As evidence continues to mount that billions of taxpayer dollars were siphoned off through large-scale fraud in Minnesota, calls are growing for consequences that go far beyond the usual Washington ritual of outrage and press conferences. Increasingly, Americans want prosecutions — and some lawmakers are now saying deportations and even denaturalizations must be on the table.
One of the most forceful voices is Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), who argues the scandal exposes not just corruption, but a failure of the legal immigration system itself.
Schmitt appeared Tuesday on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle with guest host Jason Chaffetz, where his background as Missouri’s former attorney general was highlighted — experience that, as Chaffetz suggested, allows him to “smell fraud, waste and abuse.” The discussion quickly turned to Congress’s reluctance to use its constitutional power of the purse to stop taxpayer-funded corruption.
The Somali refugee crisis in Minnesota is a LEGAL immigration problem.
Not ILLEGAL immigration—legal.
So yes, we have to deport every last illegal alien. But we need to overhaul our legal immigration system too.
Enough talk. It’s time to get to work. pic.twitter.com/o81oNkgwwN
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) December 31, 2025
According to Schmitt, the fraud uncovered so far is likely only the beginning.
Agreeing that the revelations may represent just the “tip of the iceberg,” the senator pointed to what he described as entrenched networks operating in the U.S. “This is a broader legal immigration problem,” Schmitt said, referencing what he called Somali strongholds tied to the alleged schemes.
“We talk a lot about illegal immigration, but this is a legal immigration problem,” Schmitt continued. “So, from my perspective, under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, the wire fraud statute, there ought to be prosecutions immediately.”
But Schmitt made clear that criminal charges alone are not enough.
“Every visa that can be revoked should be revoked. Every deportation that should happen should happen right away,” he said. “And in some cases, where necessary, denaturalization should happen.”
For Schmitt, the goal is deterrence — and accountability.
“A strong signal should be sent to immigrant communities that if you’re going to come here and fleece the American taxpayer, we’re actually going to prioritize taxpayers over this toxic empathy that’s dominated the Democrat Party,” the senator said. He later reiterated those demands on X, calling for “immediate action.”
Enough talk about Somali fraud. We need immediate action.
1. Arrest all Somali fraudsters under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud).
2. Immediately revoke all Somali fraudsters’ visas. Denaturalize where possible.
3. Deport all eligible for deportation.— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) December 30, 2025
Public frustration over the scandal is being fueled by lingering economic pain following the Biden administration, which saw inflation reach a forty-year high and gas prices shatter records. In Minnesota, anger over wasted taxpayer dollars has sparked calls for the resignation of Gov. Tim Walz (D), with critics arguing that his administration failed to prevent or detect the alleged abuse.
Walz has attempted to deflect responsibility by blaming former President Donald Trump, but the strategy appears to be backfiring. Some Minnesotans have even floated the idea of tax strikes — a sign of how deeply trust in government accountability has eroded.
Schmitt also warned that the problem is far from over, particularly when it comes to COVID-era spending.
“I think you’re going to see another wave of this fraud,” he said. “And you have to have state AGs who are serious about it, and hopefully President Trump’s U.S. attorneys, when those state AGs don’t step up, do it as well.”
While acknowledging Congress has a role to play, Schmitt made clear he has little patience left for talk.
People better start going to jail in Minnesota.
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) December 30, 2025
“But I think Congress certainly plays a role, but we’re kind of, I’m sort of done with the talking,” he said. “This is about prosecutions now. This is about putting people in jail. They’ve taken billions of dollars.”
