Federal authorities <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/us-attorneys-office-charges-opposing-immigration-enforcement/">announced charges</a> Tuesday against 15 individuals allegedly affiliated with a Minneapolis-based activist organization, accusing them of coordinating efforts to interfere with immigration enforcement operations earlier this year.
The defendants, described by prosecutors as members or associates of a group known as Direct Action Minnesota, face <a href="https://www.fox9.com/news/prosecutors-announce-charges-against-antifa-groups-minnesota-ice-protests">multiple felony counts</a> including conspiracy to obstruct a federal officer, assault on a federal officer, and destruction of government property. According to the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s office for the District of Minnesota, the group embedded itself within larger, lawful demonstrations taking place outside the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis — once on January 23 and again on March 1 of this year — using those crowds as cover to carry out more aggressive interference with Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel.
U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen said only 12 people from the group were arrested by Homeland Security Investigations on Tuesday.
The charges are the most significant law enforcement action yet to emerge from a months-long wave of protests that swept across Minnesota in response to the Trump administration&#8217;s sweeping immigration crackdown. Beginning in early 2026, thousands of Minnesotans participated in demonstrations opposing mass deportation operations, with rallies drawing residents from across the political spectrum. Prosecutors allege that a smaller contingent within those demonstrations had a more confrontational agenda.
The indictment lands against a politically charged backdrop. In September 2025, President Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/designating-antifa-as-a-domestic-terrorist-organization/">executive order</a> formally designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. It stated:
<blockquote>
Antifa recruits, trains, and radicalizes young Americans to engage in this violence and suppression of political activity, then employs elaborate means and mechanisms to shield the identities of its operatives, conceal its funding sources and operations in an effort to frustrate law enforcement, and recruit additional members.  Individuals associated with and acting on behalf of Antifa further coordinate with other organizations and entities for the purpose of spreading, fomenting, and advancing political violence and suppressing lawful political speech. 
</blockquote>
The administration characterized the movement as an organized, anti-government enterprise bent on undermining federal authority. Since then, federal prosecutors in several jurisdictions have invoked Antifa as a framework for charging individuals involved in protests against immigration enforcement.
The fifteen defendants now face the prospect of a federal trial.

US-POLITICS-IMMIGRATION-ICE

Feds Charge Activist Mob That Plotted Against ICE

Antifa

Minnesota

The FBI arrested a Somali-born man accused of stealing $4 million from a federal food program for children in need through his participation in the nation’s largest COVID-era scam. 
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Wednesday that 47-year-old <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/most-wanted-fraudsters/said-abdullahi-ereg">Said Abdullahi Ereg</a> surrendered to federal authorities after being wanted since 2024 on fraud charges. Ereg was placed on the “Most Wanted Fraudsters” last week over his alleged involvement in the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future scam.
“When [Vice President] Vance led the way for the Most Wanted Fraudsters list through the [White House Fraud Task Force] — this was exactly the righteous goal the Task Force had in mind — to bring to justice all those who have stolen money from hardworking American taxpayers,” Patel said. “This historic result is only the beginning — and let it be a message to any fraudster who takes advantage of America, this team will find you.”
The FBI said that Ereg took $4.2 million in government payments to his Minneapolis-based grocery and deli to supposedly provide meals through the Federal Child Nutrition Program between April 2020 and April 2021. Ereg&#8217;s grocery was sponsored by the fraudulent Feeding Our Future program. 
“Ereg allegedly transferred most of the money to fund his family&#8217;s lavish lifestyle,&#8221; the FBI said. &#8220;He also allegedly transferred money to foreign accounts controlled by foreign companies.&#8221;
Ereg’s grocery store purported to serve “3,000 meals, twice a day, seven days a week” but in actuality only served a “fraction of those meals,” according to prosecutors. In total, he claimed to have served 1.4 million meals to children. 
The money was instead used for purchases of high-end brands like Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and Canada Goose and sent to a foreign textile company, according to the indictment. Ereg transferred some $2.5 million funds received from government payouts to foreign accounts controlled by foreign companies, prosecutors said. 
Hundreds of thousands of dollars went toward the purchase of a home in New Hope, Minnesota, and the Somali-founded Quick Chain Trading Company and the Chinese-based Shaoxing Aifan Textile Company, according to the indictment. 
The suspected fraudster faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The criminal proceedings for Ereg will take place in federal court in Minnesota. 
Aimee Bock, the founder of Feeding Our Future, was sentenced last month to 500 months in prison for her role in the exploitation of the child nutrition program during COVID. She and others created dozens of shell companies to funnel federal dollars that were supposed to go toward feeding kids. 
Under the direction of Vice President JD Vance, the Trump administration is focusing on cracking down on fraud. Federal officials are investigating in Ohio after The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/medicaid-millionaires-how-the-feds-pay-immigrants-billions-to-hang-out-with-their-families">reported</a> on the state’s questionable payments for a taxpayer funded home healthcare program.

