(NewsNation) — FBI Director Kash Patel on Sunday suggested his agency is putting more resources into investigating potential social-services fraud in Minnesota, a salvo that comes as the Trump administration has criticized the state’s Somali immigrant population and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.
Patel, in a social media post, said recent federal prosecutions into the misuse of federal dollars meant for children’s hunger relief are “just the tip of a very large iceberg.” He cited “recent social media reports in Minnesota,” an apparent reference to a viral video that features a non-operational child care facility in Minneapolis that allegedly received state and federal funds.
“We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing,” Patel said. “Furthermore, many are also being referred to immigrations [sic] officials for possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings where eligible.”
Federal sources told NewsNation that of the roughly 90 people recently charged in multiple fraud schemes around Minnesota, nearly all are Somali American.
The White House has framed the investigations in Minnesota as examples of Somali immigrants playing the system; Democrats have warned against scapegoating an entire community for the actions of a few.
The cases have also provided Republicans with an opportunity to portray Walz, the 2024 Democratic candidate for vice president, as turning a blind eye to corruption.
“He has not done anything in seven years to fix this fraud. So why would he start now? It’s a little bit too late. I don’t believe that he is either capable of fixing it or has the desire to,” said Republican state Rep. Lisa Demuth.
The governor’s press office on Sunday issued a brief statement listing the state government’s attempts to curb misuse of public funds: “The Governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action.”
Patel said the FBI had “dismantled” a Minnesota-based scheme defrauding taxpayers of $250 million that was meant to be spent on food for children during the pandemic. He said nearly 60 people had been convicted following an investigation into “sham vendors, shell companies, and large-scale money laundering.”