Around2,000 federal agentsare being deployed to Minneapolis as part of the Trump administration's latest effort to crack down on immigration, two law enforcement officials told CNN, while the city and its officials are reeling from awelfare fraud scandalthat's reaching a fever pitch this week.
In the days since a conservative content creator raised allegations of fraud in a YouTube video – with little evidence – about Somali-run day care centers in Minneapolis, the Trump administration hasfrozen federal child care fundsand unleashed morebiting rhetoricagainst the Somali community, whom President Donald Trump has previously called "garbage."
Now, the president isstepping up immigration enforcement. Federal agents have already been on the ground in Minneapolis, and both Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and US Border Patrol agents are deploying to Minnesota.
The Department of Homeland Security posted an editedvideo to XTuesday showing Secretary Kristi Noem following armed agents into a three-story building in St. Paul and arresting a suspect they said was an illegal immigrant wanted for murder. Noem, wearing a Homeland Security Investigations tactical vest, was surrounded by uniformed officers with Secret Service identification.
US Customs and Border Protection CommanderGregory Bovino, whose controversial tactics have come underincreased scrutinyin multiple cities, is also expected to deploy there.
Uncertaintyis sweeping Minnesota's largest city as the fraud allegations prompt shakeups in local leadership, and a new, ambiguous immigration enforcement effortintimidating Somali residentshas emerged. Here's what we know.
Deployment comes as Walz drops reelection bid
The mobilization of more agents to Minneapolis comes as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who has beenstaunchly opposed toTrump's deployment of troops to US cities, dropped out of the race for reelection on Monday.
The welfare-fraud scandal in his state has intensified into a political flashpoint seized upon by Trump, and itsdeepening federal probecomplicated Walz's bid for an unprecedented third term. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but Republicans have sought to blame Walz and Democrats for abuse of taxpayer dollars.
It was the recent criticism from the Trump administration and right-wing allies that Walzsaidcontributed to his decision not to seek reelection.
"For the last several years, an organized group of criminals have sought to take advantage of this state's generosity," Walz said. "And even as we make progress in the fight against the fraudsters, we now see an organized group of political actors seeking to take advantage of a crisis."
Walz had been criticized for his administration's oversight of the welfare programs. Several Democrats in the state privately cautioned Walz against seeking reelection as outrage intensified in Minnesota and beyond over the misuse of funds.
In his brief appearance on Monday, Walz said he welcomed the federal investigation. He said it was imperative Minnesotans had confidence in the state's social safety net programs.
Pushback anticipated over familiar ICE operation targeting Somalis
The 2,000 agent surge isn't the first time federal immigration authorities have targeted the Twin Cities. In December, following Trump's disparaging comments about Somalis and calls for them to leave the country,federal agentsarrived in Minneapolis and St. Paul as part of the president's wide-spanning deportation campaign.
The operation sparked fear and anxiety for the area's Somali community, the vast majority of whom are US citizens. Nearly 58% of Somalis in Minnesota were born in the US, according to the US Census Bureau. Of the foreign-born Somalis in Minnesota, an overwhelming majority — 87% — are naturalized US citizens.
The previous ICE operation sparked protests and tense standoffs with agents. In one incident that drew criticism from the Minneapolispolice chief, an agent knelt on a woman's back as she lay atop a snow bank and then tried to drag her to a car. The episode took place just a few miles from whereGeorge Floydwas killed by a city police officer kneeling on his neck in 2020.
Americans of Somali descenttold CNNthey started carrying their passports and ID cards with them, scared they would be stopped by federal agents.
This time around, DHS said it has run into trouble booking hotel rooms in Minneapolis for newly mobilized agents. Itallegedthat global hotel chain Hilton launched a "coordinated campaign" to refuse service to agents by cancelling their room reservations in Minneapolis as the agency readies for escalated immigration enforcement there.
Screenshots DHSposted on Xon Monday afternoon appear to show emails from a Hilton address stating that immigration agents are not allowed to stay at the Hampton Inn Lakeville property, located in a suburb south of Minneapolis.
"After further investigation online, we have found information about immigration work connected with your name and we will be cancelling your upcoming reservation. You should see a proper cancellation email in your inbox shortly from Hilton," one email reads.