MixCollage-11-Jun-2026-07-15-AM-3526

Feds Arrest ‘Most Wanted Fraudster’ Accused Of Using Taxpayer Dollars For ‘Lavish Lifestyle’

Fraud

JD Vance

kash patel

Minneapolis

Somalia

Vice President JD Vance tasked the Justice Department with probing accusations that Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz looked the other way while fraudsters bilked the state’s social services for upwards of $9 billion. 
Vance referred the Walz administration to the DOJ on Monday night after the House Oversight Committee released a <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/release/oversight-committee-releases-bombshell-report-exposing-rampant-fraud-plaguing-minnesotas-taxpayer-funded-social-programs/">lengthy report</a> accusing Walz and Minnesota Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison of allowing their state to be systematically defrauded. The committee also accused Walz of targeting whistleblowers who tried to warn state officials about vulnerabilities in the system. 
“I’ve referred these allegations to DOJ’s new Fraud Division for criminal investigation,” Vance <a href="https://x.com/JDVance/status/2064146608518746499/photo/2">announced</a> on X. “Minnesota state officials are not above the law, and if they facilitated fraud, lied under oath about what they knew, or harassed and [intimidated] whistleblowers, they must face justice.”
Leading the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on fraud, Vance sent the referral to Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, the head of the newly established National Fraud Enforcement Division. 
The 200-page report from the House Oversight Committee said that the Walz administration’s lax efforts to combat fraud led to $300 million in federal child nutrition aid being lost and put up to $9 billion in Medicaid-related funds in jeopardy. 
The committee said that Walz and Ellison were aware of major flaws in Minnesota’s administration of welfare benefits since 2019, but took no corrective action. Instead, Walz’s administration took action to target whistleblowers, the House report said. 
“If state officials in Minnesota or anywhere else in the country facilitated fraud or looked the other way while this theft was happening, if they actively prevented state and federal officials from stopping fraud and bringing fraudsters to justice, or if they intimidate and harassed whistleblowers who courageously tried to shine a light on the problem, they must be held accountable,” Vance wrote to McDonald. 
The Trump administration has focused on Minnesota in its anti-fraud crackdown. The White House shut down federal assistance payments to the state after independent journalist Nick Shirley published multiple videos showing apparent widespread fraud at so-called daycare centers. 
The administration is also taking action in Vance’s home state of Ohio after The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/medicaid-millionaires">reported</a> on Ohio’s administration of funds to questionable businesses that claim to administer home healthcare.

US-VOTE-POLITICS-DEBATE-VANCE-WALZ

Vance Brings The Heat After Bombshell Report On Fraud Under Walz

Department of Justice

Tim Walz

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the Trump administration would not rest until “justice is served” to those defrauding the American taxpayer through government welfare programs. 
Vance’s comments came shortly after the Justice Department <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minnesotas-latest-fraud-bust-may-be-the-most-disturbing-yet?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Minnesota%E2%80%99s+Latest+Fraud+Bust+May+Be+The+Most+Disturbing+Yet">charged</a> 15 people across Minnesota with stealing $90 million through various fraud schemes targeting Medicaid and social service programs. Fraud in Minnesota has received widespread attention after independent journalist Nick Shirley took a camera to questionable entities raking in taxpayer dollars and asked about their operations. 
“Our message is simple: if you were committing fraud, our task force will find you. We&#8217;ll come after you, and we will not rest until justice is served,” Vance said in a video message. “Don&#8217;t defraud the American taxpayer. Don&#8217;t get rich by trying to steal from them, or we are going to come after you until justice is served. That&#8217;s our promise, and we&#8217;re going to stick to it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, the task force and the DOJ announced a massive take down of two of the largest Medicaid fraud cases in Minnesota state history, as well as the largest autism fraud scheme ever charged by the federal government. Our message is simple: if you’re committing fraud, we will… <a href="https://t.co/MNfkLlOY0R">pic.twitter.com/MNfkLlOY0R</a>
— JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/2057628977934524450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Vance, heading up the Trump administration’s anti-fraud task force, said that the charges announced Thursday included two of the largest Medicaid fraud cases in Minnesota history and the largest autism fraud case ever brought by the federal government. 
“With this action, we&#8217;re bringing justice to some of America&#8217;s most vulnerable citizens and justice to the American taxpayer,” he said. 
Medicaid fraud has come under heavy scrutiny from Republican officials in recent weeks after Daily Wire investigative reporter Luke Rosiak <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/medicaid-millionaires">published a series</a> documenting how Ohio spent a billion dollars on home healthcare in 2024. The home healthcare services included activities such as “homemaking” and “chores” for family members. 
The report found that just seven buildings in Columbus housed 288 home healthcare businesses that billed taxpayers more than $250 million. State officials appear to do little vetting for the so-called home healthcare companies. Vance has warned that states that do not combat fraud could lose their Medicaid funding. 
The vice president noted that one of the cases brought Thursday involved a defendant accused of billing Medicaid for around-the-clock care for a disabled man who was later found dead after receiving no actual services.
“To get rich off taxpayers, even at the cost of others&#8217; lives, just as that fraudster had for many months before. This kind of behavior is sickening,” Vance said. 
Aimee Bock, the founder of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, was sentenced to nearly 42 years in prison on Thursday over a $250 million fraud case involving meals supposedly given to children during the COVID pandemic.

