Kristi Noem has a message for Gavin Newsom...

Fox News presents an interview with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem regarding alleged fraud operations in Minnesota and her department’s enforcement response. The segment, hosted by Jesse Watters, features Noem describing ongoing federal operations and making allegations against state officials.

According to Noem in the video, DHS conducted what she describes as “surge operations” in Minnesota over a 48-hour period, deploying 2,000 additional ICE and HSI officers to the state. She alleges that investigators uncovered widespread fraud involving individuals who allegedly entered the country illegally and then committed crimes against American citizens. Fox News reports that Noem claims these individuals allegedly stole money from government programs including Medicaid and developmental services intended for disabled individuals, people with autism, and other vulnerable populations. The secretary alleges in the interview that the stolen funds were used to purchase luxury homes and finance vacations.

The video features Noem making allegations against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, claiming that state employees repeatedly attempted to alert him to the alleged fraud but were ignored. According to Noem’s claims in the segment, these state workers told Governor Walz that certain businesses and nonprofits were not legitimate, but she alleges he instructed them to “do their job and follow orders.” Fox News presents Noem’s characterization that these employees felt like whistle-blowers who were allegedly “bullied into being quiet.”

Noem states in the interview that federal operations resulted in “hundreds and hundreds” of arrests over the 48-hour period. She claims those arrested included individuals wanted for murder, extortion in other countries, and alleged sexual assault, including attacks on children. According to Fox News’s segment, Noem alleges these enforcement actions were conducted without cooperation from Governor Walz or other Democratic officials, whom she accuses of attempting to “cover it up.”

In Fox News’s Own Words

“The amount of fraud in Minnesota is unprecedented. It’s incredible what we found.”

“So many Minnesota state employees were saying Governor Walz, pay attention to this, people are stealing the money, these are not legitimate businesses, not legitimate nonprofits, and he ignored them.”

“We are going to come to you, Governor Newsom, and we are going to arrest every single individual that has ties to this kind of stealing of taxpayer dollars.”

The segment concludes with Noem responding to what she describes as a challenge from California Governor Gavin Newsom. According to Fox News, she promises to extend similar enforcement operations to California, alleging that the Minnesota case represents “just the tip of the iceberg” with networks allegedly extending across the country and overseas. Noem states that her department will pursue alleged fraud in public programs with connections to California. The allegations presented raise questions about federal-state relations in law enforcement and oversight of public benefit programs, though the claims about state-level misconduct have not been independently verified in this segment.