INTERNACIONAL
Expert reveals key factor that led to massive Minnesota fraud scheme
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
An ongoing decline in American assimilation and a deep fear of being accused of racism were key factors in the massive fraud scheme in Minnesota that is now coming to light, according to an expert.
Minnesota is facing one of the largest social-services fraud scandals in U.S. history after federal prosecutors uncovered what they describe as «schemes stacked upon schemes» by Somali-run non-profits that siphoned hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars from child-nutrition and Medicaid housing programs.
Prosecutors have since charged more than 70 defendants, a large percentage of whom are members of Minnesota’s Somali community, securing dozens of convictions as new waves of indictments continue. The scandal has triggered state and federal investigations, congressional scrutiny, and calls for accountability over why warnings were missed and how the fraud was allowed to reach this scale.
Simon Hankinson, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, said that the decline in immigrant assimilation in America was key during an interview with Fox News Digital.
INSIDE ‘LITTLE MOGADISHU’: MINNESOTA’S BELEAGUERED SOMALI COMMUNITY UNDER A CLOUD OF FRAUD AND TRUMP ATTACKS
Two Somali women walk through a Minneapolis neighborhood as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appears in a split image. Lawmakers say the state’s oversight failures and political sensitivity around Somali-run nonprofits helped fuel the $1 billion welfare fraud scandal now under federal investigation. (Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)
«Assimilation is a two-sided coin. The pressure comes from inside, from you wanting to assimilate so you can make it in the new society, but it also comes from outside, where the society says, ‘Hey, we expect you to do this. We expect you, if you want a driver’s license, to be able to speak and read English at a basic level.’ We don’t do that anymore in America. We don’t we don’t really expect anything of our immigrants,» explained Hankinson.
«There are a lot of people who are American-born,» he went on, «who really don’t like this country and what it stands for. And so, they don’t think anyone else ought to accept it and adapt to it either.»
Hankinson noted that in no way can the fraud scheme be blamed writ large on the Minnesota-Somali community, which is estimated to have around 80,000 people. He said that those involved in the scam are a minority. However, the fact that the tight-knit community has by and large not assimilated into the broader American society and customs meant that many of the factors that could have exposed the scheme earlier were not there, according to Hankinson.
«When you come from a culture that provides you with nothing from the center, everything is family, everything is clan, everything is local, then it’s almost impossible for you to understand how a federal system would work. And if your neighbor came to you and said, ‘Hey, we got this cool thing going, if you just say your kid’s autistic, I’ll give you a thousand dollars a month.’ I mean, that’s a no-brainer for an awful lot of people,» he explained.
«Even if they thought that maybe it was wrong on some level, they might think, ‘Well, hang on, in my new country, maybe that’s frowned upon,’ they’re not going to rat out the clan member, the family member,» he added.
TIM WALZ CALLED OUT BY WASHINGTON POST FOR REFUSING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL
Men take part in a weekly Friday Jum’ah prayer session at Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center amid a reported ongoing federal immigration operation targeting the Somali community in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Dec. 5, 2025. (Tim Evans/Reuters)
That, combined with the existence of generous taxpayer-funded welfare programs and Minnesota being what Hankinson called a «high trust state,» made the state «ill-equipped to handle fraud.»
«In Minnesota, these programs were low-hanging fruit. They were so easy to fleece, it’s almost farcical,» said Hankinson. «So, the carrot is there to commit fraud, and there’s no stick.»
He pointed to one aspect of the scheme in which prosecutors say Minnesota’s Medicaid autism program was exploited by companies recruiting families, securing fraudulent diagnoses, and billing for therapy that never happened, draining millions from the program.
«That is outrageous. Somebody should have noticed at some point that, ‘Hang on a minute, why have the autism rates in Somali kids gone from one in a hundred to like one in three or whatever it was?’» he said. «There should have been some oversight, and there again you get into the whole American racial guilt, which is a particular issue that we have, where if you’re an unscrupulous scammer, you can always play the race card, and that will often get you away with it because people are terrified.»
«Nobody likes to be called a racist. It’s about one of the worst things you could be called,» he went on. «But I do think liberal Americans, in particular white liberal Americans, are more afraid of that label than anything else. So, some of these scammers, they threatened to make a fuss about being targeted on account of race or immigrant status or religion. And that probably contributed to state authorities being a little slower.»