Vice President JD Vance Visits A Manufacturing Facility In Kansas City

JD Vance’s ‘Simple’ Message After Massive Medicaid Fraud Takedown

Medicaid Millionaires

Federal prosecutors accused a Minneapolis daycare owner of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars by lying about the number of kids she was serving. 
The Justice Department charged Fahima Egeh Mahamud on Wednesday with wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States over a scheme involving the federally funded Child Nutrition Program and Child Care Assistance Program. In February, Mahamud was charged for her alleged role in the $250 million Feeding Our Future scam. 
Prosecutors said Wednesday that Mahamud “exploited changes in the program intended to ensure that underserved children received adequate nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic to enrich herself by fraudulently misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal child nutrition program funds.” 
The Trump administration began probing the extent of apparent widespread fraud throughout Minneapolis daycare and autism centers after videos from independent journalist Nick Shirley went viral as he looked into questionable businesses. Mahamud was <a href="https://x.com/nickshirleyy/status/2057208188970160489">featured</a> in one of those videos. 
Mahamud, who needs a Somali language interpreter at her court proceedings, ran the Minneapolis-based Future Leaders Early Learning Center, which participated in the federal nutrition program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future.
From January 2021 to July 2021, she received $854,000 in nutrition program funds for the daycare, and from October 2022 to December 2025, she was reimbursed over $4.6 million for childcare assistance claims, according to prosecutors. She is accused of not meeting requirements to collect co-payments for the childcare claims. 
Investigators say that Mahamud relied on fake meal counts, rosters, and invoices with “inflated figures” to submit her claims to the government and that she received funds that “substantially exceeded” the actual amount given to children. Mahamud’s operations served “only a fraction” of the tens of thousands of meals claimed, prosecutors said. 
Mahamud “diverted much of those taxpayer dollars for the purchase of real property, for the benefit of herself” and other companies associated with her, like Future Properties LLC and Minneapolis Autism Center Corp, according to investigators. 
Prosecutors say that Mahamud <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/daycare-feeding-our-future-fraud-charges-flee-country/">attempted</a> to fly to London after she shut down the Future Leaders center in February amid federal scrutiny. She is currently under house arrest. 
Top Trump administration officials, including Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are expected to travel to Minneapolis on Thursday morning to make an announcement on their efforts to crack down on fraud.

MixCollage-21-May-2026-07-31-AM-8894

Feds Charge Somali Daycare Owner From Viral Video For Making Up Fake Kids

Trump Administration

A Minnesota community is grieving the tragic loss of a local leader and former military medic who died following a confrontation with individuals targeting his personal vehicle last week.
The incident unfolded on Friday afternoon outside Rick’s Coffee Bar, which is run by Every Third Saturday, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting former service members. Amos Ferrier, 38, was attending a graduation ceremony.
“He was in the coffee shop and observed at least one individual, maybe two or three, but they had gone into his truck and took his bag, and he ran out to stop them,” Tom McKenna, co-founder of Every Third Saturday, told <a href="https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/he-was-a-courageous-soul-south-minneapolis-coffee-shop-mourns-veteran-killed-in-attempted-car-theft/">KSTP.</a>
When Ferrier stepped outside to intervene, the situation escalated rapidly, Fox9 <a href="https://www.fox9.com/news/veteran-amos-ferrier-killed-south-minneapolis-car-theft">reported</a>. As the perpetrators attempted to flee in a vehicle, Ferrier became trapped on the hood of the accelerating car. It is unclear if they returned to their car or drove away in Ferrier&#8217;s, according to KSTP. The driver traveled nearly an entire block before abruptly turning, causing Ferrier to be violently ejected onto the roadway.
Emergency responders transported the unconscious father of two to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he underwent urgent neurological surgery. Tragically, he never regained consciousness and was removed from life support two days later. “They did emergency brain surgery at HCMC, and he never woke up,” McKenna stated.
Law enforcement authorities acted swiftly following the fatal encounter. On Tuesday, the Minneapolis Police Department&#8217;s specialized apprehension unit located and arrested Riniyah Allen, 19, and Jalaya Frost, 18. Both young women face initial charges of first-degree murder and remain detained at the regional jail facility.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Amos Ferrier is a veteran who served two tours in Afghanistan.
He was just murdered in Minneapolis while trying to thwart a carjacking
Riniyah Allen and Janaya Frost are now facing murder charges <a href="https://t.co/ZFLu3AMiNj">pic.twitter.com/ZFLu3AMiNj</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2056984802679574778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The tragedy has deeply shaken the local community, where Ferrier was a revered figure. He spent a decade and a half in the United States Army, enduring multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, where he was recognized for rescuing numerous comrades on the battlefield. Upon returning to civilian life, he channeled his experiences into helping other former service members transition back into society. In his professional role at the nonprofit, he managed career development programs, guided peers through complex bureaucratic paperwork to secure medical benefits, and actively participated in a newly formed suicide prevention campaign.
“He loved seeing people grow and seeing people get better and become better versions of themselves. And he brought that out in people,” said McKenna. “He was our do-it-all. He was kind of a Swiss Army knife. He ran an internship program, but he also had a huge role helping veterans with challenges like paperwork or filing claims, accessing benefits and resources. And he was part of a suicide prevention initiative we were launching. &#8230; He taught us that laughing is the best medicine. He certainly leaves behind a legacy of lives that he touched, and a way of doing things that will continue here for a long time.”
Colleagues and loved ones have established a temporary monument — featuring floral arrangements and a wooden cross crafted by Ferrier himself — at the exact location where he was injured.

Minneapolis police car showing name and license plate.

