West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey is leading a group of 21 state AGs asking the United States Supreme Court to reverse a decision that upheld Biden-era Department of Energy efficiency standards that would eliminate many natural gas appliances from the market and households.
The DOE’s amended efficiency standards require natural gas furnaces and commercial water heaters to meet performance thresholds that only condensing appliances can satisfy, effectively banning non-condensing appliances from the market.
The coalition’s amicus, filed in American Gas Association v. U.S. Department of Energy, argues the Energy Policy and Conservation Act prohibits banning appliances with protected “performance characteristics.”
“This decision from the D.C. Circuit will hurt working families in West Virginia, seniors on fixed income and those in our rural communities more than any other, as they will be forced to either pay for costly home renovations or give up natural gas altogether,” McCuskey said. “That is why it is so important for us to lead this coalition in asking the Supreme Court to step in and restore the rule of law.”
In West Virginia, more than 335,000 households — nearly four in 10 — rely on natural gas for home heating. A large share of the state’s housing stock was built before 1978 and is incompatible with condensing appliances, meaning many homeowners would face costly structural renovations simply to replace an aging furnace or water heater.
In the brief, McCuskey’s coalition argues the decision from D.C. Circuit Court failed to independently analyze the statute as federal courts are required to do.
“Loper Bright was decided to prevent exactly this kind of outcome,” the brief states. “When courts decline to ‘second-guess’ agency interpretations, they permit agencies to convert statutory ambiguity into sweeping regulatory power — power that falls hardest on the people least able to bear it.”
Joining McCuskey in the filing are the AGs from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

Federal agents continue to pursue visa fraud and forced labor crimes across the U.S. perpetrated by Americans and noncitizens who exploited a border crisis and loopholes in a weak visa system, prosecutors argue.
The prosecutions come as Mexican smuggling operations at the northern border continue to be thwarted, The Center Square reported.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced this week 61 indictments against six people in the Tri-Cities and Yakima areas for extensive visa fraud, victim tampering, aggravated identity theft, mail and wire fraud, visa fraud and other charges. Two people who remain at large, Cesar Jamie Rebolledo Diaz and Socorro Ramos, were indicted on ten counts. Four others were indicted on 51 counts.
Rebolledo Diaz and Ramos, both living in Yakima, were charged with fraudulently obtaining 103 temporary H-2A visas through a federal agricultural program. They falsely claimed they worked for Marquez Farms LLC, in Wapato, Washington, in documents submitted to the U.S. departments of State, Labor and Citizenship and Immigration Services, authorities allege.
The scheme involved recruiting Mexican nationals to work at Marquez Farms, claiming they’d provide housing, food, paid travel, visas, and predictable work hours, authorities allege. Once the visas were approved, they picked up the Mexican nationals at the U.S.-Mexico border and transported them to eastern Washington using school buses with no air conditioning or water, according to the charges. The Mexicans were then forced to work without pay, little food or adequate housing facilities and instructed to remain silent when investigations began, according to the charges.
“When bad actors exploit vulnerable workers or attempt to game the system, we investigate, we expose, and we hold them accountable,” Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito said. “At the same time, we safeguard the U.S. employers who follow the law and play by the rules. We will continue working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure these programs serve legitimate labor needs — not criminal enterprises. Fraud will not be tolerated. Accountability is not optional.”
In the second indictment, four people, Francisco Rodríguez Martel, Esmeralda Rodríguez, Erica Cisneros and Giovanna Sierra Carrillo, were charged with obtaining more than 500 fraudulent visas and operating a more oppressive forced labor environment. They submitted fraudulent applications for “bogus job locations, hours and wages,” to federal agencies for 10 farms in Yakima and Benton Counties for the 2022 to 2024 crop seasons, authorities allege.
They claimed they’d provide food, housing, safety equipment, fair wages and reliable hours, coverage for injury or illness. Instead, the Mexicans were forced to work under extreme heat conditions without access to clean water, were exposed to chemical pesticides without proper protection, lived in overcrowded housing with no access to kitchen facilities and were forced to pay illegal housing and food fees, according to the charges.
“The importance of this case cannot be understated,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano said. “When the United States Attorney’s office receives credible information from investigating agencies that stand as the basis for immigration fraud, we will charge these cases.”
According to a 2024 state audit, Washington’s H-2A program expanded by 420% from having roughly 6,000 H-2A visas in 2013 to 33,000 in 2022. Recent increases occurred as the Biden administration changed visa policies and human smuggling increased, The Center Square reported.
