ICE

The post you shared appears to be a summary or repost of a recent **Truth Social** statement from President Donald Trump (dated around January 18-19, 2026), where he criticizes Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar for opposing or protesting **ICE** (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) operations in the state. Trump claims these officials are using the controversy to distract from alleged massive fraud in Minnesota, specifically referencing "$18 BILLION+ in fraud."

This aligns with ongoing events and rhetoric:

- **ICE Operations and Protests in Minnesota** — Recent weeks have seen escalated federal immigration enforcement in areas like Minneapolis-St. Paul, including arrests, a fatal shooting incident involving an ICE officer and a protester, and deployments of additional personnel. Protests have involved opposition from local leaders and communities, with Trump describing demonstrators as "thugs," "professional agitators," and "anarchists." He has emphasized that ICE is targeting "violent criminals," including "murderers" and "drug dealers."

- **The Fraud Allegations** — Trump has repeatedly highlighted what he calls "$18 billion plus" (or sometimes "$19 billion") in fraud tied to Minnesota's social services, welfare, child-care, Medicaid, and other federally funded programs since around 2018. This stems from federal investigations (led by the DOJ, HHS, and others) into schemes involving improper billing, often linked to nonprofits and individuals in the state's Somali-American community (e.g., cases like Feeding Our Future, which involved hundreds of millions in COVID-era child nutrition fraud, with dozens charged and convicted). A federal prosecutor described potential losses as "industrial-scale," with estimates that half or more of certain $18 billion in program funds could be fraudulent. Trump and allies have tied this to broader critiques of Democratic governance under Walz.

- **No Direct Evidence in Trump's Claim** — As noted in the post (and echoed in coverage), Trump did not provide specific evidence linking Walz/Omar's ICE opposition directly to a distraction tactic. Reports describe his comments as accusatory and without cited proof for that particular motive.

- **Related Federal Actions** — The Trump administration recently froze approximately **$10 billion** in federal funds (via HHS) for child-care, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), and related programs across five Democratic-led states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. This was justified by concerns over "widespread fraud and misuse," though evidence was primarily highlighted for Minnesota, with critics calling the broader freeze politically motivated or lacking proof for the other states. Some actions faced legal challenges (e.g., temporary court blocks).

- **Responses** — Walz has pushed back, calling for de-escalation, accusing the administration of "weaponizing" issues or retribution, and defending state efforts against fraud. Omar has faced repeated attacks from Trump (including inflammatory language about her background), but no immediate direct reply to this specific post is noted. Investigations into state officials (including potential obstruction claims) have been mentioned in some reports.

This fits into a larger pattern of Trump targeting Minnesota amid immigration enforcement, fraud probes, and political rivalries (Walz was a 2024 opponent). The $18B figure circulates in conservative outlets and Trump's posts but varies in official estimates (e.g., some reports peg confirmed/proven fraud lower, in the hundreds of millions to low billions, while broader allegations reach higher). For the most current details, checking primary sources like Truth Social or official statements is best, as events are fast-moving.

Henry McClure  
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