Sowda Ahmed Mohamud, a Somali national, was sentenced in federal court in San Diego after pleading guilty to three counts related to asylum fraud and making false statements during immigration proceedings. Mohamud was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on March 20, 2024, after entering the United States illegally and seeking asylum.
Authorities said that during processing, government databases flagged Mohamud as a possible match for someone involved in terrorism or related activities. The FBI San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force then launched an investigation into Mohamud and her relatives both in the U.S. and abroad. Evidence from this investigation led to the dismissal of her asylum claim with prejudice and an order for her removal from the country.
Court documents show that Mohamud falsely stated on her asylum application and under oath that she had never previously applied for lawful status in any country, though she had done so in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Brazil. She also failed to disclose that she had a biological sister residing in the U.S., whose own immigration petition was pending.
Further investigation revealed that Mohamud did not disclose having a brother, Mohamed Ahmed Qahiye, who is identified as a high-ranking member of ISIS-Somalia. Qahiye has been linked to providing support to ISIS-Somalia through financial and material means. In November 2022, he was added to the Office of Foreign Asset Control’s Specially Designated Nationals list due to his role in supporting ISIS-Somalia leadership with money and weapons transfers.
Mohamud spent about 15 months detained before being charged. She received a sentence of time served—48 days—and 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.”
The agencies involved in investigating this case included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO).
