Tim Walz Claims Trump is ‘Politicizing the Issue’ of Somali Fraud

Minnesota Governor Accuses Trump of Politicizing Immigration Fraud Scandal

Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, a Democrat, has accused former President Donald Trump of using the Somali immigration fraud scandal for political gain. This came after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it was halting federal payments to child care providers in the state.

In a post on X, Walz reacted to a video by HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill, who stated that the agency had “frozen all child support payments” in Minnesota.

O’Neill further elaborated that HHS has “invoked a defense of all ACF child care spending systems nationwide” and sent Walz a “letter of demand” for a thorough review of child care centers in Minnesota, covering aspects such as attendance records, licensing, complaints, investigations, and inspections.

Walz remarked, “This is a long game for President Trump. We’ve spent years cracking down on scammers. This is a serious issue, but it was his plan from the beginning. He’s politicizing this situation to undermine programs that assist Minnesotans.”

According to reports, since 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged 98 individuals in relation to extensive fraud cases linked to businesses falsely billing programs overseen by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MDHS).

Back in 2022, the DOJ’s indictments were part of a larger fraud investigation revealing that more than half of the $18 billion billed for 14 MDHS services since 2018 might be fraudulent, stated Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Joseph Thompson during a recent press briefing.

Additionally, court documents reviewed earlier this month indicated that the suspected fraudulent activity could total around $218 million.

The HHS’s decision was spurred by citizen journalist Nick Shirley, who filmed himself visiting several child care facilities in Minnesota that allegedly received significant federal funds but appeared to lack children during his visits.

One location he visited, the Quality Learning Center, had a sign with a misspelling—“Quality Learning Center.” Following the revelations, a video surfaced showing someone correcting the spelling on that sign.