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Tag: tim walz

  • Minnesota Gov. Walz tells Trump, Noem to

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    In a rare primetime address Wednesday evening, Gov. Tim Walz gave a six-minute-long address to Minnesotans where he called on President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to “end this occupation.”

    Walz’s address came hours after Noem’s department announced Operation Metro Surge has led to 2,500 arrests in Minnesota since it began last month.

    “What’s happening in Minnesota right now defies belief,” Walz said. “News reports simply don’t do justice to the level of chaos and disruption and trauma the federal government is raining down upon our communities.”

    On Tuesday, Homeland Security officials told CBS News there are now 800 U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in the Minneapolis area. That’s in addition to 2,000 other ICE and federal agents already in the state in what officials call the “largest DHS operation in history.”

    “Donald Trump intends for it to get worse. This week, he went online to promise that quote, ‘the day of retribution and reckoning is coming,’” Walz said in his addresss. “That’s a direct threat against the people of this state who dared to vote against him three times and who continue to stand up for freedom with courage and empathy and profound grace.”

    The governor went on to urge Minnesotans to “protest loudly, urgently, but also peacefully.” He also called on residents to “peacefully film ICE agents.”

    “If you see these ICE agents in your neighborhood, take out that phone and hit record,” Walz said. “Help us create a database of the atrocities against Minnesotans, not just to establish a record for posterity, but to bank evidence for future prosecution.”

    Walz also expressed pride for his fellow Minnesotans, calling the state “an island of decency in a country being driven towards cruelty.”

    Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

    WCCO


    “We will remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, of peace, and tonight I come before you simply to ask, don’t let anyone take that away from us,” he said.

    Walz gives a constitutionally-required annual address before the Legislature, known as the “State of the State.” But other statewide addresses that the governor has planned happen infrequently. 

    His staff notes that he addressed residents during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.

    Lawyers representing the state of Minnesota, along with the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, were in court Wednesday morning in the hopes of getting federal Judge Kate Menendez to issue a temporary restraining order to pause ICE activities in Minnesota. 

    Menendez said she would not issue that restraining order until after the federal government filed its response and the state made additional filings.

    The hearing is part of a larger federal lawsuit by the state and cities attempting to get the federal government to halt all law enforcement operations in Minnesota.

    Below is the full transcript of Walz’s address. Watch the full video here.

    What’s happening in Minnesota right now defies belief. News reports simply don’t do justice to the level of chaos and disruption and trauma the federal government is raining down upon our communities.

    Two-thousand to 3,000 armed agents of the federal government have been deployed to Minnesota. Armed, masked, undertrained ICE agents are going door to door, ordering people to point out where their neighbors of color live.

    They’re pulling over people indiscriminately, including U.S. citizens, and demanding to see their papers. And at grocery stores, at bus stops, even at our schools they’re breaking windows, dragging pregnant women down the street, just plain grabbing Minnesotans and shoving them into unmarked vans, kidnapping innocent people with no warning and no due process.

    Let’s be very, very clear: this long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. Instead, it’s a campaign of organized brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government.

    Last week, that campaign claimed the life of Renee Nicole Good. We’ve all watched the video. We’ve all seen what happened, and yet instead of conducting an impartial investigation so we can hold accountable the officer responsible for Renee’s death, the Trump administration is devoting the full power of the federal government to finding an excuse to attack the victim and her family.

    Just yesterday, six federal prosecutors, including the longtime career prosecutor leading the charge to investigate and eliminate fraud in our state’s programs, quit their jobs rather than go along with this assault on the United States Constitution.

    But as bad as it’s been, Donald Trump intends for it to get worse. This week, he went online to promise that quote, the day of retribution and reckoning is coming.

    That’s a direct threat against the people of this state who dared to vote against him three times and who continue to stand up for freedom with courage and empathy and profound grace.

    All across Minnesota people are stepping up to help their neighbors who are being unjustly and unlawfully targeted. They’re distributing care packages and walking kids to school and raising their voices in peaceful protest, even though doing so has made many of our fellow Minnesotans targets for violent retribution.

    Folks, I know it’s scary, and I know it’s absurd that we all have to defend law and order, justice and humanity while also caring for our families and trying to do our jobs.

    So tonight, let me say once again to Donald Trump and Kristi Noem: End this occupation. You’ve done enough.

    Let me say four critical things to the people of Minnesota, four things I want you to hear as you watch the news and look out for your neighbors:

    First, Donald Trump wants this chaos. He wants confusion, and yes, he wants more violence on our streets. We cannot give him what he wants. 

    We can, we must protest loudly, urgently, but also peacefully. Indeed, as hard as we will fight in the courts and at the ballot box, we cannot and will not let violence prevail.

    You’re angry. I’m angry. Angry is not a strong enough word, but we must remain peaceful.

    Second, you are not powerless, you are not helpless, and you are certainly not alone. All across Minnesota, people are learning about opportunities not just to resist, but to help people who are in danger.

    Thousands upon thousands of our fellow Minnesotans are going to be relying on mutual aid in the days and weeks to come, and they need our support.

    Tonight I wanna share another way you can help: witness. Help us establish a record of exactly what’s happening in our communities.

    You have an absolute right to peacefully film ICE agents as they conduct these activities, so carry your phone with you at all times, and if you see these ICE agents in your neighborhood, take out that phone and hit record.

    Help us create a database of the atrocities against Minnesotans, not just to establish a record for posterity, but to bank evidence for future prosecution.

    The third thing I want to say to you tonight is we will not have to live like this forever. Accountability is coming at the voting booth and in court. 

    We will reclaim our communities from Donald Trump. We will reestablish a sense of safety for our neighbors, and we will bring an end to this moment of chaos, confusion and trauma.

    We will find a way to move forward and we’ll do it together. And will not be alone. Every day we are working with business leaders, faith leaders, legal experts and elected officials from across this country. They’ve all seen what Donald Trump is trying to do to our state, and they know their states could be next.

    And that brings me to the fourth thing I wanna say tonight Minnesota, how incredibly proud I am of the way that you’ve risen to meet this unbearable moment. But I’m not at all surprised because this, this is who we are.

    Minnesotans believe in the rule of law, and Minnesotans believe in the dignity of all people. We’re a place where there’s room for everybody, no matter who you are or who you love or where you came from. A place where we feed our kids, we take care of our neighbors and we look out for those in the shadows of life.

    We’re an island of decency in a country being driven towards cruelty. We will remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, of peace, and tonight I come before you simply to ask, don’t let anyone take that away from us.

    Thank you. Protect each other, and may God bless the people of Minnesota.

    This story will be updated.

    Caroline Cummings

    contributed to this report.

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  • At least 6 Minnesota federal prosecutors resign amid pressure to treat Renee Good killing as assault on ICE agent

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    At least six career prosecutors in the Minneapolis U.S. Attorney’s office — including Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson — have resigned as the office continues to face pressure to treat the investigation of the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an ICE officer as an assault on a federal officer case.

    Thompson also previously served as the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota; he was appointed by President Trump in June and served in the position until October. He resigned from the attorney’s office along with Harry Jacobs, Melinda Williams, Thomas Calhoun-Lopez, Ruth Schneider and Tom Hollenhurst.

    CBS could not immediately confirm the reasons for all the resignations. The New York Times has reported that senior DOJ officials were seeking a criminal investigation into the actions of the widow and whether she had ties to “activist groups.”

    Thompson was the lead prosecutor in the Feeding Our Future case, a COVID-era $250 million scheme which targeted programs that were meant to feed schoolchildren. Since then he’s charged defendants for allegedly defrauding housing and autism service programs, claiming that fraud in Minnesota has topped $9 billion, a figure which Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has pushed back on.

    The NYT reported Tuesday that a number of people familiar with Thompson’s decision said he also objected to federal investigators refusing to cooperate with Minnesota state agencies in investigating Good’s killing. 

    Since the massive fraud scandal, Mr. Trump has lashed out at Minnesota’s large Somali-American community, as many of the Feeding Our Future defendants are of Somali descent. His administration cited the fraud scandal as impetus for deploying thousands of federal immigration agents to the Minneapolis area.

    Walz called Thompson’s resignation a “huge loss for our state.”

    “It’s also the latest sign Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the justice department, replacing them with his sycophants,” Walz said on X.

    Sen. Amy Klobuchar said on X that “these career public servants have served our state through multiple tragedies and critical investigations. We cannot allow prosecutors to be driven by politics. The family and loved ones of Renee Good deserve justice, not political attacks.” 

