On Wednesday morning, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took to X with a bold message: “GOOD MORNING MINNEAPOLIS!” This post was met with encouragement from Rep. Tom Emmer, a prominent House Republican leader representing the Minneapolis suburbs, who urged, “Go out there and get ‘em.” The Trump administration has ramped up its efforts by deploying thousands of immigration agents to the Twin Cities, marking this as the largest operation in DHS history.
The Trump administration has often justified its deportation operations as necessary for the safety of American citizens. However, a new angle has emerged in their Minnesota campaign: the eradication of fraud. In 2022, under the Biden administration, federal prosecutors revealed a significant scheme aimed at defrauding a pandemic meals program within Minnesota’s Somali community. This investigation has resulted in numerous charges and convictions against various defendants.
In the weeks leading up to the deployment of DHS agents, conservative commentators began spotlighting this scandal, suggesting that it was a pretext for targeting East African migrants in the Minneapolis area. Following the surge in discussions on conservative social media, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on X that agents were “on the ground” in response to these allegations.
The situation in the Twin Cities has become increasingly tense following the tragic shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. While the DHS has labeled the incident as an act of self-defense, some eyewitnesses and Minneapolis’ mayor have questioned this narrative, escalating community concerns.
Amidst these tensions, former President Donald Trump has made derogatory remarks about the Somali community, branding them as “garbage.” Concurrently, right-wing influencers have flooded X with videos purporting to investigate daycares linked to immigrants, claiming they are uncovering ongoing fraud.
The scale of the fraud uncovered is staggering. Initially, prosecutors estimated a scheme worth approximately $250 million, later revising that figure to $300 million. This makes it the largest fraud case stemming from COVID-19 relief programs. A total of 78 defendants have been charged, primarily connected to Feeding Our Future, a Minneapolis nonprofit at the heart of this scandal. A jury convicted the alleged ringleader earlier this year, while other defendants have either pleaded guilty or are awaiting trial. Most of those involved are of Somali descent, with a significant number being American citizens.
The fraudulent scheme revolved around government-subsidized meals for children. Prosecutors allege that the nonprofit submitted fake records and misappropriated grant money intended to feed thousands of children in minority communities.
The scandal traces back to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when government spending increased to mitigate the economic fallout. Prosecutors assert that Aimee Bock, the founder of Feeding Our Future, collaborated with co-conspirators to create shell companies and falsify documents, falsely claiming that thousands of children were served meals. Notably, many of the children allegedly served—and many co-conspirators—were Somali Americans.
As the fraud unfolded, early warning signs were ignored. The Minnesota Department of Education received complaints about Feeding Our Future’s management as early as 2018. In February 2020, the Internal Revenue Service revoked the organization’s nonprofit status for failing to file necessary documentation. Despite these issues, the nonprofit continued to operate and even threatened legal action against the state for delays in approving their meal program applications.
The FBI's investigation into the fraud began after they received a tip in February 2021 alleging kickbacks and failure to provide the promised meals. By May of that year, the FBI had launched a formal investigation. The situation escalated in January 2022 when the FBI raided Feeding Our Future’s office, leading to a halt in funding by the Minnesota Department of Education. Federal prosecutors later announced indictments against 47 defendants, with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland labeling it as “the largest pandemic relief fraud scheme charged to date.”
The fallout from the fraud investigation extended into the political arena when Democrat Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate in August 2024. Republicans quickly leveraged the fraud investigation to critique Walz's governance. Following Harris's loss in the election, the fraud case faded from the national spotlight, but federal prosecutors continued their work.
In March 2025, Aimee Bock was convicted and is currently awaiting sentencing. However, the investigation into similar fraud cases linked to other safety-net programs continues. In September 2025, the Department of Justice charged additional individuals for defrauding programs aimed at assisting seniors and people with disabilities.
As the investigation progressed, conservative media began to take a keen interest in the allegations. Notably, Trump made disparaging remarks about Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American, further fueling the narrative against the community. Meanwhile, social media influencer Nick Shirley garnered significant attention for his controversial video alleging over $100 million in fraud at Somali-run daycares, which quickly went viral.
Following Shirley's claims, other influencers began visiting Somali daycares nationwide, amplifying the narrative of fraudulent activity. However, investigations by local news outlets revealed discrepancies in Shirley’s claims, with some daycare facilities observed operating normally.
The intense focus on alleged fraud has prompted a multi-agency response from the Trump administration, which has recently withheld nearly $10 billion in federal funds supporting child care in multiple states. Concurrently, congressional hearings have been initiated to address social services fraud in Minnesota, with Republican lawmakers targeting Governor Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison for oversight failures.
As the situation develops, the implications for the Somali community in Minnesota and beyond remain significant. The ongoing scrutiny and investigations into alleged fraud demonstrate how quickly local issues can escalate into national controversies, affecting countless individuals and families.