Walz deputy erupts at ICE and fellow Dem, torches Laken Riley Act in fiery tweetstorm as scandals pile up
In the midst of a significant social services fraud scandal involving Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future initiative, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has taken to social media to criticize federal immigration enforcement, particularly targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This comes at a time when the Walz administration is grappling with allegations that Somali-run nonprofits exploited child-nutrition and Medicaid housing programs, leading to the loss of hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars. Flanagan’s tweets have not only condemned ICE’s actions, which she claims include raiding restaurants and detaining U.S. citizens, but also called out fellow Democrats, such as Rep. Angie Craig, for their past support of legislation that she argues has contributed to the current climate of fear and chaos surrounding immigrant communities.
Flanagan’s remarks highlight a broader tension within the Democratic Party as they navigate the fallout from the fraud scandal and the implications of immigration policies. She specifically criticized Craig for voting in favor of a resolution that praised ICE and emphasized that such votes have real consequences for immigrant communities. This internal conflict is underscored by both Flanagan and Craig’s aspirations to succeed retiring Senator Tina Smith, which adds a layer of political strategy to their public statements. Flanagan’s assertive stance against ICE and her condemnation of past Democratic actions reflect an urgent need to address the fallout from the fraud scandal while also advocating for immigrant rights in Minnesota.
The Feeding Our Future scandal has drawn significant attention, with federal investigations revealing “schemes stacked upon schemes” that allowed criminals to siphon nearly $1 billion from state resources, affecting vulnerable populations. House Oversight Chairman James Comer has pointed to the negligence of Minnesota officials as a contributing factor to this crisis, indicating that the state’s failure to adequately oversee these programs has led to severe repercussions for children and families who rely on these services. As the Walz administration continues to address the scandal, Flanagan’s outspoken criticism of immigration enforcement may signal a shift in how Democrats approach issues of fraud and immigration, particularly in a state with a large immigrant population. The unfolding situation poses critical questions about accountability, policy, and the future of social services in Minnesota.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv2CU4PmJTg
As Minnesota’s executive branch is roiled by the burgeoning Feeding Our Future-Somali fraud scandal, Gov.
Tim Walz
’s top deputy has used her latest tweets to attack federal immigration enforcement – even dinging a Democratic colleague for a prior vote thanking ICE for its work.
The Walz administration is facing a major social services fraud scandal in which federal prosecutors found ”
schemes stacked upon schemes
” operated by Somali-run nonprofits that siphoned hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars from child-nutrition and Medicaid housing programs.
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan initially slammed President
Donald Trump
for off-color remarks about Minnesota’s Somali community, telling CNN he wants to “distract” the public from cost-of-living increases.
“ICE is raiding restaurants, lurking outside of schools, and detaining U.S. citizens,”
Flanagan wrote Monday
.
HOW MISREADING SOMALI POVERTY LED MINNESOTA INTO ITS LARGEST WELFARE SCANDAL
She also blamed the Laken Riley Act – a law inspired by a Georgia student murdered by an illegal immigrant – for sparking the hefty
ICE operations
throughout the country.
“Trump chose the Laken Riley Act as the first bill of his administration for one reason: He wanted to legitimize his
mass deportation agenda
,” she said.
MINNESOTA’S ANTI-FRAUD SPENDING HAS QUIETLY BALLOONED, LEAVING TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR FAILURE TWICE
“Every vote in favor of this bill normalized the chaos we see now.”
Flanagan also took issue with a fellow Democrat, Rep. Angie Craig of Shakopee, who similarly slammed ICE after four U.S. citizens were reportedly detained during a raid on a Minnesota home.
“Respectfully, Congresswoman, you voted with Republicans to strip due process from immigrants and to praise Trump’s ICE. This year. Now you’re upset?” Flanagan said.
ICE OPERATION IN MINNEAPOLIS NABS A DOZEN ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS, INCLUDING SOMALIS
“Votes have consequences. Minnesotans deserve better.”
Craig had been one of 75 Democrats who crossed the aisle to support a resolution from Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., to “affirm that free and open communication between State and local law enforcement and their federal counterparts remains the bedrock of public safety and is necessary in preventing terrorist attacks; and expresses gratitude to
law enforcement officers
, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland.”
Flanagan and Craig have both announced campaigns to succeed retiring Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn. If elected, Flanagan – who is Ojibwe – would be the first female Native American U.S. senator.
MORNING GLORY: MINNESOTA’S FRAUD SCHEME IS EXPOSED. NOW TRUMP HAS GOLDEN MOMENT TO STRIKE
The incident cited by Flanagan and Craig involved ICE agents reportedly tailing a family from
Burnsville, Minnesota
, to their home and detaining them during a search. Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for further comment and information on the broader operation.
Craig had called
the incident “inhumane” and said that “Trump’s ICE is out of control.”
In an earlier tweet on Trump’s attacks on Minnesota and its Somali community being a “hellhole,” Flanagan quipped: “Well actually, hell is any room with you, (Donald Trump).”
ICE OPERATION IN MINNEAPOLIS ARRESTS SEVEN ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS
“Minnesota is ranked one of the happiest states in the country because you don’t live here.”
When reached for comment, Flanagan spokesperson Alexandra Fetissoff told Fox News Digital that the lieutenant governor does take the fraud scandal seriously:
“[Flanagan] has repeatedly spoken out against fraud in the state, saying it’s ‘unconscionable that people are stealing from families and children’,” Fetissoff said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Craig for additional comment.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky. – leading the
federal probe into Minnesota’s fraud scandal
– has claimed the state’s “negligence” allowed criminals, including Somali terrorists, to steal nearly $1 billion from taxpayers while “children suffered.”
Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report
.