    Thompson also filed charges against Vance Boelter, the man accused of killing former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, as well as shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who survived. 

    This is a developing story. Check back for details. 

    Eric Henderson

    contributed to this report.

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  • At least 6 Minnesota federal prosecutors resign amid pressure to treat Renee Good killing as assault on ICE agent

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    At least six career prosecutors in the Minneapolis U.S. Attorney’s office — including Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson — have resigned as the office continues to face pressure to treat the investigation of the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an ICE officer as an assault on a federal officer case.

    Thompson also previously served as the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota; he was appointed by President Trump in June and served in the position until October. He resigned from the attorney’s office along with Harry Jacobs, Melinda Williams, Thomas Calhoun-Lopez, Ruth Schneider and Tom Hollenhurst.

    CBS could not immediately confirm the reasons for all the resignations. The New York Times has reported that senior DOJ officials were seeking a criminal investigation into the actions of the widow and whether she had ties to “activist groups.”

    Thompson was the lead prosecutor in the Feeding Our Future case, a COVID-era $250 million scheme which targeted programs that were meant to feed schoolchildren. Since then he’s charged defendants for allegedly defrauding housing and autism service programs, claiming that fraud in Minnesota has topped $9 billion, a figure which Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has pushed back on.

    The NYT reported Tuesday that a number of people familiar with Thompson’s decision said he also objected to federal investigators refusing to cooperate with Minnesota state agencies in investigating Good’s killing. 

    Since the massive fraud scandal, Mr. Trump has lashed out at Minnesota’s large Somali-American community, as many of the Feeding Our Future defendants are of Somali descent. His administration cited the fraud scandal as impetus for deploying thousands of federal immigration agents to the Minneapolis area.

    Walz called Thompson’s resignation a “huge loss for our state.”

    “It’s also the latest sign Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the justice department, replacing them with his sycophants,” Walz said on X.

    Sen. Amy Klobuchar said on X that “these career public servants have served our state through multiple tragedies and critical investigations. We cannot allow prosecutors to be driven by politics. The family and loved ones of Renee Good deserve justice, not political attacks.” 

    Thompson also filed charges against Vance Boelter, the man accused of killing former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, as well as shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who survived. 

    This is a developing story. Check back for details. 

    Eric Henderson

    contributed to this report.

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  • FLASHBACK: Jill Biden visited Minnesota to tout billions in child care spending during husband’s admin

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    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Former first lady, Jill Biden, went to Minnesota in 2022 to highlight the billions of dollars in investments for childcare that were part of Democrats’ American Rescue Plan Act, where she stood next to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and praised him for his leadership helping families. 

    “We helped states like Minnesota safely keep open child care centers and family child care providers and boost pay for their workers,” Biden said during a February 2022 visit to the 
    University of Minnesota’s Child Development Laboratory School, alongside Walz and then-Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. 

    “We supported high quality providers that enrich children’s lives and we helped make them more affordable,” she continued.

    The 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion COVID-era relief package, allocated nearly $40 billion for childcare after it was passed without any Republican support. Meanwhile, roughly 4 years after the first lady went to Minnesota to tout the Democrat-led investments in childcare, Walz and his state are facing immense blowback for allegedly failing to adequately monitor fraud within the state’s Medicaid program and its childcare sector. According to a local Fox affiliate, daycares in Minnesota received roughly $500 million in federal funds in 2021. 

    BESSENT SAYS MINNESOTA FRAUD RECOVERY COULD HELP FUND TRUMP’S $1.5T DEFENSE PLAN

    Former first lady, Jill Biden, touts billions in investments for childcare ushered to states like Minnesota visa-vis Democrats’ American Rescue Plan, which passed without any Republican support.  (Fox Affiliate KMSP)

    “Tim, you understand that childcare is not only critical to families, it’s critical to businesses and our economy,” the first lady said as she turned to Walz standing behind her as she addressed people at the school who were there to attend a listening session with a number of relevant lawmakers. “And Joe and I are so grateful for your leadership and for the friendship that you and Gewn– that we’ve had for so many years. And I’m excited to hear more today about what you’ve done here in Minnesota to help families recover from the uncertainties and the losses from the pandemic.”

    Earlier this week, a major state audit in Minnesota conducted by the nonpartisan Office of the Legislative Auditor found widespread failures and internal control problems in the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) grant program, reaffirming concerns about massive fraud issues in the state.

    Minnesota Capitol

    An image of the Minnesota state capitol building, located in St. Paul.  (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

    VANCE CALLS WALZ ‘A JOKE,’ CLAIMS MINNESOTA GOVERNOR ENABLED MASSIVE FRAUD

    The report, released on Monday, found that between July 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2024, DHS dished out more than $425 million in grants to 830 organizations, the majority being nongovernmental, and did not show proper oversight in watching over those taxpayer funds, which in many cases were meant to help those with addiction and mental health issues. The audit found missing progress reports and discovered BHA could not show it had completed all required monitoring visits and had no documentation at all for some of them. 

    The audit also found that when employees were surveyed, 73% of them said they did not receive the necessary training to properly administer manage grants, with one employee saying, “Executive leadership has repetitively shown staff that they won’t take the staff’s concerns or questions seriously until something serious happens or it makes the news.”

    The scathing report comes as Minnesota’s government agencies and leaders face immense scrutiny amid a fraud scandal that prosecutors say could total as much as $9 billion and has already forced Gov. Tim Walz to drop his re-election bid. 

    Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz stands at a podium speaking during a press conference at the State Capitol.

    Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announces he will not seek reelection during a press conference at the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Jan. 5. Walz said he concluded he could not give a political campaign his full effort and took no questions from reporters, as the state faces ongoing federal investigations into large-scale social services fraud. (Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)

    Some reports have indicated a handful of Minnesota’s Democrat leaders allegedly took donations from some of those accused of committing fraud in Minnesota, while others have suggested Walz retaliated against whistleblowers who tried to sound the alarm about the fraud.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Jill and Joe Biden, but did not receive a response in time for publication. 

    Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.

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  • Minnesota governor says state must play a role in investigation after ICE agent fatally shoots woman