Community Mourns Veteran Turned Civic Leader Killed In Violent Confrontation

Murder

Veterans

The Minnesota Board of Pardons — which includes Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison — voted unanimously to pardon an illegal immigrant from Laos with three assault convictions, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
At Xayasounethone Chandee was convicted of assault in 1992, and an immigration judge ordered his deportation in 1995, DHS said. Chandee also had a conviction from 2008 for two felony counts of aggravated assault with a weapon, according to the agency.
Chandee entered the country as a Green Card holder when he was a minor. He was later stripped of his immigration status due to his criminal convictions, DHS said.
The board called an emergency meeting Monday after learning that the Trump administration could deport Chandee this week, <a href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/05/04/minnesota-grants-pardon-to-at-ricky-chandee-who-was-facing-deportation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Minnesota Public Radio.
DHS called the board&#8217;s decision &#8220;absolute insanity,&#8221; adding that it could foil its plans to deport him.
“Minnesota&#8217;s sanctuary politicians&#8217; pardon took away this violent thug’s qualifying convictions that made him removable from the U.S.,&#8221; Acting Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement on Thursday.
Chandee applied for a pardon shortly before federal immigration agents arrested him in January, Minnesota Public Radio reported.
The Clemency Review Commission, which recommends clemency decisions to the pardon board, voted 6-0 in favor of Chandee&#8217;s pardon, the outlet reported. The board wasn&#8217;t scheduled to meet until June, but moved up the meeting after learning that Chandee could be deported within days.
“There is nothing in this application, or nothing in the facts before us that would suggest that Mr. Chandee is a danger to the public in any way, shape or form,” Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, who sits on the board, said of the pardon. “He has a lot of family support, which is obviously very important, and he&#8217;s had that support over the last 29 years.”
A federal appeals court in Louisiana paused Chandee&#8217;s deportation for 14 days after his attorney filed a request last week, according to Minnesota Public Radio. The federal government is likely to challenge Chandee&#8217;s pardon, his attorney, Linus Chan, said.
Chan also argued that the 2008 conviction never happened, the outlet reported. There was also no mention of it in his clemency application.
“There is no such conviction, and I am reaching out to DHS about where this information is coming from,&#8221; Chan said.
The commission recommended clemency for all applicants, except one, who were at risk of deportation, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

