Feds launch 'massive operation' in Minnesota amid fraud scandal
Federal authorities are launching a "massive operation" in Minnesota on Tuesday to "identify, arrest, and remove criminals who are defrauding the American people," the Department of Homeland Security said.
"Our investigative agents are conducting a massive operation to identify, arrest, and remove criminals who are defrauding the American people. We will root out this rampant fraud plaguing Minnesota," the agency wrote on X.
Fox News Digital has reached out to DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The DHS announcement came a day after the department said it had launched an operation to investigate fraud in the city of Minneapolis after the release of a video by an independent journalist that questioned daycare center operators in the area.
Videos posted by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday showed Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents going door-to-door questioning businesses.
Minnesota has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks after authorities revealed multi-million fraud operations in the state, resulting in dozens of arrests and indictments.
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Over the weekend, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau had moved resources into the state, pointing to the Feeding Our Future investigation, which uncovered an at least $250 million scheme that siphoned federal food aid intended for children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Patel's announcement came in the wake of a viral video posted on social media Friday by independent journalist Nick Shirley that highlighted alleged fraud involving Minnesota childcare and learning centers.
In the video, many of the facilities appeared non-operational despite allegedly receiving millions of dollars in government aid.
The video quickly went viral and prompted several Republican lawmakers to call for an investigation and to call out Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, accusing his office of failing to oversee where and how taxpayer funds were being used.
State officials have pushed back on the alleged fraud. At a Monday press conference, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families Commissioner Tikki Brown said prior inspections of the centers did not uncover fraud and that regulators are conducting additional unannounced visits to review concerns raised by the video.
"We are aware of a video that's being circulated that has gained local and national attention about childcare centers in Minnesota," Brown said. "While we have questions about some of the methods that were used in the video, we do take the concerns that the video raises about fraud very seriously."
Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.