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    Minnesota must play a role in investigating the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, Gov. Tim Walz insisted Thursday, pushing back against the Trump administration’s decision to keep the investigation solely in federal hands.A day after the unidentified ICE officer shot and killed 37-year-old mother of three Renee Good as she tried to drive away on a snowy Minneapolis street, tensions remained high, with dozens of protesters venting their outrage outside of a federal facility that’s serving as a hub for the administration’s latest immigration crackdown on a major city.Gregory Bovino, a senior U.S. Customs and Border Patrol official who has been the face of the crackdowns in other cities, walked along the long line of officers, looking at the crowd as protesters yelled at him, including a man who shouted, “Border Patrol should be along the border!” Many activists tried to converse with the officers and persuade them that the job they were doing was wrong.“We should be horrified,” protester Shanta Hejmadi said as demonstrators shouted “No More ICE,” “Go Home Nazis,” and other slogans at a line of Border Patrol officers, who responded with tear gas and pepper spray. “We should be saddened that our government is waging war on our citizens. We should get out and say no. What else can we do?”Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, President Donald Trump and others in his administration characterized the shooting as an act of self-defense and cast Good as a villain, suggesting she used her vehicle as a weapon to attack the officer who shot her.Vice President JD Vance weighed in Thursday, saying the shooting was justified and that Good was a “victim of left-wing ideology.”“I can believe that her death is a tragedy while also recognizing that it is a tragedy of her own making,” Vance said, noting that the officer who killed her was injured while making an arrest last June.But state and local officials and protesters rejected that characterization, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey saying video of the shooting shows the self-defense argument to be “garbage.” Video below: VP Vance addresses, answers questions on ICE shooting in Minneapolis An immigration crackdown quickly turns deadlyThe shooting happened on Day 2 of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown on the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, which the Department of Homeland Security said is the biggest immigration enforcement operation ever. More than 2,000 officers taking part, and Noem said they have already made more than 1,500 arrests.It provoked an immediate response in the city where police killed George Floyd in 2020, with hundreds of people turning up to the scene to vent their outrage at the ICE officers and the school district later canceling classes for the rest of the week as a precaution.Good’s death — at least the fifth tied to an immigration crackdown under Trump — has resonated far beyond Minneapolis, as anti-immigration enforcement protests took place or were expected Thursday in New York City, Seattle, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Antonio, New Orleans and Chicago. Protests were also scheduled for later this week in Arizona, North Carolina, and New Hampshire.Video above: Witness describes Minneapolis shooting involving ICE officerWho will investigate?On Thursday, the Minnesota agency that investigates officer-involved shootings said it was informed that the FBI and U.S. Justice Department would not work with the department, effectively ending any role for the state to determine if crimes were committed. Noem said the state has no jurisdiction.“Without complete access to the evidence, witnesses and information collected, we cannot meet the investigative standards that Minnesota law and the public demands,” Drew Evans, the bureau’s superintendent, said.Walz publicly demanded that the state be allowed to take part, repeatedly emphasizing that it would be “very difficult for Minnesotans” to accept that an investigation that excludes the state could be fair.Walz publicly demanded that the state be allowed to take part, repeatedly emphasizing that it would be “very, very difficult for Minnesotans” to accept that an investigation that excludes the state could be fair.Noem, he said, was “judge, jury and basically executioner” during her public comments about the confrontation.“People in positions of power have already passed judgment, from the president to the vice president to Kristi Noem — have stood and told you things that are verifiably false, verifiably inaccurate,” the governor said.Frey, the mayor, told The Associated Press: “We want to make sure that there is a check on this administration to ensure that this investigation is done for justice, not for the sake of a cover-up.”Video above: Kristi Noem questioned on ICE shootingA deadly encounter seen from several anglesSeveral bystanders captured footage of Good’s killing, which happened in a neighborhood south of downtown.The videos show an officer approaching an SUV stopped across the middle of the road, demanding the driver open the door and grabbing the handle. The Honda Pilot begins to pull forward, and a different ICE officer standing in front of it pulls his weapon and immediately fires at least two shots at close range, jumping back as the vehicle moves toward him.Graphic video shows woman shot by ICE agent in MinneapolisIt isn’t clear from the videos if the vehicle makes contact with the officer, and there is no indication of whether the woman had interactions with ICE agents earlier. After the shooting the SUV speeds into two cars parked on a curb before crashing to a stop.The mayor said he’s working with community leaders to try to keep any protests peaceful.“The top thing that this Trump administration is looking for is an excuse to come in with militarized force, to further occupy our streets, to cause more chaos, to have this kind of civil war on the streets of America in a Democratically run city,” Frey told the AP. “We cannot give them what they want.” ___Associated Press reporters Steve Karnowski, Giovanna Dell’Orto and Mark Vancleave in Minneapolis, Ed White in Detroit, Valerie Gonzalez in Brownsville, Texas, Graham Lee Brewer in Norman, Oklahoma, Michael Biesecker In Washington, Jim Mustian in New York and Ryan Foley in Iowa City, Iowa contributed.

    MINNEAPOLIS —

    Minnesota must play a role in investigating the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, Gov. Tim Walz insisted Thursday, pushing back against the Trump administration’s decision to keep the investigation solely in federal hands.

    A day after the unidentified ICE officer shot and killed 37-year-old mother of three Renee Good as she tried to drive away on a snowy Minneapolis street, tensions remained high, with dozens of protesters venting their outrage outside of a federal facility that’s serving as a hub for the administration’s latest immigration crackdown on a major city.

    Gregory Bovino, a senior U.S. Customs and Border Patrol official who has been the face of the crackdowns in other cities, walked along the long line of officers, looking at the crowd as protesters yelled at him, including a man who shouted, “Border Patrol should be along the border!” Many activists tried to converse with the officers and persuade them that the job they were doing was wrong.

    “We should be horrified,” protester Shanta Hejmadi said as demonstrators shouted “No More ICE,” “Go Home Nazis,” and other slogans at a line of Border Patrol officers, who responded with tear gas and pepper spray. “We should be saddened that our government is waging war on our citizens. We should get out and say no. What else can we do?”

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, President Donald Trump and others in his administration characterized the shooting as an act of self-defense and cast Good as a villain, suggesting she used her vehicle as a weapon to attack the officer who shot her.

    Vice President JD Vance weighed in Thursday, saying the shooting was justified and that Good was a “victim of left-wing ideology.”

    “I can believe that her death is a tragedy while also recognizing that it is a tragedy of her own making,” Vance said, noting that the officer who killed her was injured while making an arrest last June.

    But state and local officials and protesters rejected that characterization, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey saying video of the shooting shows the self-defense argument to be “garbage.”

    Video below: VP Vance addresses, answers questions on ICE shooting in Minneapolis

    An immigration crackdown quickly turns deadly

    The shooting happened on Day 2 of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown on the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, which the Department of Homeland Security said is the biggest immigration enforcement operation ever. More than 2,000 officers taking part, and Noem said they have already made more than 1,500 arrests.

    It provoked an immediate response in the city where police killed George Floyd in 2020, with hundreds of people turning up to the scene to vent their outrage at the ICE officers and the school district later canceling classes for the rest of the week as a precaution.

    Good’s death — at least the fifth tied to an immigration crackdown under Trump — has resonated far beyond Minneapolis, as anti-immigration enforcement protests took place or were expected Thursday in New York City, Seattle, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Antonio, New Orleans and Chicago. Protests were also scheduled for later this week in Arizona, North Carolina, and New Hampshire.

    Video above: Witness describes Minneapolis shooting involving ICE officer

    Who will investigate?

    On Thursday, the Minnesota agency that investigates officer-involved shootings said it was informed that the FBI and U.S. Justice Department would not work with the department, effectively ending any role for the state to determine if crimes were committed. Noem said the state has no jurisdiction.

    “Without complete access to the evidence, witnesses and information collected, we cannot meet the investigative standards that Minnesota law and the public demands,” Drew Evans, the bureau’s superintendent, said.

    Walz publicly demanded that the state be allowed to take part, repeatedly emphasizing that it would be “very difficult for Minnesotans” to accept that an investigation that excludes the state could be fair.

    Walz publicly demanded that the state be allowed to take part, repeatedly emphasizing that it would be “very, very difficult for Minnesotans” to accept that an investigation that excludes the state could be fair.

    Noem, he said, was “judge, jury and basically executioner” during her public comments about the confrontation.

    “People in positions of power have already passed judgment, from the president to the vice president to Kristi Noem — have stood and told you things that are verifiably false, verifiably inaccurate,” the governor said.

    Frey, the mayor, told The Associated Press: “We want to make sure that there is a check on this administration to ensure that this investigation is done for justice, not for the sake of a cover-up.”

    Video above: Kristi Noem questioned on ICE shooting


    A deadly encounter seen from several angles

    Several bystanders captured footage of Good’s killing, which happened in a neighborhood south of downtown.

    The videos show an officer approaching an SUV stopped across the middle of the road, demanding the driver open the door and grabbing the handle. The Honda Pilot begins to pull forward, and a different ICE officer standing in front of it pulls his weapon and immediately fires at least two shots at close range, jumping back as the vehicle moves toward him.

    Graphic video shows woman shot by ICE agent in Minneapolis

    It isn’t clear from the videos if the vehicle makes contact with the officer, and there is no indication of whether the woman had interactions with ICE agents earlier. After the shooting the SUV speeds into two cars parked on a curb before crashing to a stop.

    The mayor said he’s working with community leaders to try to keep any protests peaceful.

    “The top thing that this Trump administration is looking for is an excuse to come in with militarized force, to further occupy our streets, to cause more chaos, to have this kind of civil war on the streets of America in a Democratically run city,” Frey told the AP. “We cannot give them what they want.”

    ___

    Associated Press reporters Steve Karnowski, Giovanna Dell’Orto and Mark Vancleave in Minneapolis, Ed White in Detroit, Valerie Gonzalez in Brownsville, Texas, Graham Lee Brewer in Norman, Oklahoma, Michael Biesecker In Washington, Jim Mustian in New York and Ryan Foley in Iowa City, Iowa contributed.

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  • Feds descend on Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, MPS cancels school for rest of week

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    Federal agents tackled several people and deployed chemical irritants at a high school in south Minneapolis as classes were ending on Wednesday, according to a witness.

    Cara Morrow told WCCO that she pulled up to Roosevelt High School around 3:30 p.m. and saw several agents get out of their cars and tackle people on school grounds. The cars were all unmarked SUVs, and the agents did not identify themselves, she said.

    Several students and teachers were leaving school as the incident unfolded. Morrow added that the agents were hitting people after they were already on the ground and using some kind of chemical irritant.

    Morrow, who graduated from the school, says she was “shocked” by what she saw happening, calling it “awful and very sad.”

