Ubah Jama, widow of Hussein Samatar, took a selfie with others while standing on the “Samatar Crossing” walkway, opened in her late husband's honor in 2018. Hussein Samatar was the first Somali-American elected to public office in Minneapolis. Photo: Shari L. Gross, Star Tribune Curious Minnesota How did the Twin Cities become a hub for Somali immigrants? June 21, 2019 — 10:45am Related coverage While attending the University of Minnesota, Lakeville native Erik Borg wondered how the Twin Cities came to have such a large population of Somali Americans. Many, he noticed, lived near the campus. “I was just kind of curious how a place like Minneapolis becomes home to a thriving population of Somali immigrants,” said Borg.