 They were later joined by many other ethnic Somalis from different backgrounds, who sought asylum in the US after the outbreak of the civil war in Somalia or emigrated from other parts of Greater Somalia.A large number of the Somali immigrants settled in Minnesota, which in 2002 harbored the largest population of Somalis in North America.Many of the newer arrivals came through voluntary agencies (VOLAGS) contracted with the State Department, who helped them settle in.