    A former Roosevelt student named Daniel went to the school when he heard Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were there Wednesday. He captured video, which included someone throwing a snowball at and the agent responding with a chemical irritant.

    “Like, I can’t believe this is happening at a high school. Where people are just here trying to learn,” Daniel said.

    Daniel and his friend Braeden, a current student, said ICE’s preseence at the school has them angered and scared.

    “I want ICE to go away,” Braeden said.

    “My whole family doesn’t feel safe at home anymore,” Daniel said.  

    “I never thought we would live in a time like this. That’s what goes through my head. And it makes me really, really sad for our kids,” said Melissa Lock, a Roosevelt parent. 

    Roosevelt High School also got a visit from former Gov. Jesse Ventura. He said he stopped by the school to show his support for students and teachers.

    “I’m a 1969 graduate of Minneapolis Roosevelt. I’m proud of them for what they did. They made me proud as an alumni,” said Ventura. 

    Ventura said he supports the students and teachers who stood up to ICE. And he blames the Trump administration for not following the Constitution. 

    “Minnesota, we’ll take care of ourselves. We don’t need federal troops coming in here without warrants,” said Ventura. “You know what? Maybe it’s time for Jesse. I only did one term. I’m owed a second.”

    Gov. Tim Walz addressed the incident at a press conference on Thursday morning.

    “I can’t say this strong enough as governor, as a parent, as a teacher. To our elected representatives, Democrats and Republicans: I beg you, I implore you to tell them to stay out of our schools,” he said. “This tragedy will be magnified a hundredfold if this fight moves into the hallways of our public schools amongst our youth.”

    The clash happened hours after and just 2.5 miles away from the site where an ICE agent fatally shot a woman Wednesday morning.

    Late Wednesday, Minneapolis Public Schools announced they were canceling classes for the remainder of the week. 

    The district said the decision was made out of an abundance of caution. All MPS-sponsored programs, including athletics, Community Education, and adult education, are also canceled. 

    The district also stated that students will not switch to online learning, as it is only available during severe weather conditions. 

    Wednesday night, community members gathered in the area for a vigil for 37-year-old Renee Good, who was identified as the woman the ICE agent killed. The killing comes amid the influx of 2,000 federal law enforcement members in the Twin Cities metro area.

    Two federal sources confirm Good was a U.S. citizen. City leaders said she was a legal observer of federal actions in the city and wasn’t the target for an ICE-related arrest. 

    MPS also said they will continue to collaborate with the City of Minneapolis and other partners on emergency preparedness and response. 

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  • Minneapolis Public Schools cancel classes for remainder of week after fatal ICE shooting

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    Minneapolis Public Schools announced late Wednesday night that they are canceling classes for the remainder of the week after officials said an ICE agent fatally shot a woman Wednesday morning. 

    The district said the decision was made out of an abundance of caution. All MPS-sponsored programs, including athletics, Community Education, and adult education, are also canceled. 

    The district also stated that students will not switch to online learning, as it is only available during severe weather conditions. 

    ICE agents were in a residential neighborhood at 34th Street and Portland Avenue, the shooting happened around 10 a.m. Wednesday night, community members gathered in the area for a vigil for 37-year-old Renee Good who was killed by an ICE agent. The killing comes amid the influx of 2,000 federal law enforcement members in the Twin Cities metro area.

    Two federal sources confirm Good was a U.S. citizen. City leaders said she was a legal observer of federal actions in the city and wasn’t the target for an ICE-related arrest. 

    MPS also said they will continue to collaborate with the City of Minneapolis and other partners on emergency preparedness and response. 

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  • No, Gov. Tim Walz was not involved in lawmaker’s killing

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    President Donald Trump amplified the unsubstantiated claim that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ordered a state lawmaker’s assassination. 

    In June, a gunman attacked Minnesota lawmakers, shooting and killing state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and shooting and injuring state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.

    Vance Luther Boelter, 58, of Green Isle, Minnesota, was arrested June 15 on murder and attempted murder charges in connection with the shootings.

    Months later, Trump gave air to unproven conspiracy theories about Boelter’s motivation and mischaracterized the suspect’s connection to Walz. 

    “Did Tim Walz really have Melissa Hoertman assassinated???” read text on the video Trump shared in a Jan. 3 Truth Social post, misspelling Hortman’s name. 

    There is no evidence that Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, was involved in the attack, which investigators described as politically motivated. The claim stems from a link between Walz and Boelter that sparked wild theories from conservative influencers. Hortman, a former House speaker, was a member of the state’s Democratic Farm Labor Party, as are Hoffman and Walz.

    The Trump administration did not respond to our request for comment. 

    Hortman’s children asked Trump to remove his post, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. Republican state Sen. Julia Coleman called for people to reject “baseless conspiracy theories.” Walz and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also condemned Trump’s post.

    Months after announcing he would seek a third term as governor, Walz dropped out of the Minnesota governor race Jan. 5, amid questions of fraud in his state.  

    Minnesota Democratic Rep. Melissa Hortman, then House speaker, stands in front of a bookshelf in her office in St. Paul, Minn., May 23, 2023. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot at their home June 14, 2025.

    The video draws on unproven theories about the attack

    The video Trump shared included multiple falsehoods, including that Boelter had been “Tim Walz’s aide” and that Boelter worked for Walz “for years.” 

    Conservative influencers first said Walz was implicated in the attack after noticing that in 2019 Walz reappointed Boelter to serve as a “business member” on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, a nonpartisan group charged with advising the governor and Legislature on workforce policy. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democratic Farmer Labor Party member, first appointed Boelter to the board in 2016, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.

    The board has about 60 members from the public sector, the private sector, organized labor and community-based groups, its website said. The governor appoints 41 of its members.

    Walz’s spokesperson told PolitiFact in June that appointments to the workforce board aren’t the same as positions in the governor’s office or cabinet, and that Walz had no relationship with Boelter. 

    Steve Kalina, who places himself on the other side of the political spectrum from Walz and has served on the governor’s workforce board since 2019, told the Star Tribune in June that the board does not interact with the governor on a regular basis.

    “It’s goofy to make those stretches that the suspect was a close tie to the governor, a close appointee,” Kalina said. 

    The video said that Boelter had written a letter to the FBI saying “it was Tim Walz who forced him” to attack the Democratically-aligned lawmakers. 

    In July, federal prosecutors said Boelter had confessed to the shootings in a handwritten letter in which he’d also claimed to be acting on secret orders from Walz. Boelter said Walz had instructed him to kill Minnesota’s U.S. senators because “Tim wants to be senator.” Boelter wrote that he acted only after someone threatened his family. 

    The acting U.S. attorney prosecuting the case against Boelter said the letter was fantasy.

    People attend a candlelight vigil for former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, who were fatally shot, at the state Capitol, June 18, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP)

    No evidence the killing was linked to Hortman’s immigrant health care vote

    The video said Hortman had been killed in part because she voted “to take away health care from illegal immigrants.” 

    Before she was killed, Hortman voted with Republicans to pass a bill that included a measure removing adults who are in the U.S. illegally from the state’s MinnesotaCare health program. Hortman opposed the measure, but voted for it as part of a budget compromise. 

    Law enforcement officials have not linked Hortman’s killing to the vote. Officials said Boelter had carefully planned his attack and had a list of dozens of Democratic targets in Minnesota and at least three other states.

    After Trump posted the video, Melissa Hortman’s son, Colin, told the Star Tribune that his mother had voted for the bill because it was the only way to avoid a government shutdown. 

    The video also appeared to conflate Hortman’s health care vote and fraud scandals roiling Minnesota. The state’s oversight of federal and state funds had already been under scrutiny when conservative influencer Nick Shirley claimed in a YouTube video that Somali-run day care facilities in Minnesota had fraudulently taken funds meant to help low-income families afford childcare. 

    The day care allegations follow other high-profile fraud incidents in Minnesota: In 2022, dozens of people, most of them Somali, were charged in connection with a fraud scheme; prosecutors alleged the group stole $250 million in federal child nutrition programs. Late last year, federal prosecutors announced initial charges related to what they said were other welfare fraud schemes in Minnesota.

    The video said the fraud scandals all tie “back to Walz.” It questioned whether Hortman was killed “because she voted against a multibillion-dollar money laundering fraud” that “heavily implicated illegal aliens,” and Somali migrants in particular. An estimated 100,000 people who identify as Somali live in Minnesota and the majority are U.S. citizens.

    Law enforcement officials have not linked Hortman’s killing to fraud. 

