Sen. Josh Hawley is pushing to create a special counsel dedicated to tracking down federal child assistance fraud.
The legislation comes as a battle rages in Minnesota over alleged fraud in the Somali immigrant community and subsequent immigration enforcement operations.
Investigators speculate the fraud could exceed $1 billion and rise as high as $9 billion.
The fraud has resulted in dozens of indictments and convictions, and it forced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to abandon his ambitions of seeking a third term.
MINNESOTA FRAUD HEARING SPARKS IMMIGRATION CLASH AS GOP LAWMAKER SPOTLIGHTS SOMALI WELFARE DATA
Minnesota has become a battleground over fraud and illegal immigration. (John Locher/AP Photo)
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The Trump administration has already frozen multiple federal funding streams to Minnesota, including certain funding from the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Minnesota Republicans have argued that state leaders ignored warning signs for years, while some Democrats, including Walz, have tried to dismiss federal actions as political attacks and downplayed fraud estimates.
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Fox News' Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on X: @Hagstrom_Anders.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-senator-pushes-create-anti-fraud-special-inspector-general-minnesota-fraud-revelations