With 70,000 Somalis in Minnesota, we have the largest concentration in the United States. For two years, Ms. Shah and other reporters followed the story of the young Somali men who disappeared from the Twin Cities. The FBI said they were recruited to fight for a militia in Somalia called Al-Shabab. Perhaps some did.

But what about the rest of them who were never found?

My new book, Reprisal, tells the fictional story of what might have “really” happened to the missing boys.

Ms. Shah’s reporting tells another story–one of a vast, intricate network of gangsters who prey upon young Somali people. I don’t know if there’s any connection between the young men who disappeared and the girls that Ms. Shah writes about, but clearly there are problems in the Somali community.

The reporter goes on to detail the difficulties faced by not only the adult Somalis coming to this country but their children also. My work in the courtrooms with this population confirms much of what is reported in the article. The children arrive here without parents, who may have died or are missing, and must live with various relatives. These older relatives often have different ideas about the role the young girls should play in the family and community.

One of the biggest problems I’ve encountered is the distrust the Somali community has for outsiders, including law enforcement. For decades in Somalia there has not been a functioning government. People rely upon their clans and extended families for their survival and safety. When they arrive in the United States, many of these attitudes remain for a long time.

As a result, the community can be insulated from others. That makes it easier for gangsters to prey upon the young girls. I’ve had experiences in Juvenile Court where young Somali girls end up in Minnesota living with their “uncles”–who really aren’t relatives at all.

I’ve also seen the “two worlds” that Ms. Shah identifies in many of the immigrant groups. In the Hmong community for instance, the parents often cannot speak English. They depend on the children to interpret and deal with American society. You can imagine the power and independence the children gain. I suspect the same situation exists in the Somali community also.

Check out the Strib article for a good story and explanation of what the Somali people are doing in the face of gangsters to help their children.

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The legislature just passed one of the most far-reaching immigration laws in the country. As I understand it, the law would allow police to stop people who “look” like they might be illegals and ask the not only for identification but also if they are in the country illegally. Of course, if they are are, the police can take action to begin deportation proceedings.

Should we be concerned?

On the one hand, this appears to be very scary. I’ve read blogs comparing this to Nazi Germany where Jews were stopped because they looked “Jewish.” But unless all the legislators in Arizona are nuts, is there more to this than meets the eye?

Granted, I think Arizona has some of the most politically conservative people in the country. Remember, this is the state where John McCain, who has voted for some of the most conservative legislation in his career, is now being challenged in a primary because he’s not conservative enough!

Still, the new immigration law is so far out there in comparison to the rest of the country, it makes me wonder if the rest of us are missing something.

I think it’s difficult for those of us living in Minnesota, who face the threat of only a few Canadian hockey players coming across the border, to fully understand the frustration of people in Arizona about the illegal criminal activity coming across their border. The drug trade with its violence is a real problem for them. People with serious diseases are coming across to receive free treatment in the Arizona hospitals at taxpayer expense. I’ve read blogs from public health officials warning that some of the diseases brought by illegals are unknown in our country and threaten to overwhelm their public health capabilities. So…

Do any of you recall that a few years ago, President George Bush promised a stop to illegals coming across the border by ordering the National Guard to seal the border of Arizona? The only problem was, after Bush made a splash in the media, he refused to fund the deployment of National Guard troops and equipment, so they left in a few weeks.

Could the legislation in Arizona be a power play?

Maybe the smart people in the legislature are trying to get the attention of the country to point out that no one else, including the federal government, is helping them seal the border against violent, criminal illegals.

The law, as I understand it, may not even be constitutional. Let’s see how the litigation plays out. In the meantime, maybe Arizona has purposely put this out there to get a reaction. Or, is it simply pandering by the politicians to the fear and concerns that many people in Arizona truly feel? The intelligent politicians must know this law will engender thousands of law suits and challenges. Did they pass it to be able to pacify their constituents?

I don’t know. What do you think? Is this a sophisticated move to get federal help or is the legislature and governor nuts?

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