    The Trump administration responded to these fraud allegations by freezing federal child care funds in several states and expanding its immigration crackdown. 

    Minnesota’s initial probe into the day care fraud claims has not uncovered widespread wrongdoing, CNN reported. State officials reported that the child care centers Shirley’s video accused of fraud were operating normally. The Minnesota Star Tribune and CBS News investigated the day care centers in Shirley’s video, finding that at least seven of the businesses’ received citations for various violations, but no evidence of fraud. 

    Our ruling 

    Trump shared a video that alleged Walz had Hortman killed. 

    In 2019, Walz reappointed Boelter to a state board, but we found no evidence the two were closely acquainted or that Walz was somehow linked to the shootings. Boelter was first appointed to the board by Walz’s predecessor. Walz’s spokesperson previously said the governor appoints thousands of people of all political affiliations to boards and commissions and Walz had no relationship with Boelter. 

    In July, prosecutors said Boelter had alleged in a letter that he was acting on Walz’s orders, but they dismissed the letter’s claim as unsubstantiated fantasy. Prosecutors have named no other suspects in the case.

    We rate Trump’s claim that Walz had Hortman assassinated False.

    PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.

    RELATED: How conservative X accounts promoted wild theory implicating Gov. Tim Walz in lawmaker’s killing 

    RELATED: Tim Walz says he takes responsibility for jailing MN fraudsters. He’s wrong

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  • Federal officials to halt more than $10B in funding to 5 states over non-citizen benefit concerns: report

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    The Trump administration is moving to freeze more than $10 billion in federal child care and social services funding to five Democrat-led states amid concerns taxpayer dollars were improperly diverted to non-citizens, according to a report.

    Officials reportedly told The New York Post that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will freeze funding from the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and the Social Services Block Grant, affecting California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York over concerns the benefits were fraudulently funneled to non-citizens.

    More than $7.3 billion in TANF funding would be withheld from the five states, along with nearly $2.4 billion from the CCDF and another $869 million from the Social Services Block Grant.

    The funding pauses were expected to be announced in letters sent to state officials Monday, citing concerns that benefits were improperly directed to non-U.S. citizens.

    ABBOTT ORDERS COMPREHENSIVE FRAUD PROBE INTO TEXAS CHILD CARE FUNDING AFTER MINNESOTA SCANDAL

    The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will freeze funding from the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and the Social Services Block Grant, affecting California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York over concerns the benefits were fraudulently funneled to non-citizens, according to a report. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

    A 2019 audit by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General found that New York State improperly claimed $24.7 million in federal reimbursement for child care subsidies paid to New York City that did not comply with program rules.

    The audit attributed the overbilling to system errors and oversight failures – not criminal fraud – and state officials agreed to refund the funds and implement corrective controls, according to the report.

    Following the release of details surrounding the potential funding freeze, New York Democrats sharply criticized the Trump administration’s move, arguing it would harm families who rely on child care assistance.

    MINN. LAWMAKER ‘NOT SURPRISED’ BY WALZ ENDING CAMPAIGN, SAYS THERE WILL BE NO ‘STONE UNTURNED’ IN HEARINGS

    Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., accused the administration of using the issue for political retaliation and warned it would hurt children and low-income families across the state.

    “Trump is threatening to freeze child care funding in New York and targeting our children for political retribution. It’s immoral and indefensible,” she wrote in a post on X. “I’m demanding the administration abandon any plans to freeze this funding and stop hurting New York families.”

    Along with her post, Gillibrand also shared a public statement regarding the freezing of funds.

    HHS CUTS OFF MINNESOTA CHILD CARE PAYMENTS OVER ALLEGED DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME

    Kirsten Gillibrand wearing a black dress.

    Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., spoke out after the Trump administration moved on Jan. 5, 2026, to freeze billions in federal child care and social services funding to several blue states. (Getty Images)

    “My faith guides my life and public service. It’s our job to serve the people most in need and most at risk – no matter what state they live in or what political party their family or elected representatives belong to,” she said. “To use the power of the government to harm the neediest Americans is immoral and indefensible.

    “This has nothing to do with fraud and everything to do with political retribution that punishes poor children in need of assistance,” Gillibrand added. “I demand that President Trump unfreeze this funding and stop this brazen attack on our children.”

    The NY Post first reported that in December, HHS sent letters to Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey seeking information on whether billions in taxpayer funds may have unlawfully helped “fuel illegal and mass migration.”

    Those requests were followed by investigations launched by the Treasury Department and the House Oversight Committee into a growing fraud scandal involving several nonprofits tied to the Somali community in the Twin Cities.

    An estimated 130,000 illegal migrants were living in Minnesota as of 2023 — about 40,000 more than in 2019 and roughly 2% of the state’s population — according to the Pew Research Center. The state’s Somali diaspora exceeds 100,000 people, with most concentrated in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area.

    The news on Monday came the same day Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he was dropping his bid for a third term as governor amid stinging criticism of his handling of the state’s massive welfare assistance fraud scandal.

    KAROLINE LEAVITT WARNS ‘PEOPLE WILL BE IN HANDCUFFS’ AS FEDS ZERO IN ON MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL

    Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz smirking.

    GOP lawmakers in Minnesota are calling for Gov. Tim Walz to resign over the exploding fraud crisis. (Getty Images)

    Walz launched his bid for a third four-year term as Minnesota governor in September, but in recent weeks has been facing a barrage of incoming political fire from President Donald Trump and Republicans, and some Democrats, over the large-scale theft in a state that has long prided itself on good governance.

    More than 90 people — most from Minnesota’s large Somali community — have been charged since 2022 in what has been described as the nation’s largest COVID-era scheme.

    How much money has been stolen through alleged money laundering operations involving fraudulent meal and housing programs, daycare centers and Medicaid services is still being tabulated. But the U.S. attorney in Minnesota said the scope of the fraud could exceed $1 billion and rise to as high as $9 billion.

    MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL INTENSIFIES DEBATE OVER STRIPPING CITIZENSHIP

    Quality learning center sign.

    Quality Learning Center in Minnesota was found at the center of an alleged childcare fraud scandal in the state. (Madelin Fuerste / Fox News Channel)

    Prosecutors said that some of the dozens that have already pleaded guilty in the case used the money to buy luxury cars, real estate, jewelry and international vacations, with some of the funds also sent overseas and potentially into the hands of Islamic terrorists.

    Trump addressed Walz’s announcement of leaving the race on Monday, in a post on Truth Social. “Minnesota’s Corrupt Governor will possibly leave office before his Term is up but, in any event, will not be running again because he was caught, REDHANDED, along with Ilhan Omar, and others of his Somali friends, stealing Tens of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars,” the president wrote. “I feel certain the facts will come out, and they will reveal a seriously unscrupulous, and rich, group of ‘SLIMEBALLS.’

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    “Governor Walz has destroyed the State of Minnesota, but others, like Governor Gavin Newscum, JB Pritzker, and Kathy Hochul, have done, in my opinion, an even more dishonest and incompetent job,” Trump added. “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!”

    Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.

    Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

    Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.

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  • Tim Walz Withdraws From 2026 Minnesota Governor’s Race

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    The Minnesota governor said growing political strain and ongoing investigations made it difficult to balance campaigning with governing ahead of the 2026 election

    Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced Monday that he is ending his bid for a third term, a move that comes less than 10 months before the 2026 gubernatorial election. The decision was widely anticipated as Minnesota’s political climate has grown increasingly strained amid heightened scrutiny over alleged misuse of federal funds tied to fraudulent day-care programs.

    “Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences. So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work,” said Walz, a Democrat who was also the 2024 nominee for Vice-President. Walz initially announced his intention to seek a third consecutive term last year, however, amid the controversy, his approval ratings have also dropped further.

    Federal prosecutors and auditors have raised concerns about fraud in multiple Minnesota programs, and some reporting suggests that improper payments across several programs could be in the billions, however, that estimate is not yet final. As Los Angeles previously reported, the scandal intensified after a viral video by independent journalist Nick Shirley, who claimed fraud at a number of Minnesota daycare centers. In response to the allegations, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced increased requirements and audits in child care funding; plus, federal agencies, including the Small Business Administration, have taken steps to suspend certain program participants while investigations continue.

    Walz acknowledged Monday that while he’s leaving the race with “zero sadness and zero regret,” however, he could not fully concentrate on a campaign while also managing the responsibilities of governor. Axios is reporting that Senator Amy Klobuchar, Attorney General Keith Ellison and Secretary of State Steve Simon are among the officials discussed as possible 2026 candidates for the Democratic Party.

