Newly compiled figures from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) show that the overwhelming majority of Somali refugee–headed households in Minnesota rely on at least one form of public assistance, underscoring a significant gap between refugee families and native-born residents.

The analysis draws on a decade’s worth of Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) data. According to CIS, 81 percent of Minnesota households led by Somali refugees utilize one or more public welfare programs. This includes 27 percent receiving cash assistance, 54 percent using food stamps, and roughly 73 percent enrolled in Medicaid.

By comparison, just 21 percent of native-born Minnesotan households participate in any welfare program, with far lower rates for each category — 6 percent receiving cash aid, 7 percent using food stamps, and 18 percent enrolled in Medicaid.

The numbers rise further for Somali-headed households raising children. The ACS data indicates that about 89 percent of these families depend on at least one safety-net program. Medicaid enrollment alone reaches 86 percent, while 62 percent receive food stamps and 23 percent rely on cash assistance.

“Nearly every Somali household with children receives some form of welfare,” CIS researcher Jason Richwine noted in his analysis.

Meanwhile, among native Minnesotan families with children, only about 30 percent use any form of welfare — with 6 percent on cash aid, 10 percent using food stamps, and 28 percent covered by Medicaid.

The disparities extend beyond public benefit usage. According to the same data, more than 66 percent of Somali refugees in the state live in or near poverty. In contrast, fewer than 20 percent of native-born Minnesotans fall into that category.

Language proficiency also remains a major hurdle. While virtually all native-born Minnesotans report speaking English “very well,” nearly 60 percent of Somali refugees say they do not — including many who have lived in the state for over a decade.

Educational differences add another layer. Only 5 percent of native Minnesotans lack a high school diploma, compared to almost 40 percent of Somali refugees. More than a quarter of Somali adults who have been in Minnesota for at least 10 years still report not having completed high school.

Minnesota is now home to nearly 80,000 people of Somali ancestry, despite having virtually none in 1990. The state hosts one of the largest Somali diaspora communities in the United States, a population that has grown quickly due to refugee resettlement over the past three decades.