File Photo/Somali Times
By MP Dr Abdillahi Hashi Abib
Somalia diplomatic and civil servant passports, which are being unlawfully issued to private individuals who do not qualify for them. This fraudulent practice has severe legal consequences and violates both Somalia and international laws, particularly in relation to human trafficking.
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Immigration fraud, and violations of international national security regulations. If these violations are not immediately addressed, Somalia risks severe diplomatic repercussions, including potential visa restrictions or outright bans on all Somali citizens, unfairly affecting law-abiding individuals seeking to travel for legitimate purposes such as medical treatment, business, or family visits.
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Reliable whistle-blower reports from senior officials within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have uncovered a highly organized human trafficking and visa fraud scheme that poses a direct threat to U.S., U.K., E.U., and Canadian national security.
This scheme was initiated when the State Minister of Foreign Affairs appointed his brother-in-law, Mr. Omar Mohamed Dufle, as Non-Resident Ambassador to Cuba, Brazil, and several South and Central American countries. Under this arrangement, visas to these countries are being sold for $25,000 per applicant, allowing individuals to bypass security and immigration controls and ultimately arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border or claim asylum in Europe, the U.K., or Canada.
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Shockingly, individuals involved in this operation are not processed through Mogadishu’s international airport security system. Instead, corrupt officials accept bribes to allow them to leave Somalia without proper identity verification or biometric screening, making it nearly impossible for authorities in destination countries to detect fraudulent travelers.
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This scheme is directly tied to the Somalia Embassy in the United States, where the Ambassador and his secretary, both personally appointed by the State Minister, have facilitated this scam visa network. The State Minister, the Ambassador, and the Non-Resident Ambassador to Cuba – all from the same family network – operate this fraudulent system and personally profit $25,000 per fraudulent passport issued with a Cuba or Brazil visa.
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One particularly egregious case involved a Somali citizen arrested by Colombian immigration authorities while attempting to transit to the U.S. Rather than expose the fraudulent scheme, the Somalia Embassy in US issued an emergency travel document, facilitating the individual’s deportation back to Somalia and shielding those responsible for his illegal migration attempt.
Additionally, the State Minister, who is also a U.S. citizen, has partnered with a private company in Addis Ababa that holds an exclusive third-party contract with the Indian Embassy in Ethiopia, forcing Somali citizens to pay exorbitant U.S. dollar fees for Indian visas – another exploitative financial scheme enriching Somali officials at the expense of ordinary citizens.
The actions of the State Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Somalia Ambassador to the U.S., and other officials involved in this scheme violate numerous international and U.S. laws, including but not limited to.
1. The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons – The sale of fraudulent visas and facilitation of illegal migration constitutes human trafficking and organized crime.
2. The UN Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air – The facilitation of unauthorized entry into foreign countries through corrupt diplomatic channels is a direct violation of this protocol.
3. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Regulations – The use of fraudulent travel documents and bypassing security measures compromises global aviation security.
4. Bilateral and Multilateral Agreements with the U.S., U.K., E.U., and Canada – This visa fraud directly undermines Somalia’s diplomatic commitments and puts foreign aid and security partnerships at risk.
5. U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and U.S. Federal Human Trafficking Laws – Given that the State Minister holds U.S. citizenship, he is violating U.S. federal laws related to human trafficking (18 U.S.C. § 1590), visa fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1546), and conspiracy to commit immigration fraud (18 U.S.C. § 371).
As a U.S. citizen, the State Minister of Foreign Affairs is actively endangering the national security of the United States, a country he is legally obligated to uphold and protect under U.S. law. His fraudulent visa operation directly contributes to illegal border crossings and asylum fraud – issues of high national security priority for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the U.S. Department of Justice.
By facilitating fraudulent travel documents and smuggling individuals into the United States under false pretenses, the State Minister is not only profiting from an international crime syndicate but is also actively violating U.S. federal immigration laws. Given his U.S. citizenship, these crimes expose him to potential criminal prosecution under U.S. jurisdiction.
Given the grave legal and diplomatic consequences of these violations, I urge the Immigration Subcommittee to take immediate action by.
o Invoking subpoena powers to compel the State Minister of Foreign Affairs to produce all records, documents, and financial transactions related to this fraudulent visa scheme.
Investigating the role of the Somali embassies in the U.S., Cuba, Brazil, and other countries in facilitating human trafficking and visa fraud.
Examining the complicity of Somali airport security and immigration officials in allowing fraudulent travelers to bypass biometric verification and screening.
o Referring the case to the Somali Attorney General’s Office for criminal prosecution of those involved.
This systematic abuse of power and diplomatic privileges is not only a threat to Somalia’s international credibility but also a direct attack on the national security of the United States. If immediate action is not taken, Somalia will face severe diplomatic consequences, including visa bans, loss of international aid, and criminal investigations into government officials.
The Immigration Subcommittee to act decisively and transparently to protect Somalia’s national integrity, uphold the rule of law, and prevent further exploitation of our citizens.
Failure to act will not only embolden further corruption but will also expose Somalia to international sanctions and legal action for complicity in human trafficking.