Fox News Films 750-Store Somali Mall After Omar Reappears, Reviving Assimilation Debate
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Nov 1
Fox News Films 750-Store Somali Mall After Omar Reappears, Reviving Assimilation Debate
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Nov 1
Summary
Karmel Mall owner Basim Sabri let Fox News Digital film inside the Minneapolis complex a day after Rep. Ilhan Omar reappeared there following a raid on her home.
Inside the mall, Somali language and culture dominated: vendors sold traditional clothing, gold and travel services, while Sabri described the site as an incubator and community hub where Somalis integrate and prosper.
Sabri gave conflicting store counts of 900 and 750, and the mall's food court displayed Somali, Palestinian and American flags; security had initially blocked filming without his permission.
Center for Immigration Studies data cited by Fox showed more than half of children in Minnesota homes of Somali-born immigrants live in poverty, 89% of Somali households receive welfare, and half of long-settled Somali immigrants do not speak English very well.
The report framed the enclave as a test of assimilation, with CIS researcher Steven Camerota arguing that technology, elite attitudes and a foreign-born share near 15% of the U.S. population make integration harder.