall as an « incubator » where businesses start, grow and often move to larger spaces, and said it helps Somalis integrate into the community while prospering. « Somalis are very smart business individuals, » he said.

Fox News Digital reported that the food court features a large Somali flag painted on the ceiling, alongside Somali, Palestinian and American flags. Sabri said many politicians hold press conferences in the space. During the outlet's visit, Omar ate lunch there with friends, supporters and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, after casting an early ballot in her own reelection campaign. The mall also hosts an Islamic weekend school for children. Few non-Somalis were present during the tour, although the mall is not strictly limited to Somali customers. Fox News Digital reported that security initially questioned its crew when they tried to enter and film without Sabri's permission. In February 2024, Sabri banned Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey from the premises after Frey vetoed an Israel-Gaza ceasefire resolution passed by the City Council.

The report raises questions about assimilation, which Steven Camerota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, addressed. He pointed to a CIS report published in December describing Somalis as a « struggling group. » That report found that more than half of children living in homes of Somali-born immigrants in Minnesota live in poverty, compared with 8% of children in homes of native-born Minnesotans. It also found that half of Somali-born immigrants who have lived in the United States for more than a decade cannot speak English « very well, » that 89% of Somali households receive some form of welfare, and that 39% lack high school diplomas, compared with 8% of the native population.

Camerota argued that assimilation among various foreign-born groups, including Somalis, has declined across the country, even though current immigration levels are roughly comparable to those of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when immigrants made up about 15% of the population. He said modern conditions, rather than immigrants themselves, hinder assimilation, citing technology as a primary factor because people can easily travel or maintain contact with home countries. Fox News Digital's report presents the mall as both a sign of economic success and a focal point for the debate over how Somali immigrants integrate into American life.

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Caroline Mercer

World News Correspondent

Caroline Mercer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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