ILHAN OMAR SAYS SHE’S FRUSTRATED SINCE SOMALIS ARE ALSO VICTIMS IN ‘FEEDING OUR FUTURE’ SCAM
Somali illegal alien Abdul Dahir Ibrahim, who was convicted of fraud, has been photographed with Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., (left) and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (right). (ICE)
This dynamic has also played out on the national level. Following the Trump administration’s announcement of its crackdown on illegal immigrant Somalis in Minnesota, Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has accused it of «demonizing an entire group of people just by their race and their ethnicity.»
«I can’t take Tim Walz seriously, honestly, because he was the governor who was in charge while all this was happening. Where was he?» said Hankinson. «He was asleep at the switch.»
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
«It’s not a question of scapegoating,» he said. «It’s a good thing to send a message, not to the Somali community per se, but to all of Minnesota and the rest of the 49 states that this is America, we have laws, we have rules. When you break those rules, you are going to get punished.»
Hankinson added that ultimately, he hopes to see many Somalis joining in the effort to crack down on the minority involved in fraud so that they can «give their community the reputation that it deserves.»
minnesota fraud exposed,migrant crime,immigration,somali immigrant community,minnesota,tim walz
Reacción
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Former special counsel Jack Smith testified during a hearing Thursday on Capitol Hill, where he faced searing criticism from Republicans and praise from Democrats over his two prosecutions of President Donald Trump.
The hearing gave Smith, a career prosecutor of nearly three decades, a rare chance to speak publicly about his work. He defended his indictments against Trump related to the 2020 election and classified documents as by-the-book and apolitical.
«If asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so, regardless of whether that president was a Republican or a Democrat,» Smith said.
JACK SMITH SUBPOENAED FOR DEPOSITION WITH HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Former special counsel Jack Smith testifies during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 22, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
Republicans made clear they felt the cases, brought while Trump was a leading presidential candidate, were driven by politics and designed to interfere with the 2024 election.
«It was always about politics,» Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in his opening statement.
1. Smith collected ‘months’ worth of phone data on the Republican speaker of the House
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, grilled Smith over the controversial subpoenas of phone records belonging to several Republicans. Gill zeroed in on a subpoena that sought about three months of data belonging to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023.
«Sixteen days after becoming the highest ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, you subpoenaed his toll records,» Gill said, asking if Smith felt that could have violated the Constitution.
«I do not,» Smith replied.
«You were collecting months’ worth of phone data on the Republican speaker of the House, the leader of the opposition, right after he got sworn in as speaker. … That sounds like a flagrant violation of the speech or debate clause,» GIll said.
Smith has repeatedly defended the subpoenas as proper, noting that his team sought a narrow set of data as part of his 2020 election probe and that the phone records did not contain contents of messages or calls.
«If Donald Trump had chosen to call a number of Democratic senators, we would have gotten toll records for Democratic senators,» Smith said in a closed-door deposition last month.
2. Issa accuses Smith of ‘spying’
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., accused Smith of «spying» on the lawmakers whose records were subpoenaed. Those targeted by Smith’s team included McCarthy, Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and several others.
Smith also obtained court-authorized gag orders that temporarily blocked phone carriers from notifying the lawmakers of the subpoenas, meaning they had no immediate recourse to challenge them.
It is common practice for prosecutors to seek gag orders, but Issa demanded to know why Smith did not inform the D.C. federal court that the subpoenas pertained to members of Congress, who have added layers of immunity under the Constitution.
«Why did Congress, a separate branch that you, under the Constitution, have to respect — why is it that no one should be informed — including the judges?» Issa pressed. «As you went in to spy on these people, did you mention that you were spying on, [that you were] seeking records so you could find out about when conversations occurred between the U.S. speaker of the House and the president?»
Smith has said he followed the DOJ’s policy at the time, which did not require him to give such notice to the court. That policy has since changed.
3. Former D.C. police officer gets escorted out of hearing after fiery clash
Former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone was briefly escorted out of the hearing after a tense exchange with Ivan Raiklin, a one-time Army reservist and right-wing operative.
Raiklin called out to Fanone and introduced himself amid a packed hearing room, prompting Fanone to turn around and say, «Go f— yourself. … Don’t pretend like we’re not mortal enemies.»
The confrontation, which occurred during a hearing recess, escalated to a near-physical altercation, as Fanone repeatedly lobbed obscenities at Raiklin and Raiklin told Fanone to «control his Tourette syndrome.»
A fellow former officer restrained Fanone, and a police officer guided him out of the hearing room while Democrats applauded him. Fanone was violently assaulted during the Jan. 6 attack, according to video footage and court papers, and has since been outspoken against those who breached the Capitol and attacked officers.
