Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz responded Tuesday to a series of federal raids targeting day care centers and related businesses across the state, offering support for the operation after previously criticizing fraud investigations, as reported [1] by the New York Post.
In a series of posts on X, Walz said law enforcement actions were sending a message to those engaged in fraud and described cooperation between agencies as effective.
Massive fraud in Minnesota was ENABLED by Tim Walz.https://t.co/KA2ZX2x6sO [2]
— Minnesota Staff Fraud Reporting Commentary (@Minnesota_DHS) April 28, 2026 [3]
“If you commit fraud in Minnesota you’re going to get caught — and that’s exactly what we saw today. We catch criminals when state and federal agencies share information. Joint investigations work, and securing justice depends on it,” Walz wrote.
He added that state agencies played a role in identifying issues that led to the federal action.
“Today’s raids by state and federal law enforcement happened because our state agencies caught irregular behavior and reported it. That’s how the system is supposed to work, and our agencies will keep at it as long as there are fraudsters around to put behind bars,” he said.
Today’s raids by state and federal law enforcement happened because our state agencies caught irregular behavior and reported it. That’s how the system is supposed to work, and our agencies will keep at it as long as there are fraudsters around to put behind bars.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) April 28, 2026 [4]
The response followed coordinated enforcement actions led by the FBI, which executed search warrants at more than 20 locations across Minnesota, including the “Quality Learning Center.” The raids are part of a broader investigation into what authorities describe as a large-scale social services fraud scheme.
Kash Patel, who oversees the bureau, disputed Walz’s characterization of the operation and responded directly on X.
“Come again? This FBI and DOJ with our DHS partners drafted and executed every search warrant today. But go ahead and take credit for our work while we smoke out hte fraud plaguing Minnesota under your governorship,” Patel wrote.
Come again? This FBI and DOJ with our DHS partners drafted and executed every search warrant today. But go ahead and take credit for our work while we smoke out the fraud plaguing Minnesota under your governorship. https://t.co/HczInx5sZm [5]
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) April 28, 2026 [6]
The enforcement activity drew attention due to the scale of the alleged fraud under investigation. According to reports, some estimates place the amount of federal funds involved as high as $19 billion. For comparison, World Bank figures estimate Somalia’s gross domestic product at approximately $12 billion.
Sources indicated that many of the businesses involved in the investigation are tied to the Somali-American community, though officials have not publicly detailed all aspects of the case.
Walz also used his statements to call for additional investigations into separate incidents involving federal agents.
“Now let’s work on a joint investigation into the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good — instead of cherry-picking when we seek justice and when we turn a blind eye,” he said.
Despite Walz’s comments highlighting coordination between state and federal authorities, a statement from the City of Minneapolis indicated that local law enforcement was not involved in the raids.
“The City of Minneapolis is not involved in the federal operations being reported around Minnesota today, and as of 9:30 a.m., MPD has not been asked to assist with the execution of federal warrants,” the city’s official X account stated.
The City of Minneapolis is not involved in the federal operations being reported around Minnesota today, and as of 9:30 a.m., MPD has not been asked to assist with the execution of federal warrants.
— City of Minneapolis (@CityMinneapolis) April 28, 2026 [7]
Walz, who announced in January that he would not seek a third term as governor, has faced criticism over fraud issues in the state during his tenure. His recent comments appeared to express support for the federal investigation, marking a shift from earlier statements in which he criticized certain fraud probes.
The investigation remains ongoing as federal authorities continue to examine the scope of the alleged scheme and potential charges tied to the case.