Under the Trump administration, the visa process is being revamped, fraudulent claims are being investigated and victims are being rescued from forced labor situations. The administration has been making thousands of worksite enforcement actions, from Nebraska to Illinois, to Tennessee, Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas, The Center Square reported.
Many forced labor situations involve minors, including children as young as 13 working for an Iowa janitorial service operating meat processing machinery; and children as young as 14 performing dangerous jobs at a California poultry processing facility and operating dangerous equipment at a Tennessee parts manufacturer, The Center Square reported.
In addition to reviewing fraudulent visa applications, federal investigators are conducting I-9 inspections and audits in accordance with federal law. “These inspections are among the federal government’s most effective tools to enforce U.S. employment laws,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says. ICE imposes civil fines, makes criminal referrals, makes criminal arrests of employers and administrative arrests of unauthorized workers after uncovering “multiple forms of criminal activity,” including human trafficking, document fraud, and human rights abuses, including forced labor.
In fiscal 2024, the Department of Labor investigated 736 cases of child labor violations impacting more than 4,000 children nationwide, The Center Square reported.

Mexican citizens exploiting a U.S. federal agricultural visa program have been indicted for operating forced labor operations in Florida, North Carolina and Virginia, as the Trump administration continues to crack down on visa fraud.
In one recently unsealed indictment, three Mexican nationals were charged on 35 counts of trafficking Mexican farmworkers into forced labor conditions and detaining them after their visas expired for financial gain.
In this case, they exploited the H-2A visa program “to lure vulnerable workers from Mexico to the United States with promises of legitimate employment, only to then confiscate their identity documents and force them to labor in inhumane conditions,” A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said. “These charges reflect the Department’s commitment to protecting the integrity of our lawful immigration system and holding accountable those who corrupt it to exploit and abuse foreign workers.”
The alleged ringleader, Martha Zeferino Jose, 42, a Mexican national and permanent resident of the U.S., owned and operated Las Princesas Corporation, a farm labor contracting company based in Washington, North Carolina, to recruit Mexican workers through the H-2A agricultural visa program. Her partner, Jose Rodriguez Munoz, a Mexican national, and her son Jeremy Zeferino Jose, 23, a Mexican national and permanent resident, were also arrested for their alleged roles in the scheme.
Through her company, Zeferino Jose submitted visa applications to the departments of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services claiming Mexican workers would be provided farm jobs in Florida, North Carolina and Virginia, paid wages and provided with meals, housing, and transportation, the charges allege. They also wouldn’t be charged recruitment fees or have their documents confiscated, in accordance with the law, according to the filed applications.
Investigators found the opposite to be true. Mexican workers who thought they were following a legal process were charged with fees, “saddling them with debt before they even arrived;” their passports, visas, and identification documents were seized once they arrived in the U.S. to prevent them from leaving, according to the charges. They were also required to “perform physically demanding labor at farms and plant nurseries across three states under degrading conditions … without adequate breaks or access to water,” were “housed in crowded, unsanitary residences that lacked heat, air conditioning, hot water and bedding,” weren’t paid, weren’t provided with food and were denied medical care, investigators allege.
They were also isolated, prohibited from leaving, speaking with others outside their group, monitored, threatened, and detained after their visas expired, according to the charges. The Mexican nationals exploiting them also obstructed federal investigators, the DOJ says.
They were charged “with forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain, conspiracy to commit alien harboring for financial gain, and document servitude offenses,” among other charges. If convicted of all charges, they each face decades in prison.
The charges were brought as six people in Washington state were indicted on 61 charges for operating a similar scheme. They also allegedly submitted fraudulent applications to the same federal agencies to lure Mexican workers seeking legal work on farms through the federal H-2A visa program, The Center Square reported.
Under the Trump administration, the visa process is being revamped, fraudulent claims are being investigated and victims are being rescued from forced labor situations. Federal investigators are also conducting I-9 inspections and audits through thousands of worksite inspections uncovering “multiple forms of criminal activity,” including human trafficking, document fraud, and human rights abuses, including forced labor.
Recent high-profile worksite enforcement actions have occurred in Nebraska, Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas, The Center Square reported. Several involve identity theft perpetrated by illegal foreign nationals against American employers.
