Two Somali American Democrats who blasted President Donald Trump for calling Somali immigrants “garbage” are now facing uncomfortable questions about their ties to a nonprofit accused by a whistleblower of massive Medicaid fraud in Maine.
State Reps. Deqa Dhalac and Yusuf Yusuf, both Democrats serving in the Maine House, have publicly condemned Trump’s rhetoric in recent days, joining fellow Somali American lawmaker Mana Abdi in a joint letter denouncing what they called his “hateful remarks” about their community.
“This moment is bigger than any one politician or any one community,” the three lawmakers wrote, warning that Trump’s language toward Somali immigrants was “dangerous” and could embolden harassment and threats.
At the same time, new reporting states that Dhalac and Yusuf both have professional ties to Gateway Community Services Maine, a Somali-led social services nonprofit now engulfed in allegations that it siphoned off millions of dollars from the state’s Medicaid program, known as MaineCare.
According to Dhalac’s LinkedIn profile, she served as assistant executive director of Gateway Community Services between May 2022 and March 2023, overlapping with her tenure as a state representative. Yusuf “works closely with Gateway Community Services,” his official House biography notes, and previously served on the Portland Board of Public Education.
Three Somalis serving in the Maine House released a letter last week objecting to Trump calling some Somalians “garbage.”
Two of three are involved w/ a Maine org that is accused of stealing millions in taxpayer $$ through persistent Medicaid fraud a la the Minnesota scandal. pic.twitter.com/BDUOhHHosg
— Amber Duke (@ambermarieduke) December 8, 2025
Gateway has been involved in Maine’s nonprofit landscape, partnering with state agencies on Medicaid outreach and mental health case management with funding from public and philanthropic organizations
But a former employee, billing specialist Christopher Bernardini, has told reporters that Gateway systematically falsified documentation to inflate MaineCare claims, allegedly billing for home-care visits that never happened and manipulating an electronic check-in system meant to verify staff time with clients. “When I had clients calling me to tell me their staff hadn’t shown up and I was told to bill those hours anyway, it just got worse and worse,” Bernardini said.
Documents have shown Gateway received roughly $28.8 million in Medicaid funds from the state, while whistleblower materials accuse the organization of inflating MaineCare billing over several years. State officials have acknowledged the allegations and said they are reviewing the claims; however, no criminal charges have been announced at the time of writing this report.
Trump’s latest clash with Somali Americans began during a Cabinet meeting last week, when he railed against Somali immigrants and Somalia itself, saying, “They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country,” and calling Somalia a “garbage” country. His comments prompted outrage across Somali communities in Minnesota and Maine, and gave fresh urgency to the open letter from Abdi, Dhalac and Yusuf.
“As elected officials entrusted to serve the people of Maine, we have a responsibility to speak clearly and without hesitation,” the trio wrote. “Our communities deserve leaders who will call out dangerous rhetoric, defend democratic principles, and refuse to let fear or dehumanization dictate public policy.”
Their statement did not mention Gateway Community Services or the fraud accusations and the accused have not publicly commented on the whistleblower’s claims about the nonprofit.
