OPINION:
They didn’t just steal from children; they stole because Minnesota’s political leadership allowed it.
The largest welfare fraud in American history did not happen in secret. It happened in plain sight, under the noses of Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Minnesota Democrat, and a political establishment so consumed with identity politics and fear of being accused of racism that they refused to enforce even the most basic accountability.
Feeding Our Future orchestrated a staggering scheme: fake food sites, fabricated meal counts and shell companies billing millions for food never served. Hundreds of millions of dollars meant for needy children were diverted into private hands. More than 78 people have been charged, and more than 50 have pleaded guilty.
The outrage cannot stop at the criminals. It must fall squarely on the elected officials who created the climate that enabled this theft.
Mr. Walz bears direct responsibility. His administration had warning signs years before the pandemic. State investigators flagged suspicious activity as early as 2019. Instead of acting, Mr. Walz’s agencies held back, afraid of political backlash and accusations of racial targeting.
That fear and cowardice cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. When the scandal finally erupted, Mr. Walz blamed everyone else: the federal government, bureaucracy and confusion. He did not take responsibility for the failures in his own Department of Education, which approved reimbursements that soared far beyond reason, even as warnings mounted. He did not demand proof that food was actually being served. His refusal to confront fraud in his own state made Minnesota fertile ground for the largest COVID-19-era scam in the nation.
Ms. Omar’s role is no less troubling. She has repeatedly framed any criticism of fraud within segments of the Somali community as xenophobic, attacking journalists, community leaders and whistleblowers who raised alarms about day care subsidies, housing programs and the nutrition program at the center of this case. Her insistence that oversight was politically dangerous created a climate where state officials were intimidated into inaction. When elected leaders signal that investigating fraud is risky, bureaucrats comply.
This political protectionism allowed the fraud to grow unchecked. When leaders prioritize optics over accountability, they send a clear message that some networks are untouchable. Scam operators understood that message and exploited it. Ordinary Minnesotans, especially low-income children, were left to pay the price.
The scandal may not have been contained to Minnesota. Federal authorities are investigating whether stolen taxpayer money flowed overseas, possibly even reaching Somalia and al-Shabab. The very possibility is horrifying and is a direct consequence of leaders who insisted that scrutiny of certain nonprofits was politically dangerous. When accountability is branded as discrimination, oversight dies and corruption thrives.
The damage extends far beyond finances. Public trust has been shredded, community relations strained and honest immigrants made victims of criminals’ schemes. Mr. Walz and Ms. Omar did not steal the money themselves, but their choices made the theft possible. Their complicity is not criminal but rather moral, political and unforgivable.
Minnesota deserves leaders who protect the vulnerable rather than shield fraud. America deserves a welfare system that serves the needy rather than criminals. The children who were supposed to be fed by these programs deserve better than the betrayal they received. They stole from children, and Minnesota’s leaders let them. It is time the public holds those leaders accountable for the price we all paid.
• Jorge Martinez is senior adviser and national director for Hispanic Outreach for America First Works. He previously served as press secretary for the U.S. Department of Justice.
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