Many forced labor situations involve minors, including children as young as 13 working for an Iowa janitorial service operating meat processing machinery; and children as young as 14 performing dangerous jobs at a California poultry processing facility and operating dangerous equipment at a Tennessee parts manufacturer, The Center Square reported.
In fiscal 2024, the Department of Labor investigated 736 cases of child labor violations impacting more than 4,000 children nationwide, The Center Square reported.

Despite ongoing antisemitism in the U.S., including on college campuses, Jewish athletes helped propel the U.S. men and women’s hockey teams to win gold medals in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Members of the men’s team appeared at the State of Union address Tuesday night, receiving a standing ovation with members of Congress chanting, “USA! USA!”
“It’s the first time I’ve seen [nearly all Democrats] stand up,” President Donald Trump said.
The men’s hockey team defeated the U.S. archrival Canada on Feb. 22. It was the 46-year anniversary of the last time the U.S. men’s hockey team won gold. On Feb. 22, 1980, the U.S. men’s hockey team defeated the Soviet Union in the semifinals in what was described as the “Miracle on Ice” before going on to win gold.
Canadians have considered hockey their sport, dominating the Olympics and world stage, winning nine gold medals, the most of any country. But over the past several decades, the U.S. has built a formidable hockey program. The win on Sunday was the culmination of years of hard work and a dream 46 years in the making.
Both U.S. men’s and women’s teams defeated Canada in overtime to take home gold medals.
The men’s goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, had a .956 save percentage during the Olympics tournament with 41 saves in the game against Canada alone. Trump said he is awarding him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest presidential award given to civilians.
Leading the team to victory was Jack Hughes, who scored the “golden goal” to secure gold for Team USA. He was the first Jewish hockey player to be picked No. 1 in the NHL draft in U.S. history.
His older brother, Quinn, one of the best defensemen in the NHL, also was a key player in Team USA’s win. Jeremy Swayman was the third Jewish player on the team.
Jewish athlete Aerin Frankel, a two-time IIHF Women’s World Champion gold and silver medalist, also helped propel the women’s hockey team to victory as its star goalie. She previously made Winter Olympics history as the first goalie with three shutouts in a single Olympic tournament. No other goalie for any country can claim this feat. She is one of a handful of Jewish female players in the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
One of Team USA’s women’s coaches, an All-Star hockey player herself, was Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, Jack and Quinn’s mother.
The women’s hockey team will visit the White House, Trump said. Both teams represent the “spirit of winning” in America, he said. Earlier in the day, the men’s team arrived at the White House prior to making an appearance at the State of the Union address.
During the gold medal game, Jack Quinn was slammed by a Canadian player, breaking his front tooth with blood streaming down his face. After the game, he wore the American flag around his shoulders, smiling with a bloody mouth. He told NBC News, “I love the USA. I love my teammates. I’m so proud to be an American. We’re USA. We’re so proud to be Americans. We’re so proud to win for our country.”
Two days later, after the historic Olympic win, the Trump administration sued UCLA claiming antisemitic violence, open harassment of Jewish students, faculty and staff after the university refused to respond to civil rights complaints filed by Jewish and Israeli employees in nearly three years.
Ongoing issues at UCLA continue after antisemitic violence erupted on college campuses nationwide after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel. During the State of the Union speech, Trump criticized Democratic U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who he and others have argued have fomented antisemitism and violence in the U.S. They jeered in response.
In 2024, the number of antisemitic attacks tracked by the Anti-Defamation League were the most on record since it began reporting antisemitic incidents in 1979, The Center Square reported. There were 9,354 antisemitic incidents reported nationwide, including of harassment, vandalism and assault against Jewish- and Israeli-Americans or Jewish institutions and houses of worship.
The majority, 64%, occurred in 10 states. New York led the U.S. with the most, followed by California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, Illinois, Colorado and Virginia.
In an effort to hold accountable financiers of antisemitic riots, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and several Republican cosponsors, introduced the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act, The Center Square reported. Other bills were also filed to address antisemitism that have yet to pass and be signed into law.
Despite ongoing threats, a group that tracks antisemitism in the U.S. and abroad, expressed optimism, pointing to Jack Hughes’ pride to be an American. It said, “His words reflect what so many American Jews feel every day: deep gratitude, unwavering patriotism, and profound love for this country. American Jews are proud to call the U.S. home, proud to represent it, and proud to contribute to its strength and success on the world stage.”

Roadway safety across all 50 states through core elements of legal compliance, attentiveness and defensive techniques coupled with American border security were spotlighted in the State of the Union on Tuesday evening.