Untitled design – 2026-05-07T083536.407

Blue State Pardons Illegal Immigrant With Rap Sheet To Block Deportation Efforts

deportation

Keith Ellison

Before making headlines for bankrolling fake daycare centers, Minnesota gave food stamps to a millionaire.  
Rob Undersander, a retired engineer, told The Daily Wire he was volunteering as a counselor to help elderly Minnesotans register for government benefits in 2016 when he found a major loophole in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 
Undersander, a millionaire, discovered he could receive SNAP benefits. 
“They handed out applications to show us how to fill them out for other seniors, and so I filled it out for myself, took it to the Stearns County courthouse, stood in line for a few minutes, and a few days later, I did a phone call with several questions, and three weeks later, I&#8217;m getting $278 in food stamp benefits,” he told The Daily Wire. “Being a conservative, I just felt that was really wrong.”
Undersander, who said he donated an equivalent amount of money to charities he got through SNAP benefits, has since testified at multiple state hearings hoping to raise awareness about the lax guardrails on welfare in Minnesota. Those efforts have so far fallen short, as state Democrat lawmakers remain firmly opposed to reforms suggested by Republicans. 
The reason Undersander was able to qualify for SNAP benefits was because Minnesota, like 43 other states, usually does not perform asset checks on welfare applicants. This policy, called broad-based categorical eligibility, means that millionaires or people with luxury cars can qualify for SNAP.
Thanks to an Obama-era change to welfare administration, “anyone receiving small, even noncash ‘benefits’ from other welfare programs&#8221; are automatically eligible for SNAP, according to a report from the America First Policy Institute. That even includes people who receive welfare brochures or call hotlines to be referred for other welfare benefits.
At the same time as eligibility expanded, state payment error rates for SNAP have increased. In December 2025, America First Policy Institute <a href="https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/time-to-end-the-broad-based-categorical-eligibility-loophole-in-snap">reported</a> that one in eight Americans is now on SNAP, and costs for the taxpayer-funded program have increased from $60 billion to $100 billion annually.
The game changed in July 2025 with the passage of the Big, Beautiful Bill. Under the legislation, states whose error payment rates exceed 6% by 2028 will be on the hook for 5%-15% of SNAP benefit costs. The federal government currently pays for all SNAP benefit costs. States across the board will also be required to pay for 75% of administrative costs of the program beginning in October 2026, up from the 50% currently required. 
With the pressure increasing for states to cut down on their payment error rates, the America First Policy Institute is working with lawmakers to propose reforms to shut down the broad-based categorical eligibility loophole. 
“States are responsible for administering SNAP, and over time, key guardrails around eligibility, verification, and oversight have weakened in several jurisdictions,” Matthew Schmid, the Farmers First campaign director for the America First Policy Institute, told The Daily Wire.  
“Recent federal reforms establish clearer standards and introduce meaningful accountability for how states manage the program, including stronger incentives to reduce improper payments and enforce eligibility requirements,” he added. 
One of the states where proposals have been put forward is Minnesota, where Republican Rep. Pam Altendorf introduced the “Stop Welfare for the Wealthy” act earlier this year. The <a href="https://mnhouserepublicans.com/rep-altendorf-to-file-much-needed-legislation-restoring-snap-integrity/">proposal</a> would close the broad-based categorical eligibility loophole, but has not made progress in the Democrat-controlled state legislature. 
Altendorf praised America First Policy Institute for aiding her SNAP reform efforts. She told The Daily Wire she started looking into Minnesota’s SNAP program after she noticed her state’s issuance of the benefit increased dramatically between 2020 and 2021. Since then, she has put forth reforms for the SNAP program and worries that her state could lose significant federal funding if they do not reduce its payment error rate, which is nearly 9%.
“Minnesotans are generous,” she said. “We want to help people who need it. But I think if you&#8217;re a millionaire and you&#8217;re qualifying for SNAP, that&#8217;s probably an abuse of the system.”
She <a href="https://www.fox9.com/news/anoka-county-couple-charged-800k-public-benefits-fraud-probe">cited</a> a recent case where a couple was charged with fraudulently taking hundreds of thousands in benefits, including from SNAP, while they spent thousands on luxury shopping and international travel. Prosecutors say the pair recieved other $800,000 in Medical Assistance and SNAP funds while spending over $54,375 at a jewelry store and $7,000 on travel. Prosecutors say the couple and their four children collectively owned 17 cars. 
While Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has claimed to have taken sufficient steps to combat and prevent fraud, Republicans have said he has not done enough. 
“The guardrails completely came off under the Governor Walz administration,&#8221; Altendorf said. &#8220;So that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re seeing, is people are abusing the welfare system.&#8221;
Another state where Republican lawmakers have attempted to close down broad SNAP eligibility is New Mexico, which has a 14% payment error rate, one of the worst in the country. 
Senator Crystal Brantley, a Republican who represents a rural part of the state, has pushed to close down broad-based categorical eligibility. She said she represents some of the poorest New Mexicans and wants SNAP benefits to go only to those in need. 
One <a href="https://www.krqe.com/news/investigations/food-money-for-drugs-snap-traded-for-fentanyl/">recent case</a> in her district involved fentanyl being traded for SNAP benefit cards, according to law enforcement. Investigators said a drug dealer traded 50 fentanyl pills for a SNAP benefit card. The price for drugs is typically higher when SNAP benefit cards are used as currency, Sierra County Sheriff Joshua Baker told one local outlet. 
“We find that to be a common trend, because the inconvenience of having to go and utilize the EBT card, they charge double, sometimes even triple what the going street rate would be in cash,” he said. 
Brantley said that the case motivated her to introduce legislation to close down loopholes, but her bill has so far received no committee hearings. 
“I would encourage state lawmakers to join me in an effort to address those overpayments, to reduce that error rate, so that the federal government will continue to work with us, to make sure that our most vulnerable population is eligible for the program, but we refuse to fund those who do not qualify,” she told The Daily Wire. 
She said that if New Mexico continues to mishandle SNAP dollars, it deserves to lose federal funding. 
“We could lose federal funding, and I have to say as a New Mexican, and rightfully so, because we refuse to address the overpayments,” Brantley told The Daily Wire. “We have information that has been brought forward, explaining that there are large overpayments of this program, and we are not even taking a single step to address that.”
She added that the only way she saw New Mexico officials cracking down on SNAP waste was a “real threat” from the federal government to “seriously” cut funding to the state, which is largely dependent on federal dollars. 
“It&#8217;s very clear that, as a state, there is not an appetite to make changes and to be better stewards of those dollars,” she said. “It&#8217;s gonna have to come as a threat from the federal government to be very serious and actually start clawing back money.”
In contrast, Indiana Republicans have moved to close the broad-based categorical eligibility. Governor Mike Braun signed <a href="https://legiscan.com/IN/text/SB0001/id/3375751/Indiana-2026-SB0001-Enrolled.pdf">legislation</a> earlier this year that ended Indiana’s participation in expanded eligibility for SNAP, restricted benefits to American citizens or those in the United States legally, and stipulated that SNAP could not be used to purchase candy or soda. 
Braun, a member of the America First Policy Institute Governors’ Council, credited the organization for helping with the legislation. 
“AFPI is building an invaluable infrastructure to support state policymakers that connects the states to federal issues where cooperation is needed, like SNAP reform,” Braun told The Daily Wire. 
In Georgia, a bill cracking down on SNAP waste is making its way through the Republican-controlled state legislature. The proposal, from Rep. Martin Momtahan, would close the broad-based eligibility loophole and add increased verification for benefits. The proposal has already passed the House, but still needs to make it through the Senate. 
Georgia currently has a payment error rate of over 15% and could lose federal funding if the rate is not reduced. 
Momtahan <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2026/03/11/proposal-would-require-citizenship-checks-for-georgia-families-to-access-food-aid/">has said</a> the bill “ensures that SNAP benefits are going to families who truly qualify, while protecting Georgia’s taxpayers from federal penalties.”
While states work to clean up administration of the SNAP program, the Trump administration has pushed forward on its reforms and says it has removed over 4 million recipients who were not eligible to receive benefits. The Trump administration has also worked with states to ban the use of SNAP funds for junk food.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who co-founded the America First Policy Institute in 2021, <a href="https://x.com/SecRollins/status/2049131612835586505">recently said</a> in an interview that in one state, there were 14,000 individuals receiving SNAP benefits driving luxury vehicles.
Researchers with the institute told The Daily Wire they expect to continue working with state lawmakers across the country to reduce SNAP waste. 
“We are activating our state chapters and working directly with governors, legislators, and local partners to advance policies that strengthen oversight and close gaps in SNAP,” Ashley Hayek, the organization’s executive vice president, told The Daily Wire. “It is a hands-on approach that takes the Administration’s momentum and turns it into policy changes where the program is run.”

SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is shown using the text. SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families

No More Food Stamps For Millionaires: The Fight Over SNAP Fraud Heads To The States