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    Lauren Conlin

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  • Gov. Tim Walz drops out of 2026 Minnesota governor’s race amid criticism over his handling of fraud

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    Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says he is dropping his reelection campaign amid increased criticism over his handling of fraud in the state. 

    Walz initially announced his run for a third term as governor in September, but says he reevaluated the decision over the holidays.

    “I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all. Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences,” he said. “So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work.”

    He made his announcement Monday morning ahead of a news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. 

    How to watch 

    • What: Gov. Tim Walz holds news conference after announcing he will not seek reelection.
    • When: 11 a.m. CT
    • How to watch: Watch in the live player above. 

    The two-term Democrat and former vice presidential candidate has faced scrutiny in the last several months over his handling of Medicaid fraud, which has cost the state as much as $9 billion, according to a top prosecutor. Walz has stated that his administration is taking aggressive measures to prevent future fraud.

    “All across the state, Minnesotans are hard at work on this problem. Advocates, administrators, investigators are on the front lines defending the integrity of our state’s programs, and I want to thank them for their efforts,” Walz said. “There’s more to do. A single taxpayer dollar wasted on fraud is a dollar too much to tolerate. And while there’s a role to play for everyone – from the legislature to prosecutors to insurance companies to local and county government – the buck stops with me. My administration is taking fast, decisive action to solve this crisis. And we will win the fight against the fraudsters.

    Walz has also been the target of attacks by President Trump. On Thanksgiving, Mr. Trump used a slur for people with intellectual disabilities to describe Walz on his Truth Social platform. During a media availability Sunday, Trump called Walz “a very stupid, low-IQ governor.”

    Over the weekend, Mr. Trump reposted a conspiracy theory video alleging Walz was behind the political assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman.

    Hortman, Walz’s close friend and political ally, was slain in her home alongside her husband on June 14. The man accused of killing the two of them, as well as injuring state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, faces several federal charges, including two counts of murder.

    Walz decried the president’s post, calling it “dangerous, depraved behavior.” 

    Walz, a former Congressman and teacher, was first elected governor in 2018. During his tenure, he made several progressive victories, spurred in part by a once-in-a-decade DFL trifecta in the legislature. In the months of the 2023 legislative session, he was able to pass universal free school meals, legalize the use of recreational marijuana, and create a state program for paid family and medical leave. 

    “I’m confident that a DFLer will hold this seat come November. I’m confident that I will find ways to contribute to the state I love even after I’ve left office next January. But there will be time to worry about all that later,” he said. 

    A source close to Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar says she is considering running for governor, but has not made a decision. 

    Walz added that he’s leaving the race with “zero sadness and zero regret.” 

    “Most of all, I want Minnesotans to know that I’m on the job, 24/7, focused on making sure we stay America’s best place to live and raise kids. No one will take that away from us. Not the fraudsters. And not the President. Not on my watch,” he said.

    This story will be updated.

    Hunter Woodall,

    Esme Murphy and

    Caroline Cummings

    contributed to this report.

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  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar considering run for Minnesota governor after Tim Walz ends reelection bid, source says

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    Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is seriously considering a run for governor in the wake of Tim Walz’s decision Monday to end his bid for a third term. 

    A source close to Klobuchar tells CBS News she is getting outreach encouraging her to run, but that she has not made a decision. 

    Minnesota is a reliably blue state, and Republicans have a lengthy losing streak in statewide races. Tim Pawlenty, who won two races for governor in 2002 and 2006, is the last Republican to serve the state as governor. 

    Before Monday, Walz was trying to win what would have been an unprecedented third straight term leading the state.

    Walz’s decision to leave the race comes amid intense scrutiny over long-simmering fraud problems in Minnesota, with more revelations and indictments expected. While Walz is not implicated in these cases, the reality that this has become an urgent problem under his watch and generated questions about his performance as governor, enveloping talk of the Minnesotan’s future political ambitions.

    Klobuchar is currently in her fourth term as a U.S. Senator following her reelection against Republican candidate Royce White in 2024. She previously defeated Republican candidates Mark Kennedy, Kurt Bills and James Newberger. In all four races, she won with double-digit leads.

    This is a developing story. Please stay tuned for more details.

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  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar considering run for Minnesota governor after Tim Walz ends reelection bid, source says

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    Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is seriously considering a run for governor in the wake of Tim Walz’s decision Monday to end his bid for a third term. 

    A source close to Klobuchar tells CBS News she is getting outreach encouraging her to run, but that she has not made a decision. 

    Minnesota is a reliably blue state, and Republicans have a lengthy losing streak in statewide races. Tim Pawlenty, who won two races for governor in 2002 and 2006, is the last Republican to serve the state as governor. 

    Before Monday, Walz was trying to win what would have been an unprecedented third straight term leading the state.

    Walz’s decision to leave the race comes amid intense scrutiny over long-simmering fraud problems in Minnesota, with more revelations and indictments expected. While Walz is not implicated in these cases, the reality that this has become an urgent problem under his watch and generated questions about his performance as governor, enveloping talk of the Minnesotan’s future political ambitions.

    Klobuchar is currently in her fourth term as a U.S. Senator following her reelection against Republican candidate Royce White in 2024. She previously defeated Republican candidates Mark Kennedy, Kurt Bills and James Newberger. In all four races, she won with double-digit leads.

    This is a developing story. Please stay tuned for more details.

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  • Minnesota political leaders condemn Trump for sharing “outrageous” conspiracy theories on Melissa Hortman’s assassination

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    Several lawmakers are condemning President Trump after he shared a video on social media Saturday alleging Gov. Tim Walz is behind the assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman.

    Walz responded to the president’s Truth Social post, saying it is “dangerous, depraved behavior from the sitting president of the United States.”

    “In covering for an actual serial killer, he is going to get more innocent people killed. America is better than this,” Walz said.

    Hortman was shot and killed alongside her husband, Mark, and their dog, Gilbert, on June 14, 2025, inside the family’s Brooklyn Park home. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot and wounded in their Champlin home 90 minutes earlier. 

    Vance Boelter, 58, faces federal charges for the shootings, including two counts of murder. He allegedly dressed as a police officer and managed to evade arrest for 40 hours.  According to prosecutors, Boelter had a hit list of lawmakers and other public officials, including staffers at Planned Parenthood. He pleaded not guilty in August.

    The Hortmans’ children, Sophie and Colin, on Sunday afternoon asked Mr. Trump to remove the post he made sharing the video they say promotes a “false narrative.”

    “The video being shared by the president is another hurdle our family must overcome in grieving the loss of my parents, Mark and Melissa, and their beloved Gilbert,” Sophie Hortman said.

    Colin Hortman also debunked one of the claims made in the video shared by Mr. Trump regarding a vote his mother made shortly before her death to remove undocumented immigrant adults from the state’s health care coverage program. Hortman was the sole Democrat to vote for it in the tied House chamber, clearing the way for its passage.

    “When I called her after the legislative session ended, I asked why she voted for the bill mentioned in the video shared by President Trump, and she wept. That bill and her vote had nothing to do with fraud. She voted for that bill because it was the only way to avoid a government shutdown,” Colin Hortman said. “She had never really voted against her conscience like that. It was emotional and extremely difficult.”

    In a statement, House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson called out Mr. Trump, saying the claims about Hortman’s death are “untruthful” and “outrageous.”

    “Tonight, Donald Trump, who couldn’t be bothered to lower the flags to half staff or even say Melissa Hortman’s name until now, is spreading outrageous lies about her death,” Stephenson said. “Here is the truth: Melissa was murdered by a right-wing, anti-abortion extremist who believed conspiracy theories about COVID. Melissa Hortman and Tim Walz were friends and allies. Anyone who claims otherwise is lying.”

    Stephenson went on to say that any political leader in the state who does not condemn the president’s post “isn’t fit to hold office.”

    Republican state Sen. Julia Coleman also encouraged lawmakers to “call for an end to baseless conspiracy theories” above a post mentioning Mr. Trump’s online endorsement of the accusation.

    “We must all reject this behavior outright and refuse to tolerate it. The American people, grieving families, and the legacies of those lost deserve far better,” Coleman said. “Debate policies fiercely. Fight for what you believe in. But do not speculate, guess, or spread stories that are plainly false and deeply harmful. It’s time to restore dignity to our political discourse.”

    Several Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Angie Craig and Betty McCollum, called for Republican legislators to specifically condemn Mr. Trump’s post.

