Federal agents have executed 22 search warrants in Minnesota as part of an ongoing fraud investigation, focusing primarily on daycare and childcare providers. The US Justice Department confirmed the operation on Tuesday, stating it was not related to immigration enforcement.
The raids come amid heightened tensions between the Trump administration and state officials, following an earlier immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities that led to the fatal shootings of two US citizens. Vice-President JD Vance, appointed by President Trump as a “fraud czar”, welcomed the latest operation, vowing to pursue fraudsters relentlessly.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, also praised the action, saying the administration would not tolerate waste, fraud, and abuse. The investigation, which began under the Biden administration, has already led to more than 60 convictions.
These raids follow a December 2024 decision by President Trump to freeze Minnesota’s childcare funding over alleged fraud in Somali American centres. Governor Tim Walz criticised the move as political, accusing the president of defunding necessary programs.
