Minnesota is reeling from a fraud scandal involving $1 billion siphoned from multiple federal programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past three years, 87 people have been charged and 61 have been convicted -- most of Somali descent. WCCO's Jonah Kaplan reports the Somali community is now bracing for an immigration crackdown.

Minnesota

A $1 billion COVID relief fraud scandal in Minnesota has resulted in 87 people being charged and 61 convicted, most of Somali descent. President Trump responded with harsh criticism of Somali immigrants, stating he does not want them in the U.S. and making derogatory remarks during a White House cabinet meeting.

The Somali community in Minnesota, numbering around 84,000, is now bracing for increased law enforcement action, including possible ICE crackdowns. While some House Republicans have called for investigations into whether fraud proceeds were sent to terror groups, federal investigators say there is no evidence of this, noting the money was spent on luxury items instead.

Fraud scandal leaves Minnesota Somali community bracing for crackdown

We turn now to President Trump's latest attacks on Somali immigrants in Minnesota. About 84,000 people of Somali descent live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The president says he doesn't want any Somalis living in the U.S. after a few dozen were implicated in a COVID relief fraud case. We get more on this from Jonah Kaplan of CBS Minnesota. Minnesota is reeling from a fraud scandal involving one billion dollars siphoned from multiple federal programs during the COVID pandemic. In the past three years, 87 people have been charged, 61 convicted, most of Somali descent. Erica MacDonald was U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota during the first Trump administration. What happened in Minnesota where fraud was able to run rampant that it didn't in other states? Lack of accountability, frankly. We knew that fraud occurs and there's warning signs that come with it and they were ignored in this case. According to investigators, the schemes involved bogus receipts and invoices for meal programs, housing assistance and behavioral health services, charging the state millions for services that were never provided. I hear they ripped off Somalians, ripped off that state for billions of dollars. The president lashed out at Minnesota's Somali community during Tuesday's cabinet meeting at the White House, saying he doesn't want them in the country and called them garbage. I think it's a beautiful country. Jamal Osman, who moved from Somalia to Minnesota when he was 14, is a naturalized U.S. citizen and a member of the Minneapolis City Council. Anyone who looks like me are scared right now. The fear comes as the Somali community here is bracing for a surge of ICE agents cracking down on migrants who've been issued final deportation orders. The president is pointing to the fraud cases in Minnesota and we know that a majority of the suspects are of Somali descent. How is your community taking that? Well, my community is upset. Yes, people commit crimes, but the entire community should not be blamed based on what some individuals did. Some House Republicans on an oversight committee in Washington announcing in a news release they're launching their own investigation into the allegations of fraud and accusations that some of that money could have been funneled directly to terror groups overseas. But I spoke with a number of federal investigators and they tell me there is no evidence that that happened. Instead, the fraudsters allegedly stole the money and kept it for themselves and spent it on things like cars, houses, diamonds and so much more.

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Caracas

Maduro accuses U.S. of pushing for regime change to get Venezuela’s oil

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Canberra

Australia under-16s social media accounts to be taken down

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Brussels

EU agrees deal to ban Russian gas by end of 2027

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Washington

Trump pardons Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife

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Watchdog found Hegseth jeopardized sensitive military information

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Never-before-seen images of Jeffrey Epstein's island released

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Los Angeles

Doctor who sold Matthew Perry ketamine sentenced to 30 months in prison

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Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

U.S. envoys Kushner, Witkoff leave Kremlin without Ukraine deal

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Trump targets Somali immigrants amid reports of Minneapolis raids

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Tennessee

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California

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Putin meets Trump envoys Witkoff, Kushner for Ukraine peace talks

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Hegseth defends boat strikes near Venezuela during Cabinet meeting

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Pokrovsk

Russia claims control of Pokrovsk

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Nuwara Eliya

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Tegucigalpa

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Blagnac

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Damascus

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New Orleans

Immigration enforcement operation set to begin in New Orleans

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New York

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Breakdown