SNAP

For decades, Americans have viewed their primary adversaries as foreign nationals or international terrorist organizations. Yet this perspective has proven dangerously naive. Over the past 60 years, socialist and Marxist ideologies have taken root within our own borders, often hiding in plain sight. This internal threat operates not from distant shores but from within.
Recent events only underscore this concern. The arrest of a would-be assassin at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — reportedly a former “Teacher of the Year” — is deeply disturbing. It raises a critical question: how have individuals entrusted with educating our children become radicalized to such extremes? And more importantly — where is the line when freedom of speech ends and subversion begins?
<h3>Quietly Reshaping Society From the Inside Out</h3>
This enemy is not a shadowy cabal of spies but a network of socialist and Marxist-influenced elites who have methodically gained influence over key pillars of American life: universities, the legal system, media, political parties, and even religious organizations. Operating under the banners of progress, equity, and social justice, they have advanced while many citizens focused on daily responsibilities. The outcome has been a slow erosion of foundational American values and a deliberate division of people along lines of ethnicity, religion, and sexual identity and even splits amongst once close family members. The result is the gradual weakening of the nation’s core institutions and social fabric.
<h3>The Decimation of the Nuclear Family</h3>
One of the most striking impacts appears in the decline of the nuclear family. This trend began prominently in the black community. In the 1960s, roughly 80% of black children lived in two-parent homes. Today, that figure is reversed with 77% of black children born to <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/693212/77-black-births-to-single-moms-49-for-hispanic-immigrants/">single mothers</a>. The problem has since spread nationwide. Pew Research Center <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/12/12/u-s-children-more-likely-than-children-in-other-countries-to-live-with-just-one-parent/">data</a> show the United States has the highest rate of children living in single-parent households among developed nations — 23% of U.S. children under 18 live in fatherless homes, more than three times the global average.
Marriage rates have also hit historic lows, undermining the stable family structures historically linked to prosperity, child well-being, and social mobility. A prosperous country cannot long thrive without strong families as its foundation.
<h3>Academic Excellence Subverted into a Marxist Trojan Horse</h3>
Nowhere is the transformation more evident than in education. In public schools, social justice curricula emphasizing systemic racism, gender ideology, and equity have often displaced core academics. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores — the Nation’s Report Card — reveal reading and math proficiency at historic lows, with declines affecting students across demographic groups. Resources flow into DEI initiatives and “restorative justice” programs that prioritize emotional outcomes over measurable skills.
The human cost is profound: <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/most-us-would-fail-u-s-citizenship-test-survey-finds-n918961">surveys indicate</a> only about 19% of Americans under age 45 can pass the U.S. Citizenship Test, with many unable to name the three branches of government or explain the Bill of Rights. Older Americans pass at much higher rates (around 74% in some studies), underscoring that this reflects educational shifts rather than inherent generational differences. 
Teachers’ unions have sometimes embraced ideological language. During the 2022 Minneapolis strike, a union leader framed the effort as a fight against “the patriarchy” and “capitalism.”
Universities, once centers of free inquiry, now exhibit stark ideological imbalance. Faculty ratios have shifted dramatically, with liberal-to-conservative balances moving from roughly 2:1 in the mid-1990s to far wider margins today — often 10:1 or higher in many studies, with even greater disparities in humanities and education departments. In the national survey, Departments of Education faculty self-identify as Radical, Activist, Socialist or Marxist. This is especially concerning because they instruct the next generation of public-school teachers.
<h3>Propaganda Masquerading as Journalism and Advocacy</h3>
This academic capture influences media, law, and advocacy. Organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) have faced scrutiny, including allegations in legal contexts of questionable practices while labeling mainstream groups. Media outlets often amplify such frameworks, shaping narratives through selective coverage. In politics, socialist ideas have moved from the fringes to mainstream Democratic platforms.
In November 2025, New York City elected Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, as mayor — the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of America’s largest city. His administration prioritizes expansive government and redistribution. Similar dynamics appear in Minnesota: Minneapolis City Council includes self-declared Democratic Socialists of America members advancing related priorities amid ongoing challenges with crime and services. The 2020 unrest in Minneapolis, involving organized elements, accelerated “defund the police” experiments rooted in these ideologies.
<h3>Undermining Service to Citizens</h3>
Elected officials advancing such agendas can weaken state capacity and national cohesion. When civic education falters, informed citizenship declines — an outcome aligned with views that see the Constitution as an outdated instrument of oppression.
Religious institutions have also been affected. Some mainline Protestant and Catholic circles have incorporated critiques of “systemic sin,” shifting emphasis toward social justice over personal redemption. Sermons increasingly echo academic and media talking points on privilege and reparations.
<h3>Pattern Recognition and the Path Forward</h3>
This is not paranoia but observable pattern recognition. Socialist and Marxist influences advanced not through overt revolution but via tenure committees, HR departments, grants, and activist networks. They reframed compassion-based concepts like diversity, inclusion, and equity into tools against dissent.
Evidence surrounds us: politicized campuses stifling debate, advocacy groups facing credibility questions, socialist elected officials, schools prioritizing socialist ideology, unions opposing capitalism, coordinated protests and riots, and churches emphasizing liberal politics.
Americans must awaken to this reality. The adversary lectures from podiums, edits content, drafts laws, grades papers, and serves on councils — seldom wearing foreign uniforms. Reclaiming institutions require vigilance: restoring academic excellence and viewpoint diversity in universities, demanding transparency from nonprofits and unions, electing leaders focused on merit and results, and ensuring schools prioritize fundamentals — reading, writing, history, and civics — over grievance.
The republic was not lost overnight but inch by inch. The time to push back is now. Our children’s future and the nation’s character depend on it.
* * *
Kendall Qualls is an Army veteran, business leader, and the leading Republican gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota. TakeCharge is a national nonprofit organization led by Kendall and Sheila Qualls focused on restoring strong families as the foundation for opportunity, dignity, and upward mobility.