Second-term Republican President Donald Trump, in his address to a joint session of Congress boycotted by 15 senators and 70 members of the House, said he is seeking passage of the Dalilah Law that would prohibit “any state from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.”
The namesake and her father, Dalilah Coleman and Marcus Coleman, respectively, were guests of Trump for his 108-minute speech.
“Dalilah Coleman was only 5 years old in June 2024 when an 18-wheel tractor-trailer plowed into her stopped car traveling at 60 miles an hour or more,” Trump said. “The driver was an illegal alien let in by Joe Biden and given a commercial driver’s license by open borders politicians in California.”
In a Bakersfield, Calif., interview airing last week, Marcus Coleman told a television outlet four times his family was told she would not live. He favors legislative changes making only legal citizens with completed background check eligible for commercial driver’s licenses.
Partap Singh, 20, was the driver of the big rig in the collision. He was deported to India in September.
In an email to The Center Square, Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said, “Tonight, the president highlighted the tragic consequences of a preventable truck crash caused by an unqualified truck driver. For professional truckers, safety is not political, it is our daily responsibility.
“Ensuring that every individual operating an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle on America’s highways is properly vetted, trained, and held to consistent standards is essential to protecting our members and the motoring public.”
Dalilah Coleman was in a coma for three months and diagnosed with head trauma.
“When a vehicle accident happens,” Marcus Coleman told KGET, “the truck doesn’t care if you’re a Republican or you’re a Democrat, or you’re 18 years old or 9 years old. It doesn’t matter what side of the field you’re playing on. It’s going to happen, has happened and is continuing to happen.”
Trump said his administration, on this issue led by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Administrator Derek Barrs of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is “not playing games.”
“Doctors said Dalilah would never be able to walk or talk, have a good life,” he said. “She wouldn’t even be able to eat again. But against all odds, she is now in the first grade, learning to walk.
“Many, if not most, illegal aliens do not speak English and cannot read even the most basic road signs as to direction, speed, danger or location. That’s why tonight I’m calling on Congress to pass what we will call the Dalilah Law, barring any state from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.”
A statement from the Commercial Vehicle Training Association said in part, “For too long, gaps in oversight, inconsistent enforcement, and exploitation of regulatory loopholes have placed American motorists at risk and undermined reputable CDL training providers. Dalilah’s Law represents an important step toward restoring integrity to the system by ensuring that only properly trained, properly licensed, and legally authorized drivers are operating commercial motor vehicles on our nation’s highways.”
Spencer said, “OOIDA and the professional truck drivers we represent will continue supporting efforts at USDOT and in Congress to strengthen licensing standards and training requirements that will make our roads safer for everyone.”

The economy, immigration and patriotism took center stage Tuesday night as President Donald Trump delivered his second State of the Union Address of his second term.
Flanked by members of his cabinet, Supreme Court justices, military leaders and members of Congress, the president spoke for over an hour and a half.
Upon entering the chamber, the president was greeted with Republicans chanting, “USA, USA…”
“Our nation is back, bigger, better and richer and stronger than ever before,” Trump began his address, calling this time the “golden age of America.”
The president quickly compared the successes of his presidency to the Biden administration.
“Today, our border is secure, our spirit is restored. Inflation is plummeting, incomes are rising fast. The roaring economy is roaring like never before, and our enemies are scared. Our military and police are stacked, and America is respected again,” Trump said.
Trump touted his immigration policies, arguing the border is the “most secure border in American history.” In one year, illegal border crossings dropped by 96% at the southwest border, from the record highs during the Biden administration, The Center Square reported earlier Tuesday.
The president also cited the decline in the murder rate, lower gas prices, lower inflation, and lower mortgage rates.
In addition, he credited his administration with creating thousands of new jobs, underscoring that most have been in the private sector.
“The state of our union is strong,” the president said.
Many in the chamber erupted in loud applause and chants of “USA, USA…” as the president introduced the U.S. Olympics men’s hockey team that just won the gold medal.
The president credited his fellow Republicans in Congress for passing his “Big, Beautiful Bill,” while chastising Democrats for voting against the legislation that he credits for lowering taxes.
Among the economic incentives the president touted was the Trump Accounts set up for children.
In an uncomfortable moment, the president criticized some members of the U.S. Supreme Court that ruled Friday against his tariffs, vowing to continue to pursue them.
Trump took aim at Democrats in the room for allowing open borders, higher inflation and skyrocketing health care costs.
