News outlets falsely report Somaliland called for extradition of Ilhan Omar
Multiple media outlets mistakenly attributed a call for Ilhan Omar’s extradition to Somaliland’s government, relying on a social media post from an X account that lacks official endorsement. Fox News, the New York Post, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s National News Desk, and the Independent featured stories about the U.S. congresswoman, linking her to the claim after a post by @RepOfSomaliland responded to allegations by JD Vance. The post, which appeared in reaction to Vance’s accusation that Omar had “definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America,” included the line:
“Deportation? Please, you’re just sending the princess back to her kingdom. Extradition? Say the word …”
Somaliland’s foreign ministry had already clarified that the account was not an official representative of the government. In December, they stated:
“The ministry has begun identifying social media accounts that are NOT official Government of Somaliland channels,” noting that such accounts were unapproved to speak on behalf of the state.
The ministry reiterated this in a recent statement to the Guardian, advising that all news or statements should be sourced exclusively from authorized channels to guarantee information reliability.
The confusion arose from a reaction to an interview VP JD Vance gave to conservative influencer Benny Johnson on 28 March. During the conversation, Vance asserted that Omar had engaged in immigration fraud and mentioned discussing legal options with Stephen Miller, the White House’s immigration advisor. He emphasized the need for “legal remedies” to investigate her and build a case for justice. Johnson specifically questioned whether her alleged actions justified deportation or denaturalization. Omar’s chief of staff, Connor McNutt, called the claims “a ridiculous lie and desperate attempt to distract,” adding that Vance had previously admitted to “creating stories” to shift focus.
Somaliland, a self-declared republic in the Horn of Africa, separated from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the Somali state. Despite relative stability in its region, it remains unrecognized globally, with Israel as a recent exception. Somalia still claims it as part of its territory. The misinformation spread amid rising White House rhetoric targeting Minnesota’s Somali community and Somalia itself. Just days before Vance’s interview, Trump described Somalia as a “crooked, disgusting country” and boasted of reclaiming Minnesota “from Somalia.”
Fox News later issued a subdued correction, acknowledging that the @RepOfSomaliland account was not a verified government outlet. They revised their headline to:
“Pro-Somaliland account backs extraditing Ilhan Omar after Vance fraud claim.”
This followed a prior incident in early 2024, where a mistranslated clip of Omar’s speech in Minneapolis ignited online debates, with rightwing figures alleging she had declared herself “Somalian first.”
In January, a man attacked Omar with liquid from a syringe during a Minneapolis town hall, hours after Trump had again targeted her with xenophobic remarks. Federal prosecutors later charged Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, with assault. Omar, who arrived in the U.S. as a refugee at 12 and became a citizen at 17, warned in a December Guardian interview that Trump’s language was fostering a “climate of political violence” with tangible impacts. She noted that individuals had been jailed for threatening her life and expressed concern for anyone “who looks like me” in the city.
