Federal agents armed with battering rams executed sweeping searches at childcare centers, businesses, and residences across Minnesota on Tuesday, seizing records in a fraud investigation that has raised concerns about racial profiling and the politicization of law enforcement against immigrant communities.
The searches were carried out in Minneapolis and elsewhere in Minnesota, with armed agents seen at childcare centers in the Minneapolis area. KSTP-TV reported one crew even had a battering ram. Various state and federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, participated in the searches. Officers from Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension were removing boxes at some locations.
Investigation Follows Viral Video Targeting Somali Community
The searches occurred months after right-wing influencer Nick Shirley posted a video that said members of Minnesota's Somali community were running fake childcare centers to collect federal subsidies. The video caught the attention of the Trump administration and conservative activists, though inspectors said the centers were operating as expected. The investigation began during the Biden administration. At least two of the sites targeted Tuesday were in Shirley's video.
Jason Steck, an attorney who represents childcare centers, said some of the targeted businesses were operated by Somali immigrants. He said they were not his clients. Steck described the sweep as "A few childcare centers, a few autism centers, a few healthcare agencies of some type," and said it appeared to be a "particular sweep for fraud."
Minnesota has been dogged by fraud. At least 65 people, many of them Somali Americans, have been convicted of ripping off a federal program that was meant to provide food to children. Separately, a federal prosecutor said in December that as much as $9 billion in federal funds that supported 14 Minnesota-run programs since 2018 may have been stolen.
Political Tensions and Retribution Claims
Democratic Gov. Tim Walz said, "We catch criminals when state and federal agencies share information. Joint investigations work, and securing justice depends on it." However, Walz had ended his bid for a third term as governor in early January amid President Donald Trump's focus on fraud allegations and the state's Somali community. Trump has used dehumanizing rhetoric, calling Somali immigrants "garbage" and "low IQ."
Walz told Congress 1 month ago that he wanted to work with the federal government in fraud investigations, but that the immigration surge had made it more difficult. He said, "The people of Minnesota have been singled out and targeted for political retribution at an unparalleled scale."
Tensions between Walz and the federal government rocketed during an extraordinary immigration crackdown that led to the deaths of two people before Operation Metro Surge was eased in February. In February, Vice President JD Vance said the government would temporarily halt $243 million in Medicaid funding to Minnesota over fraud concerns. Minnesota sued in response, warning it may have to cut healthcare for low-income families, but a judge 22 days ago declined to grant a restraining order.
Federal Response and Broader Impact
DHS said, "The American people deserve to know how their taxpayer money was abused. ... No stone will be left unturned," and noted the cooperation of local and state authorities. On social media, FBI Director Kash Patel mocked Democratic Gov. Tim Walz for taking credit "while we smoke out the fraud plaguing Minnesota under your governorship."
Candace Yates, the executive director of Child Care Aware of Minnesota, said, "The majority are in business to do good business. You're going to come across individuals who try to capitalize on systems that are broken and need to be fixed."
The searches were being conducted at daycares, businesses and some residences, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
Why This Matters:
The armed raids on childcare centers highlight the intersection of legitimate fraud enforcement with concerns about the targeting of immigrant communities and the politicization of federal investigations. While fraud in publicly funded programs demands accountability, the deployment of battering rams at childcare facilities and the timing following a viral video targeting Somali immigrants raises questions about proportionality and equal treatment under law. The threatened withdrawal of $243 million in Medicaid funding places vulnerable low-income families at risk of losing healthcare access as state and federal authorities clash. The investigation's trajectory—from a right-wing influencer's video to armed federal raids despite inspectors finding centers operating as expected—underscores tensions between enforcement, due process, and the protection of communities from discrimination. As Minnesota's lawsuit over Medicaid funding proceeds and fraud investigations continue, the balance between accountability and fair treatment of immigrant-owned businesses remains contested.