Federal agents fanned out in Minneapolis on Dec. 29 for a “massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

Noem posted the update about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions on X and said “more coming.”

The post shows agents wearing jackets with large white letters, “HSI,” for Homeland Security Investigations—which is part of ICE—interviewing people at storefronts.

Homeland Security posted a separate notice saying that agents were “going DOOR TO DOOR at suspected fraud sites.”

“The American people deserve answers on how their taxpayer money is being used and ARRESTS when abuse is found. Under the leadership of @Sec_Noem, DHS is working to deliver results,” a Dec. 29 X post said.

About $9 billion has been lost to fraudulent claims in Minnesota’s federal-assistance programs, federal authorities have estimated. Dozens of people have been arrested, charged, and convicted since 2022 in at least three major scandals, with more arrests expected as additional scandals are probed, federal prosecutors have said.

In other recent action, the Small Business Administration announced it was cutting off $5.5 million in federal funds because Minnesota state officials haven’t effectively safeguarded federal tax dollars, said Kelly Loeffler, the head of the agency.

Although the scandals are now drawing national attention, concerns over programs being defrauded on a large scale date back to at least 2018, The Epoch Times has found. Some whistleblowers raised alarms as early as 2009.

Minnesotans told The Epoch Times that contributing factors include the state’s generous, progressive social-welfare policies, lax enforcement, and the “Minnesota Nice” attitude: A willingness to help others with few questions asked.

In addition, whistleblowers said they were reluctant to come forward because they suffered retaliation and claims of “racism” or “Islamophobia” for reporting allegations against Somali immigrants, who are black and Muslim.

As of midday Dec. 30, prominent Democrats and ICE critics, such as Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, had not issued statements reacting to ICE’s actions.