Sowda Ahmed Mohamud, a Somali national, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to three counts of asylum fraud and making false statements in immigration proceedings. The sentencing followed an investigation by the FBI San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force (FBI-JTTF).
Mohamud was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on March 20, 2024, after illegally entering the United States and seeking asylum. Routine checks linked her to an individual suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activities. The FBI-JTTF investigated Mohamud and her family members both in the U.S. and abroad. Evidence from this investigation led an immigration judge to dismiss her asylum claim with prejudice and order her removal from the country.
According to the plea agreement, Mohamud made several false claims during her asylum application and testimony. She stated that she had never applied for lawful status in any country before, though records showed prior attempts in the United Kingdom, United States, and Brazil. She also failed to disclose having a biological sister residing in the U.S., whose own immigration petition was pending.
Further investigation revealed that Mohamud did not mention her brother, Mohamed Ahmed Qahiye, who is identified as a high-ranking member of ISIS-Somalia involved in securing funds and weapons for the group. In November 2022, Qahiye was placed on the Office of Foreign Asset Control’s Specially Designated National list for supporting ISIS-Somalia through various means. The designation notes that Qahiye and Sheikh Mumin met with Iranian nationals who provided over $10,000 to ISIS-Somalia leadership and sought arms shipments from Yemen.
Mohamud spent about 15 months detained before being charged and received a time-served sentence of 48 days; she will be removed from the United States.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the integrity of our immigration courts by prosecuting those individuals who seek to game our asylum laws through false and fraudulent claims,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, adding that, “the prosecution of Mohamud for asylum fraud also represents our commitment to ensuring that individuals who might pose a threat to our national security due to their family ties to foreign terrorist organizations are swiftly removed from the United States.”
“Thanks to the efforts of the FBI San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force, Mohamud will be held accountable for her deliberate and fraudulent attempt to undermine our immigration system,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to rooting out anyone with potential ties to known foreign terrorist organizations intent on harming the United States. I commend the JTTF for their thorough investigative work to keep our communities safe.”
“The defendant in this case is alleged to have falsified immigration documents, an act that constitutes a felony and undermines the integrity of our nation’s lawful immigration system,” stated Shawn Gibson, Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “This investigation serves as a clear reminder that HSI and our law enforcement partners are firmly committed to apprehending individuals who seek to reside in our nation under false pretenses, regardless of where they attempt to hide.”
Multiple agencies participated in investigating this case: Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigation; Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Border Patrol; Drug Enforcement Administration; Immigration and Customs Enforcement—Enforcement and Removal Operations.
