Cruz Condemns Minnesota Leaders: They Concealed Role in $9 Billion Welfare Fraud Scam
By Jim Thomas | Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas stated that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey shamefully refused to testify at a hearing he chaired on Wednesday.
Cruz described the hearing as focusing on “massive fraud” in Minnesota, alleging that $18 billion had been spent through welfare programs over recent years with up to $9 billion potentially fraudulent. He added federal prosecutors are actively pursuing Somali fraudsters.
During his remarks, Cruz detailed day care centers operating without children, toys or playground equipment, with windows blacked out and buildings dark and empty while receiving millions from Democratic officials. He claimed the Democrats were funneling funds to these operations for political gain, calling it “corrupt.”
Cruz singled out Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the subcommittee ranking member, who he accused of avoiding the fraud topic in favor of discussing Donald Trump’s character and climate change.
He further alleged that Somali fraudsters sent billions back to Somalia, with significant portions flowing to al-Shabaab, a radical Islamist terrorist group. Cruz stated that the largest single funder of al-Shabaab was a Minnesota taxpayer.
When asked why top Minnesota officials did not testify, Cruz said he invited Walz, Ellison and Frey to appear but they all declined.
