Minnesota is making headlines. And it’s much worse than many even realized.
Because a Minnesotan Somali confessed to a crime in a hot mic moment you don’t want to miss.
Federal Freeze Targets Waste in Child Care Programs
The Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services took decisive steps to halt all federal child care payments to Minnesota, safeguarding taxpayer dollars amid evidence of widespread misuse. HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill announced the measure, stating that payments “would be frozen after state welfare services allegedly ‘funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to [fraudulent daycares]’ over the last decade.”
He added that resumption requires comprehensive audits, including “attendance records, [licenses, complaints, investigations], and inspections.”
This action follows investigative findings, including a viral report highlighting inactive facilities receiving substantial funds, and builds on prior cases like the $250 million Feeding Our Future scandal.
Awkward Moment at Protest Press Conference
At a New Year’s Eve event organized with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to criticize the funding pause, parent Deko Nor began her remarks by saying: “I rely on child care. I work. If child care is cut, I am unable to work or go to school.”
She then stated: “I understand fraud is bad—” before abruptly stopping, covering her mouth, shaking her head, and declaring: “I don’t think I can speak.”
Advocate Maria Snider interjected: “there is fraud,” quickly covering her mouth, then clarified: “Deko just let me know that she had to skip school today and she just got emotional being here.”
Snider continued: “The fraud that is occurring is not at the hands of families. We need to be looking at who’s in power, who’s making decisions, who’s guarding the purse strings of our tax dollars.”
Broader Safeguards Against Misuse Nationwide
HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon noted that similar verification requirements apply to other states “to verify the proper use of taxpayer funds” before releasing additional allocations.
The administration has established reporting channels at childcare.gov to encourage tips on irregularities.
These measures reflect a commitment to ensuring public resources reach legitimate needs, preventing diversion that undermines trust in essential programs and burdens honest taxpayers.