4. Smith predicts DOJ will try to indict him
Trump posted on social media during the hearing that Smith was «being DECIMATED» by Republican lawmakers and was a «deranged animal.»
«Hopefully the Attorney General is looking at what he’s done,» Trump wrote.
JACK SMITH DEFENDS SUBPOENAING REPUBLICANS’ PHONE RECORDS: ‘ENTIRELY PROPER’
Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks alongside President Donald Trump at a White House press briefing in this 2025 photo. (Getty Images)
In response to a question about Trump’s post from Rep. Rebecca Balint, D-Vt., Smith said he expected the DOJ would attempt to charge him.
«I believe they will do everything in their power to do that, because they have been ordered to by the president,» Smith said.
Trump later wrote on social media: «Based on his testimony today, there is no question that Deranged Jack Smith should be prosecuted for his actions. … At a minimum, he committed large scale perjury!»
5. Smith reveals his one regret about his work
Smith was asked if the intense scrutiny and public threats against him have made him wish he did not prosecute Trump.
«I don’t regret it,» Smith said.
However, when Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., pressed Smith on the matter, Smith vouched for his staff, who all left or were fired when Trump took office.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
«If I have any regret, it would be not expressing enough appreciation for my staff, who worked so hard on these investigations,» Smith said, adding they «sacrificed endlessly and endured way too much just doing their jobs.»
Fox News’ Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
congress,house of representatives politics,justice department
INTERNACIONAL
La lucha contra el narcotráfico causa una inesperada guerra comercial entre dos estrechos socios de la región
Colombia y Ecuador, dos grandes socios comerciales, entraron este jueves en una inédita guerra comercial con la imposición mutua de aranceles motivada por la lucha contra el narcotráfico, según el presidente ecuatoriano, Daniel Noboa.
La anunciada aplicación de aranceles ecuatorianos del 30 % causó sorpresa en Colombia, no solo por lo repentino, sino porque es la primera vez que se usa un argumento distinto al comercial, en este caso la seguridad fronteriza y el narcotráfico, para imponer tarifas aduaneras.
Leé también: Tras las amenazas de Trump, la UE se plantea romper la dependencia con EE.UU. y mira hacia China y la India
La estrategia, anunciada el miércoles, recuerda la guerra comercial desatada hace un año por el presidente estadounidense, Donald Trump, aliado de Noboa.
La respuesta de Bogotá se conoció este jueves. El Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo de Colombia anunció una medida de reciprocidad con la cual impondrá también un arancel del 30 % a la importación de 20 productos provenientes de Ecuador que no detalló.
“La relación comercial entre Colombia y Ecuador se ha construido sobre la base de reglas comunes y cooperación mutua. Cuando ese marco se modifica de manera unilateral y se afectan las condiciones previamente vigentes del comercio, el Estado colombiano tiene la obligación de actuar para corregir la alteración y proteger su aparato productivo, garantizando el equilibrio del intercambio”, dijo la ministra Diana Marcela Morales.
Además, el Ministerio de Minas y Energía anunció la suspensión de la venta de energía entre ambos países, “como una medida preventiva orientada a proteger la soberanía y la seguridad energética” de Colombia. Según la cartera, la decisión adoptada tras las medidas ecuatorianas, se fundamenta en análisis técnicos que “evidencian una mayor presión sobre el sistema eléctrico colombiano en momentos de variabilidad climática”.
Qué está pasando entre Ecuador y Colombia
La guerra comercial comenzó el miércoles cuando el presidente ecuatoriano anunció desde Davos la imposición de aranceles de 30% a Colombia a partir de febrero por considerar que Bogotá no hace lo suficiente en la lucha contra el narcotráfico en la frontera común.
Noboa dijo que tomó esa decisión por “la falta de reciprocidad y acciones firmes” de Colombia en la lucha contra el narcotráfico.
“Hemos hecho esfuerzos reales de cooperación con Colombia, incluso con un déficit comercial que supera los 1000 millones de dólares anuales. Pero mientras hemos insistido en el diálogo, nuestros militares siguen enfrentando a grupos criminales atados al narcotráfico en la frontera sin cooperación alguna”, señaló en su cuenta de X.
Por Ecuador, considerado el país más violento de la región, transita la mayor parte de la cocaína producida en Colombia y enviada a Estados Unidos por el puerto de Guayaquil.
