Agents served multiple search warrants in Minnesota on Tuesday as part of an ongoing federal fraud investigation into publicly funded social programs, authorities confirmed. The operation, conducted by Homeland Security Investigations in cooperation with local law enforcement, targeted alleged misuse of taxpayer dollars in Minneapolis.
Details of the Investigation
Few specifics have been released, but the probe is the latest point of friction between the Trump administration and state and local officials in Minnesota. The state has been under scrutiny following a monthslong immigration crackdown that resulted in two deaths before operations were scaled back. Prior to that, federal investigators charged dozens of individuals, many of Somali American descent, with defrauding a program designed to provide food for children.
Homeland Security Investigations stated: "We executed criminal search warrants in Minneapolis relating to the rampant fraud of U.S. taxpayers dollars." Neither the department nor Immigration and Customs Enforcement responded to requests for further information about the operations.
Political and Funding Tensions
In February, Vice President JD Vance announced the Trump administration would temporarily halt $243 million in Medicaid funding to Minnesota over fraud concerns, describing it as part of an aggressive crackdown on misuse of public funds. Minnesota responded with a lawsuit, warning that the funding freeze could force cuts to health care for low-income families.
Governor Tim Walz told Congress in March that he sought collaboration with the federal government on fraud investigations, but noted that the immigration surge was complicating efforts. "The people of Minnesota have been singled out and targeted for political retribution at an unparalleled scale," Walz said at the time.
