At a Glance
- The White House plans to replicate its Minnesota fraud crackdown in California and New York
- DHS has already deployed thousands of ICE agents to Minnesota over a viral YouTube video alleging $100 million Somali day-care fraud
- The administration threatens to freeze federal Medicaid funds to sanctuary jurisdictions starting February 1
- Why it matters: Tens of millions in Democratic-led states could face heightened federal scrutiny and expanded ICE operations
The Trump administration is preparing to export the tactics it used in Minnesota-alleging widespread fraud to justify sweeping federal immigration actions-to California and New York, a senior White House official tells News Of Fort Worth. The move signals a coast-to-coast pressure campaign against Democratic governors and sets the stage for what officials describe as the largest Department of Homeland Security operation in U.S. history.
From Minnesota to the Coast
Since late December, DHS has flooded Minnesota with thousands of immigration agents after a right-wing YouTube creator, Nick Shirley, claimed in a viral video to expose a $100 million fraud scheme involving Somali child-care centers. The clip, viewed more than 3 million times and amplified by Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance, triggered an ICE surge that culminated in the fatal January 7 shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, during an enforcement action in Minneapolis.
Protests have roiled the state ever since. Governor Tim Walz urged residents Wednesday to film any ICE activity: “Help us create a database of the atrocities against Minnesotans…to bank evidence for future prosecution.”
The administration now calls Minnesota the template. “POTUS loves Minnesota and the people,” the senior White House official said. “The fraud is so blatant and widespread that it’s a good place to start, but it’s only the beginning. CA and NY next.”
California in the Crosshairs
President Trump has already branded Governor Gavin Newsom “Governor Gavin Newscum,” writing on Truth Social that “California…is more corrupt than Minnesota, if that’s possible??? The Fraud Investigation of California has begun.”
Pro-Trump influencers are on the ground. Creator Benny Johnson has posted videos attacking California’s homelessness spending, while CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz toured Los Angeles last week promising to target fraud and “foreign gangs” misusing hospice funds. On Wednesday Oz announced CMS is withholding roughly $300 million from the state, accusing it of using “federal Medicaid funds on non-emergency health care for illegals.”
The White House says federal-payment freezes could hit sanctuary jurisdictions nationwide as soon as February 1, affecting programs like Medicaid.
New Federal Machinery
The administration is institutionalizing the effort:
- A new Justice Department division will investigate state-level fraud allegations
- FTC chief Andrew Ferguson could become deputy attorney general for fraud, Bloomberg reported Wednesday
- ICE is spending about $100 million on recruiting ads aimed at right-wing audiences, per The Washington Post
- House Republicans will hear from Shirley next week in a Judiciary subcommittee hearing
Beyond the Coasts
Signs of expansion are surfacing nationwide:
- Maine: Mayors in Portland and Lewiston expect ICE agents as early as next week, targeting the state’s Somali population-mostly U.S. citizens or green-card holders
- Colorado and Illinois: Both saw federal funds frozen this month
- Education: The Department of Education’s civil-rights office is investigating 18 districts, including two in Maine, over policies allowing transgender students in sports
Portland Mayor Mark Dion rejected the premise: “There is no evidence of unchecked criminal activity…requiring a disproportionate presence of federal agents.”
What Happens Next
The White House declined on-the-record comment for News Of Fort Worth, referring questions to DHS and ICE. A DHS spokesperson would not detail personnel numbers: “This is [sic] largest DHS operation in history-we won’t get into resources or numbers of personnel.”
California and New York governors’ offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
With federal agents poised to deploy under the banner of fraud investigations, Democratic-led states are bracing for a new phase of immigration enforcement tied to allegations that, so far, stem largely from viral social-media claims rather than court-verified evidence.
