A conservative influencer’s viral video alleging widespread fraud at taxpayer-funded child care centers in Minnesota’s Somali community has ignited a political controversy, prompting responses from both the Trump administration and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Trump Administration Response
President Donald Trump has long criticized Minnesota’s Somali population, approximately 108,000 strong, and previously claimed that members of the community contribute nothing to the US and shouldn’t be in the country. Before the video emerged, he pointed to fraud by members of the community as justification for these claims.
The Trump administration halted federal child care payments to the state and launched a highly visible response after the video surfaced, with Justice Department officials asserting they had been monitoring the situation. In a social media post, Trump asserted, without evidence, that “up to 90%” of “the Minnesota fraud” could be traced to people who arrived in the state “illegally” from Somalia, calling for their deportation. The vast majority of Minnesota residents of Somali descent are US citizens, with tens of thousands born in the US and many others entering the country legally.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Fox News that the Justice Department was executing search warrants and subpoenas, promising arrests. Vice President JD Vance amplified the video on social media, and several federal agencies pledged to assist in a crackdown.
The US Department of Labor posted on Monday that they would “bring an end to the Somali fraud network,” but did not provide further details. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel sought to emphasize that their agencies had been investigating the matter prior to the video’s release, detailing a $250 million pandemic fraud scheme.
Investigation History
The investigation into the $250 million fraud scheme actually stretches back years before Trump took office. In September 2022, the Biden Justice Department charged 47 individuals in connection with a plot by the nonprofit Feeding Our Future to steal Covid-era pandemic funds. Then-Attorney General Merrick Garland called it “the largest pandemic relief fraud scheme charged to date.” By the end of President Joe Biden’s time in office, approximately 70 people had been charged in connection with the scheme.
Bondi erroneously stated on X that her office had successfully secured the conviction of Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, a ringleader in the scheme, in August 2025. However, the sentencing actually occurred in June 2024. She also pointed to a separate plot by Farah and others to bribe a juror in the fraud case, an indictment that also took place under the Biden administration.
Beyond the Feeding Our Future scandal, Bondi noted another related scheme allegedly uncovered in Minnesota’s Somali community involving federal autism funding. The FBI has been investigating Medicaid fraud related to autism funds, with a case involving a 28-year-old woman charged with wire fraud in September.
Walz’s Response
Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a candidate for vice president in 2024, initially responded to the video with comments from a spokesperson before addressing the allegations directly on social media Tuesday. Walz defended his record on combating fraud and attempted to shift public attention to Trump’s actions.
Walz posted on X, including excerpts from an op-ed published in the Minnesota Star Tribune, acknowledging that the state had been targeted by fraudsters and outlining steps his administration had taken to address the issue.
A Walz administration spokesperson initially stated that two of the facilities featured in the video “have already been closed,” specifically mentioning Quality Learning Center in Minneapolis. However, the Department of Children, Youth and Families later clarified that Quality Learning Center had decided to remain open despite notifying the department of its intention to close on Dec. 19.
Media Coverage and Reactions
The viral video prompted claims that mainstream media outlets had ignored the issue of fraud in Minnesota. However, various observers pointed out that media outlets had reported on the issue prior to the video, including cases involving members of the Somali community. Minnesota media outlets and national news organizations had covered the topic for years.
Twin Cities television station 5 Eyewitness News aired a story in January noting documented problems at Quality Learning Center, reporting that the reporter only observed people at the facility once, but did not see any children.
Conservative commentators criticized mainstream news outlets and called for accountability. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon responded to a post demanding action by noting the 99 indictments and 62 convictions already secured in the case.
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