Senate pressure mounts as Minnesota fraud scandal continues to unfold
EXCLUSIVE: Senator Jim Banks, R-Ind., is pushing for a federal investigation after sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) calling for the agency to...
By Fox News · Fox News
EXCLUSIVE: Senator Jim Banks, R-Ind., is pushing for a federal investigation after sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) calling for the agency to construct investigative reports of Somali networks as the roughly $9 billion fraud scandal in Minnesota continues to unfold. Banks serves on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), which oversees major areas of healthcare funding and policy. The Indiana senator pointed out that the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program is administered by the state government, but is largely funded by federal tax dollars through two programs that provide roughly $300 million in federal childcare subsidies to Minnesota. On Sunday, Banks sent a letter to Alex J. Adams, the Assistant Secretary for Family Support, leading the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at HHS. TRUMP OFFICIAL FREEZES MILLIONS IN SBA AID TO MINNESOTA, SLAMS WALZ’S POLICIES AS BREEDING ‘ENDEMIC’ FRAUD "I urge ACF to investigate reports of Somali networks creating fake ‘daycare centers’ as vehicles to steal millions of dollars from Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which administers hundreds of millions of dollars in federal childcare subsidies each year," Banks’ letter to HHS reads. "Clearly, the Walz administration has failed to meet the most basic benchmarks required by ACF," Banks explained. "Any unlawful behavior uncovered in ACF’s investigation must be immediately referred to the proper federal authorities including ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and Federal prosecutors." The Department of Homeland Security’s HSI and ICE agents were on the ground in Minnesota on Monday, and Secretary Kristi Noem posted to X that the agency was " conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud." TIM WALZ PUSHES BACK ON MINNESOTA FRAUD ALLEGATIONS FOLLOWING VIRAL DAYCARE VIDEO Noem noted there’s more information coming as to the DHS investigation. Federal…