The Lakeville Hilton property is independently owned and operated by Everpeak Hospitality, which said in astatementon its website that the incident "was inconsistent with our policy of being a welcoming place for all," and that it is "in touch with the impacted guests to ensure they are accommodated."
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin rejected that statement,writing on XMonday evening that DHS and ICE haven't heard from Everpeak Hospitality.
Hiltonitself, in aninitial statementMonday, emphasized that the independently owned and operated hotel's actions "were not reflective of Hilton values."
On Tuesday Hilton issued anew statement, saying it had further concerns that the Lakeview Hilton property was "not meeting our standards," and Hilton was therefore taking "immediate action" to remove the hotel from its system.
"Hilton is - and has always been - a welcoming place for all. We are also engaging with all of our franchisees to reinforce the standards we hold them to across our system to help ensure this does not happen again," Hilton's Tuesday statement said.
Friday deadline looms amid frozen child care payments
On December 30, Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill announced the agency wasfreezing all child care paymentsto Minnesota amid the fraud allegations. The state typically receives about$185 millionannually in federal child care funding, supporting care for 19,000 children.
Investigators last week visited all of the child care centers accused of fraud in the video, and all were operating as expected, state officials say. Still, investigations into alleged wrongdoing are ongoing.
The state Department of Children, Youth, and Families announced Monday it would conduct additional on-site compliance checks at child care centers across the state.
"Funds will be released only when states prove they are being spent legitimately," O'Neill said. He said he had demanded Walz provide a "comprehensive audit" of the centers featured in the video.
The proof must be shared with the government by Friday, according to an email from state officials to child care providers. The email said HHS has requested specific details, including the total amount ofChild Care and Development Fundpayments received by five child care centers and administrative data – like names and social security numbers – for all recipients of federal money.
The fund is the main source of federal support for child care and includesthe state Child Care Assistance Program, whichNick Shirley, the creator of the viral video, alleged was being exploited in Minnesota.
In the meantime, thousands of Minnesota families who rely on federal child care funding arein limbo. It is unclear how quickly funding could be restored if the state meets the Friday deadline.
Trump has a long history with Minnesota, Somali community
The child care fraud scandal has reignited the president's persistent hostility toward Somalis. For years, he has attacked Somalis living in the US, Somalia itself, and Somali leaders likeRep. Ilhan Omar, who he has said should not be allowed to serve in Congress.
Somalia was also on thetravel ban listduring Trump's first presidential term. Under the Obama administration, several Muslim-majority nations, including Somalia, were identified as "countries of concern" and subject to travel restrictions. Somalia had been added to address "the growing threat from foreign terrorist fighters," according to aDHS statement. When Trump took office, the restrictions turned into a travel ban.
He continued the attacks Sunday when asked about the Minnesota fraud scandal, insulting Omar and going on a tangent about Somali pirates, while criticizing "astronomical" theft of government funds.
Somalis and their advocates point out the small group of people charged with fraud don't reflect their thousands-strong community.
Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Minnesota chapter, says there's a clear motif when isolated instances of wrongdoing are used to scapegoat an entire population.
"Each time, the same pattern emerges: isolate a case, generalize it to an entire group, and use fear to legitimize discrimination," Hussein said.
"The Somali community in the Twin Cities is overwhelmingly made up of hardworking families, small business owners, health care workers, students, and taxpayers who contribute every day to Minnesota's economy and civic life," he said.
Allegations reach halls of Congress this week
The fraud allegations will reach new heights in the halls of Congress this week as Minnesota state lawmakers are set to testify in Washington, DC, on Wednesday before the Republican-led US House Oversight Committee.
The hearing, focused on "fraud and misuse of federal funds," will feature testimony from three Republican members of the Minnesota House of Representatives who, the chairman of the Oversight Committee says, "sounded the alarm" on the fraud: Kristin Robbins, Walter Hudson and Marion Rarick.
James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, invited Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to testify in a separate hearing before the committee's investigative panel on February 10, saying the governor "ignored" warnings of fraud from the state lawmakers.
"He better lawyer up," Comerwroteon X.
"Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit in a massive fraud involving taxpayer dollars in Minnesota's social services programs," Comer said in the statement.
CNN's Zoe Sottile, Emma Tucker, Rebekah Riess, Andy Rose and Jeff Zeleny contributed to this report.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com