White House criticizes Minnesota over pandemic fraud case involving Somali nationals

WASHINGTON (KWTX) — The White House is sharply criticizing Minnesota’s handling of a major pandemic-era fraud case, arguing that state leaders failed to act as the scheme grew and allowed more than a billion dollars in federal child-nutrition money to be stolen.

In a Truth Social post, President Trump described Minnesota as “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” and claimed that “refugees from Somalia are completely taking over the once great State.”

The administration tied those claims to the federal prosecution of what investigators have called one of the nation’s largest pandemic relief fraud schemes, as reported by the New York Times.

So far, federal prosecutors have charged 86 people in the case. According to the statement, the White House says 78 of those charged are of Somali ancestry and points to that figure as evidence that Democratic leadership in the state, including Gov. Tim Walz, failed to provide oversight.

The statement accuses “cowardly Democrat officials” of being reluctant to intervene because they feared political backlash within the Somali community.

It also alleges that nonprofits involved in the scheme falsely claimed to feed tens of thousands of children, provide services for unhoused people, and offer therapy for autistic Somali children — all while using federal funds for kickbacks and luxury purchases.

Some of the money, the statement claims, was sent overseas, including to a terror group, allegedly.

Walz defended his administration’s response in an interview with NBC, saying “I take responsibility for putting people in jail... It’s not just Somalis!”

The White House says the fraud unfolded “on Walz’s watch” and argues the state took no meaningful action, leaving enforcement to federal investigators.

In response to the scandal, the Trump administration says it is taking several immigration-related steps.

Those include terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals, pausing asylum decisions, and reexamining green cards for people from what it calls “countries of concern.”

The administration frames the moves as part of an effort to ensure that migrants who remain in the United States are, in its words, “a net positive on our society.”

Walz criticized the broader policy response, saying “To demonize an entire community on the actions of a few, it’s lazy.”

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