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Vice President JD Vance compared Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz to an &#8220;arsonist trying to claim credit for the work of the fire department&#8221; after Walz praised his administration&#8217;s role in a series of anti-fraud raids on daycares around Minneapolis earlier this week.
Vance told Fox News host Will Cain on Wednesday that the Trump administration &#8220;really did not get much help at all from the Governor&#8217;s office&#8221; despite Walz&#8217;s <a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2049153096358481927">claims</a> that state agencies helped initiate the investigation.
Walz said Tuesday that raids at nearly two dozen daycares and learning centers were conducted &#8220;by state and federal law enforcement &#8230; because our state agencies caught irregular behavior and reported it.&#8221;
Vance <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2049540492795240765">pushed back</a> sharply.
&#8220;This is like the arsonist trying to claim credit for the work of the fire department because Tim Walz let this fraud happen under his watch, whether he was complicit in it directly himself or just turned a blind eye towards it.&#8221;
&#8220;Where we did actually get some help was from some state and local law enforcement officers who we assigned to the federal task force because the state government wasn&#8217;t doing anything,&#8221; Vance added. &#8220;All credit goes to people on the ground: the state officers, the federal officers who are working to uncover this fraud.&#8221;
Vance, who was tapped by President Donald Trump in February to lead the administration&#8217;s crackdown on state-level fraud, <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2049586471967830054">said</a> that the White House&#8217;s anti-fraud task force has moved quickly to investigate suspected abuses, especially in Minnesota.
The probe gained national attention after independent journalist Nick Shirley posted videos in December raising questions about fraud tied to several Somali-run daycare and learning centers in the Twin Cities area.
&#8220;These investigations take a long time, so I was asking myself, &#8216;How quickly can we start getting into some real investigatory work, court-issued warrants, actually going door-to-door and finding out what&#8217;s going on?&#8217; People told me it would take at least six months,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve gone from Nick Shirley&#8217;s video about the Minneapolis fraud schemes to &#8230; judges issuing warrants for this investigation in a matter of three months.&#8221;
Vance added that the federal government&#8217;s anti-fraud task force includes 280 law enforcement officers looking into the issue.
&#8220;We really have the most accelerated, aggressive anti-fraud operation that we&#8217;ve ever seen from the federal government,&#8221; the vice president said, adding, &#8220;This is far from done, but we&#8217;re making a lot of good progress.&#8221;
Federal agents with the FBI and Department of Homeland Security executed search warrants Tuesday at 22 sites, primarily daycare and learning centers, many of which are Somali-owned. No arrests were made during the raids, though dozens of individuals have been charged with fraud in recent months as federal prosecutors uncovered a massive fraud scheme targeting numerous Minnesota state programs.
&#8220;The President&#8217;s War on Fraud is working, as the task force and the entire Trump administration continue to work tirelessly to expose Fraudsters who have scammed the American people out of billions of dollars,&#8221; a Vance spokesperson told The Daily Wire on background.
Walz, who ended his bid for a third term as governor in January amid scrutiny over the scandal, has defended his administration&#8217;s response, arguing that state officials properly flagged fraudulent activity.
In his final State of the State address on Tuesday night, Walz claimed that he has done more than Republican-led states to crack down on fraud.
&#8220;We’ve created additional checks and balances. We have brought on more investigators, more auditors, and more law enforcement agencies, as well as an outside firm to take a look at high-risk programs,&#8221; he said. &#8220;People who have ripped us off are getting caught, and they are going to jail.&#8221;
&nbsp;

JD Vance/Tim Walz

Vance Rips Tim Walz For Taking Credit For Anti-Fraud Raids

Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz boasted about his moves to crack down on fraud during his final State of the State address on Tuesday night, just hours after federal agents raided numerous daycares in the Minneapolis area as part of an investigation into government fraud that has plagued Minnesota for years.
In his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/sHPaQk2GD6U?si=FpadFG6TkHzIIdoq&amp;t=2295">remarks</a> before state legislators, Walz highlighted steps he&#8217;s taken to address the rampant fraud in recent months as his second term as governor nears its end. The Democratic governor has come under pressure from the Trump administration after federal prosecutors uncovered a massive fraud scheme that has seen tens of millions of taxpayer dollars stolen from state government programs.
&#8220;In February, I introduced a comprehensive anti-fraud package and began to implement a nine-part fraud prevention roadmap developed by Director of Program Integrity Tim O’Malley,&#8221; Walz said. &#8220;We’ve created additional checks and balances. We have brought on more investigators, more auditors, and more law enforcement agencies, as well as an outside firm to take a look at high-risk programs. People who have ripped us off are getting caught, and they are going to jail just like today.&#8221;
Walz then claimed that more fraud is taking place in Republican-led states.
&#8220;I’ve said the buck stops with me. And I know some of you will take that as an open invitation to play politics with every incident of fraud that takes place here in Minnesota, even though I have to tell you the statistics show it&#8217;s happening in red states more than here,&#8221; Walz said. &#8220;But, so be it. But taking responsibility doesn’t just mean taking the blame. It means taking it upon yourself to fix the problem.&#8221;
The governor&#8217;s remarks came around 12 hours after the FBI and Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-wave-hits-as-feds-raid-more-minnesota-daycare-sites-in-growing-fraud-scandal?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Up+Next&amp;rowType=Up+Next+Carousel&amp;title=New+Wave+Hits+As+Feds+Raid+More+Minnesota+Daycare+Sites+In+Growing+Fraud+Scandal">raided</a> 22 daycares and learning centers in the Minneapolis area as part of President Donald Trump&#8217;s anti-fraud crackdown. Earlier on Tuesday, Walz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tim-walz-takes-credit-for-fbi-raids-on-minnesota-daycares?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tim+Walz+Takes+Credit+For+FBI+Raids+On+Minnesota+Daycares">took credit</a> for helping orchestrate the raids and was blasted by FBI Director Kash Patel.
“Come again? This FBI and DOJ with our DHS partners drafted and executed every search warrant today,” Patel fired back. “But go ahead and take credit for our work while we smoke out the fraud plaguing Minnesota under your governorship.”
Tuesday&#8217;s raids focused on many Somali-owned daycares and learning centers around Minneapolis. Under Walz&#8217;s watch, dozens of Somalis defrauded numerous Minnesota social programs for years before they were caught. The fraud scandal included the federally funded Feeding Our Future nonprofit, which claimed to hand out meals to children during the COVID pandemic, but greatly exaggerated its work.
Walz, along with Minnesota Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison, has been accused of attempting to cover up the state&#8217;s fraud problem and silence government employees who raised concerns. Walz and Ellison have denied those accusations and claim that the state government has been properly investigating and prosecuting fraud.
In January, Walz announced that he would not seek a third term for governor so he could focus on addressing the state&#8217;s fraud problem. In his State of the State address, Walz called on the Minnesota state legislature to pass legislation to strengthen government oversight.
&#8220;My ask for you tonight is simple,&#8221; Walz told state lawmakers. &#8220;If you&#8217;re taking fraud seriously, take your responsibility to help me stop it seriously. If you talk about oversight, vote for that oversight in the bills that are working their way through the chamber.&#8221;
Four months ago, Walz accused President Donald Trump of &#8220;politicizing the issue&#8221; of fraud as Trump deployed federal agents and immigration officers to the Minneapolis area.

