House Oversight panel investigates funding behind riots against ICE in Minnesota

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is investigating the funding behind riots against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota, Chairman James Comer announced Monday.

Comer, Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, and House Oversight Committee Republicans are examining the funding sources of riots and obstructing ICE operations.

The Congress members wrote a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday, requesting a briefing from the Department of Justice on its efforts to examine possible connections with organized efforts to obstruct law enforcement via criminal activities and foreign influences.

“Recent Congressional oversight activity has documented extensive fraud in Minnesota involving federal nutrition programs and social services programs, with estimated losses totaling several billions of dollars over multiple years,” the letter reads.

“The scale and duration of these schemes have raised concerns regarding whether fraud proceeds are being laundered or otherwise routed through nonprofit or organizational entities in ways that evade oversight. As much of this fraud has disproportionally involved Minnesota’s immigrant community, targeted enforcement operations by ICE play a key role in stopping this systemic corruption.”

In December, the committee launched an investigation into the fraud and money laundering in Minnesota’s social services and programs. The committee is seeking to determine how much the DOJ is aware of patterns in fraud cases that suggest coordinated or systemic activity, and whether it is evaluating if financial crimes involving federal funds are contributing to broader public safety or civil order challenges.

“In response to federal response and enforcement actions, Minnesota has experienced repeated episodes of civil unrest, including incidents of property damage, assaults on law enforcement, and disruptions to public institutions,” the lawmakers wrote. “While peaceful protest is a protected feature of American society, recurring unrest places measurable strain on local communities and public safety resources.

“The Committee believes it is imperative to assess whether foreign-sourced funding and/or proceeds of financial crimes, particularly those involving federal funds, may be contributing to, or otherwise exacerbating unrest and efforts to obstruct law enforcement.”