ARCHIVO – El presidente Daniel Noboa pronuncia un discurso durante la ceremonia de cambio de mando de las Fuerzas Armadas en Quito, Ecuador, el miércoles 26 de noviembre de 2025. (AP Foto/Dolores Ochoa, Archivo)
El intercambio comercial entre los dos países, que además comparten una dinámica frontera terrestre de 586 kilómetros, ronda los 2700 millones de dólares, con un superávit para Colombia de 920,7 millones hasta noviembre de 2025, según datos del Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE).
Además de los aranceles recíprocos, Colombia suspendió las ventas de electricidad a Ecuador y el Gobierno de ese país anunció que se modificará la tarifa de transporte del petróleo colombiano extraído en los campos del sur y que pasa por el Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados (OCP) para salir hacia el Pacífico.
La electricidad vendida por Colombia fue fundamental para enfrentar la crisis energética que vivió Ecuador en los últimos años, con apagones de hasta 14 horas diarias.
“El año pasado, aun atravesando una fuerte sequía, Colombia fue solidaria con Ecuador y garantizó energía cuando su población enfrentaba apagones de hasta 14 horas. Hoy, ante decisiones arbitrarias y unilaterales, debemos actuar con firmeza para defender la dignidad y la soberanía de nuestro país”, afirmó el ministro colombiano de Minas y Energía, Edwin Palma.
Leé también: Venezuela: el chavismo avanza en una reforma petrolera para abrirse al capital privado
Palma fijó para las 18.00 hora local (20.00 de la Argentina) de este jueves la suspensión de la interconexión eléctrica.
El Gobierno ecuatoriano aseguró que el sistema eléctrico está en la capacidad de “cubrir de manera autónoma la demanda diaria de energía, incluso ante la indisponibilidad de la importación desde Colombia”.
“En condiciones normales de operación, el sistema eléctrico ecuatoriano cuenta con capacidad suficiente para cubrir de manera autónoma la demanda diaria de energía, incluso ante la indisponibilidad de la importación de energía desde Colombia”, detalló un comunicado del Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía.
La Comunidad Andina ofrece su mediación
Frente a este panorama, la Comunidad Andina (CAN) se ofreció a mediar entre los gobiernos de Colombia y Ecuador para evitar que comience a aplicarse las medidas de la guerra comercial entre ambos países.
El secretario general de la CAN, el diplomático peruano Gonzalo Gutiérrez, envió comunicaciones a los presidentes de ambos países para solicitar la postergación de las medidas anunciadas, según señaló en un comunicado el organismo, con sede en Lima.
Gutiérrez también se puso a disposición de los presidentes de Colombia, Gustavo Petro, y deEcuador, Daniel Noboa, para ayudar a un “diálogo estrecho que permita abordar las preocupaciones de ambos países”.
La máxima autoridad de la Comunidad Andina, el organismo de integración regional que forman Bolivia, Colombia,Ecuadory Perú, apuntó a “privilegiar la integración latinoamericana como base para alcanzar el bienestar de los ciudadanos andinos, en un escenario cada vez más complejo y dinámico”.
(Con información de EFE y AFP)
Colombia, Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, Gustavo Petro
En Davos, un choque entre el mundo de Trump y el Viejo Mundo
Inflación de enero: qué muestran las mediciones semanales de las consultoras y cómo cerraría el mes
La AFA denunció a un funcionario del gobierno de Javier Milei por abuso de autoridad
Así queda el palmarés de la Copa África tras la victoria de Senegal
Wanda Nara habló por primera vez del escándalo con Mauro Icardi y contó su verdad: “Mostré los chats porque…”
Dólar y reservas: la señal que entusiasma al mercado y el peligroso riesgo que aparece en marzo
Los rostros del horror de Irán: quiénes son los muertos por la brutal represión a las protestas en Teherán
Milei, en Davos: se reunió con empresarios y se llevó elogios a la política que los habilita a sacar dividendos del país
El Gobierno confía en aprobar “rápido” el acuerdo Mercosur-Unión Europea en el Congreso, aunque aún faltan pasos legales
Europa frena la ratificación del acuerdo con el Mercosur y activa una revisión legal
INTERNACIONAL2 días agoLos rostros del horror de Irán: quiénes son los muertos por la brutal represión a las protestas en Teherán
- POLITICA2 días ago
Milei, en Davos: se reunió con empresarios y se llevó elogios a la política que los habilita a sacar dividendos del país
- POLITICA3 días ago
El Gobierno confía en aprobar “rápido” el acuerdo Mercosur-Unión Europea en el Congreso, aunque aún faltan pasos legales