Tim Walz/Quality ‘Learing’ Center

Tim Walz, Awash In Fraud Investigations, Crowns Himself Anti-Fraud Champ In Final State Address

Department of Homeland Security

Governor Tim Walz (D-MN), who accused the Trump administration of exploiting his state&#8217;s fraud issue for political purposes, is now taking credit for law enforcement <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-wave-hits-as-feds-raid-more-minnesota-daycare-sites-in-growing-fraud-scandal?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=New+Wave+Hits+As+Feds+Raid+More+Minnesota+Daycare+Sites+In+Growing+Fraud+Scandal">raids</a> on more than 20 businesses in the Minneapolis area related to the federal government&#8217;s anti-fraud crackdown.
Walz <a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2049153093841924376">addressed</a> the raids in a social media post on Tuesday, claiming that his administration is putting fraudsters &#8220;behind bars.&#8221; The governor added that the court-approved search warrants were executed early Tuesday morning as part of a joint federal-state operation.
&#8220;If you commit fraud in Minnesota you’re going to get caught — and that’s exactly what we saw today. We catch criminals when state and federal agencies share information. Joint investigations work, and securing justice depends on it,&#8221; Walz wrote. &#8220;Today’s raids by state and federal law enforcement happened because our state agencies caught irregular behavior and reported it.&#8221;
FBI Director Kash Patel <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2049188920663916616?s=20">responded</a> to Walz on X and said that federal officials obtained and executed all of the search warrants on Tuesday.
&#8220;Come again? This FBI and DOJ with our DHS partners drafted and executed every search warrant today,&#8221; Patel said. &#8220;But go ahead and take credit for our work while we smoke out the fraud plaguing Minnesota under your governorship.&#8221;
At least 22 businesses were targeted in the raids. Many of the businesses being investigated by the feds are linked to Minnesota&#8217;s large Somali population. One of the locations raided by the feds on Tuesday morning was the now infamous Quality &#8220;Learing&#8221; Center, whose misspelled sign became the center of Minnesota&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minneapolis-quality-learing-center-is-officially-closed-state-records-show">fraud controversy</a> in late December.
On Tuesday morning, federal agents were seen taking photos and moving a portable file case inside one daycare in South Minneapolis, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minneapolis-federal-agents-daycares-suspected-fraud/">reported</a>.
Walz, who has been <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/release/hearing-wrap-up-minnesota-governor-walz-and-attorney-general-ellison-lied-about-knowledge-of-fraud-and-silenced-whistleblowers/#:~:text=Testimony%20and%20information%20obtained%20by,Employees%20sounded%20alarms.">accused</a> of lying about the scale of fraud in his state, admitted in a testimony before Congress earlier this year that state government programs have faced fraud problems. Walz, however, argued that his administration has been properly investigating and prosecuting fraud. In late December, Walz raged against President Donald Trump after the president moved to freeze federal child care payments to Minnesota over ongoing fraud issues.
&#8220;We’ve spent years cracking down on fraudsters. It’s a serious issue — but this has been [Trump&#8217;s] plan all along,&#8221; Walz <a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2006159722940879183">said</a>. &#8220;He’s politicizing the issue to defund programs that help Minnesotans.&#8221;
Walz also refused to cooperate with federal agents during the Trump administration&#8217;s Operation Metro Surge, which focused on deportations of illegal immigrants, but also included federal agents looking into suspected fraud. The operation was launched shortly after independent journalist Nick Shirley brought attention back onto Minnesota and Governor Walz with his reporting on Somali-owned daycares in December.
Fraud in state-run programs exploded under Walz&#8217;s watch going back to 2018. Since then, dozens of Somalis have been arrested and charged with defrauding numerous Minnesota social programs, including the federally funded Feeding Our Future nonprofit, which engaged in a massive fraud scheme during the COVID pandemic. The scandal also derailed Walz&#8217;s hopes for a third term as governor as he <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/us/walz-governor-fraud-klobuchar.html">announced</a> in January that he was ending his re-election bid because of the growing fraud issues in his state.
After taking credit for the raids on suspected fraudsters on Tuesday, Walz called on the federal government to investigate the killings of Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot to death by federal immigration agents in January.
&#8220;Now let’s work on a joint investigation into the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good — instead of cherry picking when we seek justice and when we turn a blind eye,&#8221; he wrote.

Tim Walz Brags About Fighting Somali Fraud. Kash Patel Is Not Amused.

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