Immigrant Development Center Founder Refutes Threatening Letter Claims

Fowzia Adde says her organization helps connect immigrants and refugees with jobs and English lessons, not 'illegal aliens'.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 10:15pm

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Fowzia Adde, the executive director and founder of the Immigrant Development Center in Fargo, North Dakota, said she reached out to police about a threatening letter she received that claimed she is 'responsible to organize the known illegal aliens to deport themselves' and that her 'actions are being watched'. Adde refuted the letter's claims, stating she is a U.S. citizen who started the organization in 2003 to help legal immigrants and refugees, not undocumented individuals.

Why it matters

The letter appears to be an attempt to intimidate the leader of an organization that provides vital services to immigrant and refugee communities in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Adde's response highlights her commitment to serving her community and her belief in America as a land of opportunity and security under the rule of law.

The details

The anonymous letter, which was sent without a return address, claimed Adde is a 'diversity, equity and inclusion hire' with 'illegal alien friends'. Adde said she is a 'very creative woman entrepreneur' who started working towards the Immigrant Development Center in 2003, not a recent DEI hire. She stated that the organization helps connect immigrants and refugees with jobs and English lessons, and that she does not know anyone who came to the country illegally, as legal refugees are the ones settled in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

  • Adde said she reached out to the police chief right away after receiving the threatening letter.

The players

Fowzia Adde

The executive director and founder of the Immigrant Development Center in Fargo, North Dakota, who immigrated to the U.S. from Somalia and became a U.S. citizen.

Immigrant Development Center

A Fargo-based organization that helps connect immigrants and refugees with jobs and English lessons.

Moorhead Police

The police department investigating the threatening letter sent to Fowzia Adde.

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What they’re saying

“I'm a very creative woman entrepreneur. I started working towards the Immigrant Development Center in 2003. I'm not a DEI hire.”

— Fowzia Adde, Executive Director and Founder, Immigrant Development Center

“If you look at the history of Fargo-Moorhead, we have legal refugees who are settled around here. We barely have illegal immigrants around this area and if they are, they're in hiding.”

— Fowzia Adde, Executive Director and Founder, Immigrant Development Center

“It doesn't scare me. I believe in America. It's a land of opportunity. The land of security. The land of laws and regulation. I am in a good hand. That's why I reached out to the police chief right away.”

— Fowzia Adde, Executive Director and Founder, Immigrant Development Center

What’s next

Moorhead Police said they are investigating the threatening letter sent to Fowzia Adde.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the challenges that immigrant-serving organizations and their leaders can face, even in communities with relatively low levels of undocumented immigration. Adde's response demonstrates her commitment to her work and her faith in America's principles of opportunity and the rule of law.