    However, Republican state Rep. Walter Hudson disagreed.

    “I’m not condemning anything, even if I disagree with it, after watching the abhorrent reaction to the death of Charlie Kirk from Democrats of every strata, and the indifference toward and election of Jay Jones. I’m not playing this stupid game,” Hudson said on X about Mr. Trump’s Truth Social post.

    McCollum also demanded that the president apologize to the Hortman family, Walz and Minnesotans.  

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  • Minnesota political leaders condemn Trump for sharing “outrageous” conspiracy theories on Melissa Hortman’s assassination

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    Several lawmakers are condemning President Trump after he shared a video on social media Saturday alleging Gov. Tim Walz is behind the assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman.

    Walz responded to the president’s Truth Social post, saying it is “dangerous, depraved behavior from the sitting president of the United States.”

    “In covering for an actual serial killer, he is going to get more innocent people killed. America is better than this,” Walz said.

    Hortman was shot and killed alongside her husband, Mark, and their dog, Gilbert, on June 14, 2025, inside the family’s Brooklyn Park home. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot and wounded in their Champlin home 90 minutes earlier. 

    Vance Boelter, 58, faces federal charges for the shootings, including two counts of murder. He allegedly dressed as a police officer and managed to evade arrest for 40 hours.  According to prosecutors, Boelter had a hit list of lawmakers and other public officials, including staffers at Planned Parenthood. He pleaded not guilty in August.

    In a statement, House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson called out Mr. Trump, calling the claims about Hortman’s death “untruthful” and “outrageous.”

    “Tonight, Donald Trump, who couldn’t be bothered to lower the flags to half staff or even say Melissa Hortman’s name until now, is spreading outrageous lies about her death,” Stephenson said. “Here is the truth: Melissa was murdered by a right-wing, anti-abortion extremist who believed conspiracy theories about COVID. Melissa Hortman and Tim Walz were friends and allies. Anyone who claims otherwise is lying.”

    Stephenson went on to say that any political leader in the state who does not condemn the president’s post “isn’t fit to hold office.”

    Republican state Sen. Julia Coleman also encouraged lawmakers to “call for an end to baseless conspiracy theories.”

    “We must all reject this behavior outright and refuse to tolerate it. The American people, grieving families, and the legacies of those lost deserve far better,” Coleman said. “Debate policies fiercely. Fight for what you believe in. But do not speculate, guess, or spread stories that are plainly false and deeply harmful. It’s time to restore dignity to our political discourse.”

    Several Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Angie Craig and Betty McCollum, specifically called for Republican legislators to condemn Mr. Trump’s post.

    McCollum also demanded that the president apologize to the Hortman family, Walz and Minnesotans.

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  • SBA suspends nearly 7,000 Minnesota borrowers over suspected $400M pandemic loan fraud

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    The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced Thursday that it suspended 6,900 Minnesota borrowers after uncovering what it says is widespread suspected fraud.

    SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the agency reviewed thousands of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans approved in Minnesota, and identified nearly $400 million in potentially fraudulent loans tied to borrowers in Minnesota.

    “These individuals will be banned from all SBA loan programs, including disaster loans, going forward,” Loeffler wrote on X.

    Loeffler said the agency will refer appropriate cases to federal law enforcement for prosecution and repayment.

    TRUMP TARGETS MINNESOTA FRAUD ALLEGATIONS, SAYS ‘WE’RE GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT’

    The Small Business Administration announced the suspension of nearly 7,000 Minnesota borrowers after identifying hundreds of millions of dollars in suspected pandemic loan fraud. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

    “After years, the American people will finally begin to see the criminals who stole from law-abiding taxpayers held accountable — and this is just the first state,” she stated.

    The suspected fraudulent activity included 7,900 PPP and EIDL loans approved during the COVID-19 pandemic, Loeffler said.

    The announcement comes as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his administration face scrutiny over billions of dollars in social services fraud.

    MINNESOTA FRAUD COMMITTEE CHAIR CLAIMS WALZ ‘TURNED A BLIND EYE’ TO FRAUD WARNINGS FOR YEARS

    Loeffler sent a letter Tuesday to Walz on Dec. 23, telling him that her agency will “halt” more than $5.5 million in annual support to resource partners in the state “until further notice.”

    “I am notifying you that effective immediately and until further notice, the SBA is halting the disbursement of federal funds to SBA resource partners operating in the state of Minnesota, totaling over $5.5 million in annual support,” Loeffler wrote.

    The SBA said that at least $2.5 million in PPP and EIDL funds issued during the pandemic era were connected to a Somali fraud scheme based in Minneapolis.

    HHS CUTS OFF MINNESOTA CHILD CARE PAYMENTS OVER ALLEGED DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME

    loeffler and walz

    SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced the suspension of thousands of Minnesota borrowers as Gov. Tim Walz’s administration faces scrutiny over alleged pandemic-era fraud. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

    Loeffler told Walz that $430 million in PPP funds tied to roughly 13,000 loans were flagged as potentially fraudulent but still funded anyway, including some that were forgiven during the Biden administration.

    “The volume and concentration of potential fraud is staggering, matched in its egregiousness only by your response to those who attempted to stop it,” she wrote.

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    Small Business Administration administrator Kelly Loeffler

    The SBA says it flagged nearly $400 million in potentially fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans tied to Minnesota borrowers. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

    Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz’ office for comment.

    Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

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  • SEE IT: Daycare center at heart of Minnesota fraud investigation fixes sign after viral mockery

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    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    The Minneapolis-area daycare, whose misspelled sign “Quality Learing Center” went viral after being reported on by YouTube journalist Nick Shirley in his investigation into rampant fraud in Minnesota, has now corrected the infamous sign.

    Shirley and another man approached a building labeled the Quality Learing Center (sic) in Minneapolis, with Shirley noting that “Learning” was misspelled on the daycare’s sign outside. The business appeared inactive during the visit despite receiving state childcare assistance funds. This led to allegations that the center is one of several participating in a widespread fraud scheme taking place in certain segments of Minnesota’s Somali community.

    To many critics, the misspelled sign was an illustration of the fraud openly taking place in Minnesota.

    Among the center’s critics was U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, who wrote on X that “One fraudulent business in Minnesota that misspelled ‘learning’ on its building received $1.9M this year while masquerading as a daycare.”

    ICE PROBES SUSPECTED MINNESOTA FRAUD SITES AS OFFICIALS FOLLOW POTENTIAL $9B MONEY TRAIL

    McMahon wrote, “There are not enough words to describe the breathtaking failure that has happened under the watch of [Gov. Tim Walz].”

    The center, however, has since pushed back on the allegations, saying it is innocent of any wrongdoing.

    Fox News photographed several individuals correcting the misspelled sign late on Monday night.

    Earlier on Monday, Ibrahim Ali, a man who identified himself as a manager at the Quality Learning Center, strongly denied any allegations of fraud at the facility. He told Fox News that the center is currently open and has never closed, contradicting statements made earlier today by officials with the Department of Children, Youth and Families that the center had closed earlier this month.

    UNEARTHED SURVEILLANCE EXPOSES HOW PARENTS WERE ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN MINNESOTA’S DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME

    Quality Learning Center in Minnesota was found at the center of an alleged childcare fraud scandal in the state. (Madelin Fuerste/Fox News Channel)

    Ali also accused Shirley of visiting the facility before operating hours, which he says run from 2 to 10 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Thursday.

    He criticized Shirley, saying, “Are you trying to record that we’re doing fraud, or are you trying to put the Somali name and the fraud in the same sentence? That’s what really hurt us the last couple of days.”

    The manager blamed the misspelling on the individual who installed it, saying, “We mess up the sign, we pay somebody to do our sign, he incorrectly did it, we’re having him work on it. We paid him to correct the sign. He said it’ll be done by this week, so by the end of this week our sign will be fine.”

    WHISTLEBLOWER WARNS MASSIVE FRAUD IS HAPPENING IN OHIO SOMALI COMMUNITY, MINNESOTA ‘JUST TIP OF THE SPEAR’

    The Quality Learning Center also recently made news for collecting 95 violations from the state human services agency between 2019 and 2023, according to St. Paul’s ABC affiliate.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP  

    Such violations range from failure to keep hazardous items away from kids to the daycare not having any records for more than a dozen listed children, according to the outlet. Documentation reviewed by Fox News Digital showed the site’s current license does not expire until the end of 2026.

    Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

    Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

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  • Trump administration says it’s freezing child care funds to Minnesota after series of fraud probes

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    President Donald Trump’s administration announced on Tuesday that it’s freezing child care funds to Minnesota amid ongoing investigations into fraud allegations. Related video above: Group of Minnesota House and Senate Republicans calling on Gov. Tim Walz to resign over fraud investigationsActing director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Jim O’Neill announced on the social platform X that the step is in response to “blatant fraud that appears to be rampant in Minnesota and across the country.”“We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud,” he said.O’Neill said all payments through the Administration for Children and Families, an agency within the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, will require “justification and a receipt or photo evidence” before money is sent. They have also launched a fraud-reporting hotline and email address, he said.The announcement comes after years of investigation that began with the $300 million scheme at the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, for which 57 defendants in Minnesota have been convicted. Prosecutors said the organization was at the center of the country’s largest COVID-19-related fraud scam, when defendants exploited a state-run, federally funded program intended to provide food for children.A federal prosecutor alleged earlier in December that half or more of the roughly $18 billion in federal funds that supported 14 programs in Minnesota since 2018 may have been stolen. Most of the defendants are Somali Americans, they said.O’Neill also called out a conservative influencer who had posted a video Friday claiming he found that day care centers operated by Somali residents in Minneapolis had committed up to $100 million in fraud. O’Neill said he has demanded Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz submit an audit of these centers that includes attendance records, licenses, complaints, investigations and inspections.Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, has said fraud will not be tolerated and his administration “will continue to work with federal partners to ensure fraud is stopped and fraudsters are caught.”Walz has said an audit due by late January should give a better picture of the extent of the fraud. He said his administration is taking aggressive action to prevent additional fraud. He has long defended how his administration responded.Minnesota’s most prominent Somali American, Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, has urged people not to blame an entire community for the actions of a relative few.

    WASHINGTON —

    President Donald Trump’s administration announced on Tuesday that it’s freezing child care funds to Minnesota amid ongoing investigations into fraud allegations.

    Related video above: Group of Minnesota House and Senate Republicans calling on Gov. Tim Walz to resign over fraud investigations

    Acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Jim O’Neill announced on the social platform X that the step is in response to “blatant fraud that appears to be rampant in Minnesota and across the country.”

    “We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud,” he said.

    O’Neill said all payments through the Administration for Children and Families, an agency within the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, will require “justification and a receipt or photo evidence” before money is sent. They have also launched a fraud-reporting hotline and email address, he said.

    The announcement comes after years of investigation that began with the $300 million scheme at the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, for which 57 defendants in Minnesota have been convicted. Prosecutors said the organization was at the center of the country’s largest COVID-19-related fraud scam, when defendants exploited a state-run, federally funded program intended to provide food for children.

    A federal prosecutor alleged earlier in December that half or more of the roughly $18 billion in federal funds that supported 14 programs in Minnesota since 2018 may have been stolen. Most of the defendants are Somali Americans, they said.

    O’Neill also called out a conservative influencer who had posted a video Friday claiming he found that day care centers operated by Somali residents in Minneapolis had committed up to $100 million in fraud. O’Neill said he has demanded Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz submit an audit of these centers that includes attendance records, licenses, complaints, investigations and inspections.

    Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, has said fraud will not be tolerated and his administration “will continue to work with federal partners to ensure fraud is stopped and fraudsters are caught.”

    Walz has said an audit due by late January should give a better picture of the extent of the fraud. He said his administration is taking aggressive action to prevent additional fraud. He has long defended how his administration responded.

    Minnesota’s most prominent Somali American, Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, has urged people not to blame an entire community for the actions of a relative few.

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  • How a viral video prompted investigations into alleged fraud at day care centers in Minnesota

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    As Homeland Security agents were in Minnesota conducting what DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called a “massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud” on Monday, many of their targets came not from tips from the FBI, but from a video posted on social media over the weekend.

    The video, posted by conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley, alleged nearly a dozen day care centers in Minnesota that are receiving public funds are not actually providing any service. As of Monday, the video had been viewed more than 1 million times, according to YouTube’s metrics, and was seen by tens of millions more on X.

    “While we have questions about some of the methods used in the video, we do take the concerns that the video raises about fraud very seriously,” said Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families commissioner Tikki Brown.

    In addition to the DHS investigations, state officials also visited some of the sites on Monday. They told CBS News two of the centers featured in the video already shut down earlier this year, although one of those centers informed the state late Monday that it plans to remain open.

    CBS News conducted its own analysis of nearly a dozen day care centers mentioned by Shirley: all but two have active licenses, according to state records, and all active locations were visited by state regulators within the last six months. One, Sweet Angel Child Care, Inc., was subject to an unannounced inspection as recently as Dec. 4. 

    CBS News’ review also found dozens of citations related to safety, cleanliness, equipment, and staff training, among other violations, but there was no recorded evidence of fraud.

    CBS News visited and called several of the day care centers on Monday but received no responses.

    Monday’s DHS visits come amid what prosecutors allege is a $9 billion COVID-era fraud scandal in Minnesota. Gov. Tim Walz and other state officials have disputed that figure and defended their handling of the crisis.

    There are 14 specific Medicaid-funded programs in Minnesota currently under federal investigation, although child care isn’t one of them.  

    Earlier this month, CBS News detailed how a group of convicted fraudsters allegedly spent some of the millions of taxpayer dollars stolen by people associated with a nonprofit called Feeding Our Future, which was meant to help feed vulnerable children during the pandemic.

    Investigators say fraudulent payouts to the Feeding Our Future program alone were estimated at $250 million, making it the nation’s costliest COVID-era aid scam. 

    Walz, a Democrat, previously agreed with an estimate from First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson that fraud across all programs, including the Feeding Our Future scheme, which is not a DHS-administered program, could total $1 billion. 

    “The fraud is not small. It isn’t isolated. The magnitude cannot be overstated,” Thompson said last week.  

    So far, 78 people have been arrested in the Feeding Our Future scheme. A majority of them are Somali Americans, although the program’s leader, Aimee Bock, who was convicted earlier this year, is not. Minnesota has the nation’s largest Somali population.

    President Trump has called Minnesota a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” and has lashed out against the state’s Somali community, announcing last month that he would end protected status against deportation for Somalis in the state. Earlier this month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities, leading to more than 400 arrests.

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  • Group of Minnesota GOP legislators calls on Gov. Walz to resign amid fraud investigations

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    A group of Minnesota House and Senate Republicans is calling on Gov. Tim Walz to resign over accusations that as much as $9 billion paid through state services during his administration could be fraudulent.

    State Sens. Bill Lieske and Nathan Wesenberg and state Reps. Marj Fogelman, Drew Roach and Mike Wiener released the joint statement on Monday.

    “This is not about politics or stunts, and we do not make a call like this lightly. The office of the governor deserves respect, and we have tried to give Gov. Walz time to act. But leadership means doing the right thing even when it is difficult, which is why we are calling on Gov. Walz to resign,” the statement said in part.

    In response, the governor’s office said Walz has been working for years to crack down on fraud and has asked the state Legislature for more authority to take aggressive action.

    “He has strengthened oversight – including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed,” a spokesperson for Walz’s office said. “He has hired an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program entirely, announced a new statewide program integrity director, and supported criminal prosecutions.”

    The legislators say Article 8, Section 6 of the Minnesota Constitution, which states the “grounds for recall of an officer other than a judge are serious malfeasance or nonfeasance during the term of office in the performance of the duties of the office or conviction during the term of office of a serious crime,” supports Walz’s resignation. However, the group of lawmakers says they are not launching a recall effort.

    “When a governor fails to do what he is required to do, when he watches a crisis spiral out of control and does nothing to stop it, that is nonfeasance. The governor had a duty to oversee his administration and protect these programs. He failed. There needs to be consequences,” the legislators said.

    The GOP lawmakers’ statement comes as DHS Secretary Krisi Noem said Homeland Security agents are “conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud” in Minneapolis.

    Meanwhile, Walz and other state officials have disputed claims made earlier this month by federal prosecutors that the total fraud in Minnesota’s Medicaid programs could be as much as $9 billion.

    This summer, Walz agreed with a previous estimate from First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson that fraud across all programs, including the Feeding Our Future scheme, which is not a DHS-administered program, could total $1 billion. 

    More than 90 people have been accused, and in many cases convicted, of defrauding Minnesota of hundreds of millions of dollars.

    On Sunday, FBI Director Kash Patel called previous fraud arrests in Minnesota “just the tip of a very large iceberg.”   

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    Riley Moser

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