The Trump administration’s top child welfare official has sent letters to Gov. Tim Walz and other Minnesota state officials asking for the “complete universe” of data identifying residents who participate in federally funded foster care, early learning, housing and financial assistance programs. And he wants it all within two weeks — by the day after Christmas.
The inquiry follows a massive public benefits fraud scheme in Minnesota that prompted a tirade against Somali immigrants by President Donald Trump. In letters sent Monday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Administration for Children and Families Alex Adams demands detailed citizenship information for kids and families in the child welfare system and other government programs.
Adams writes that his request for the “complete universe” of administrative data was prompted by “public statements from hundreds of Minnesota Department of Human Services employees” who alleged the misuse of funds. Those allegations were followed by dozens of convictions and dozens more felony charges, largely against members of Minnesota’s large Somali community. Federal prosecutors estimate that more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds that should have been spent on meals and therapy for tens of thousands of needy children were stolen and spent on luxury cars and real estate. Much of the aid was tied to pandemic-era relief.
Adams’ letters to the Democratic governor say he’s seeking “recipient name, address, Social Security Number, date of birth,” among other information on individuals. He also asks for broader “policies, procedures, system controls, and verification records” that the state uses to “confirm citizenship or qualified alien status” of participants in programs like home heating assistance for low-income people. The information, he writes, is necessary to “assess the extent of any irregularities that may have occurred” in light of the recent fraud cases.
The letters were first reported by the New York Post, and provided to The Imprint by the Administration for Children and Families upon request.
Seven of Adams’ nine letters — all dated early December — are addressed to Walz, and target a different social service with the same information request. An eighth letter makes a similar request to a decades-old nonprofit founded by Head Start parents, which runs 13 such programs around Minneapolis, according to its website. A ninth letter is addressed to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who is also a Democrat, notifying him of the inquiry into the Head Start operator in his region. Most of the letters ask for a response by Dec. 26.
Adams has quickly become a prolific letter-writer in his first three months in office, pressing states to change their policies on gender identity protections for youth in foster homes, and on seizing Social Security survivors’ benefits owed to foster youth. He also announced plans for sweeping deregulation of the child welfare system, and an ambitious campaign to boost the nation’s foster home capacity. Now, he’s targeting Minnesota for a focused inquiry on the alleged use of public benefits by non-citizens in the social safety net.
“ACF has a duty to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and ensure Minnesota is abiding by all applicable federal statutes and requirements,” said Adams in a statement emailed to The Imprint. “These letters are our first step in verifying only eligible individuals are receiving taxpayer funded welfare services and that they are not being diverted from the American families who need them the most.”
Gov. Tim Walz’s office and Mayor Jacob Frey’s office did not respond to requests for comment this week.
The vast majority of people in Minnesota’s Somali community are law-abiding American citizens, but President Trump earlier this month baselessly claimed they are “garbage” he does not want in the country — with invective cheered by his most loyal Republican supporters but also widely criticized as xenophobic. And while most defendants in one of the largest recent fraud cases are naturalized citizens of Somali descent, according to numerous news reports, the convicted ringleader is a white woman.
Trump’s first year in office has been marked by an unprecedented retribution campaign against his critics and political opponents, including numerous actions to withhold, delay and cut funding for Democratic-led states, prompting lawsuits. He has repeatedly targeted Gov. Walz, who rose to national prominence and the Democratic party’s 2024 vice presidential nomination due to his sharp attacks on the then-former president.
Hana Ikramuddin contributed reporting to this story.
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