The president countered by citing his plan to lower health care costs by promoting price transparency and reducing prescription drug costs.
Trump called on Congress to codify his favorite nation program into law to lower the cost of medication.
The president also announced that AI tech companies will be obligated to build their own power plants.
He also highlighted his recent executive order banning large Wall Street investment firms from buying single-family homes, while calling on Congress to codify his executive action.
In addition, he announced a plan to give the private sector access to similar retirement plans “offered to every federal worker,” adding that it will be matched by $1,000 in federal taxpayer dollars.
The president also urged Congress to pass legislation to stop insider trading, specifically calling out former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has been accused of using her position to increase her family’s wealth through stock trading.
Trump pointed to allegations of fraud, spotlighting Minnesota, California, Massachusetts and Maine, announcing that Vice President JD Vance will lead the “war on fraud.”
The president called out Democrats for their open border policies, while highlighting angel families and victims of illegal immigration, “to remind everyone in this chamber exactly why we are deporting illegal alien criminals.”
Trump called out Democrats for cutting off funding for the Department of Homeland Security through the ongoing partial government shutdown. Democrats have blocked funding for the agency as they demand restrictions on enforcement of federal immigration laws.
The president demanded Democrats end “deadly sanctuary cities” while enacting “serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens.”
Trump then called on Congress to pass his SAVE America Act, which would secure voting by requiring voter ID. He noted New York City demanded identification for snow removers present ID to apply for jobs after the recent winter storm under self-declared socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“Congress should unite and enact this common-sense country-saving legislation right now and it should be before anything else happens,” the president demanded.
Trump also highlighted Sage Blair, a Virginia student, who school officials “sought to socially transition her” without her parents’ consent or knowledge.
When Trump said that shoud never happen, Republicans stood up and cheered whilre Democrats remained seated and silent.
“Nobody stands up. These people are crazy,” Trump said, staring down the Democrat side of the aisle.
The president also criticized no cash bail policies, calling on Congress to pass “tough legislation to ensure that violent and dangerous repeat offenders are put behind bars.”
He touted his efforts to reduce crime in major cities, such as the District of Columbia, Memphis, and New Orleans.
The president also honored the two West Virginia Guardsmen shot blocks from the White House on the eve of Thanksgiving, including Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who was killed. Trump introduced Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who was also shot and seriously injured during the attack. Wolf was awarded the Purple Heart during the address.
In addition, Trump touched on his international accomplishments over the past year, ending several wars and conflicts, calling Secretary of State Marco Rubio one of the best secretaries in history.
Many Democrats managed to stand and applaud the president for working to bring home Israeli hostages.
Trump highlighted Operation Midnight Hammer, striking Iran’s nuclear program. He underscored the atrocities carried out by Iran as he is weighing another operation against the Islamic Republic. He warned that Iran has developed missiles “that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.”
The president said he would prefer diplomacy, but “will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon.”
“I will never let the world’s number one sponsor of terror have a nuclear weapon,” the president vowed.
Trump shifted to his policies to prioritize dominance in the Western Hemisphere by targeting narco-terrorists and foreign interference, spotlighting the capture of former Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro.
Trump used the address to award the Congressional Medal of Honor to Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover for his heroic actions in Venezuela, and to 100-year-old Ret. Navy Captain Royce Williams, who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam – drawing massive applause from both Democrats and Republicans in the chamber.
The president concluded his address by highlighting the nation’s 250th birthday and its achievements since its birth.
“And these first 250 years were just the beginning, from the rugged border towns of Texas to the heartland villages of Michigan, from the sun-kissed shores of Florida to the endless fields of the Dakotas, and from the historic streets of Philadelphia to right here in our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., the golden age of America is upon us. The revolution that began in 1776 has not ended. It still continues because the flame of liberty and inpendence still burns in the heart of every American patriot, and our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder and more glorious than ever before,” the president concluded.

Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger slammed the Trump administration Tuesday night during the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
Spanberger slammed the Trump administration’s tariff policies, immigration enforcement and called for a greater focus on affordability.
“As we watched our nation’s lawmakers gather for a joint session of Congress, we did not hear the truth from our president,” Spanberger argued.
Spanberger claimed Trump’s tariff policies have cost Americans more than $1,700 and caused small businesses to struggle. Spanberger and majority Democrats in the Virginia state legislature have proposed tax increases that could cost state taxpayers up to an estimated $6.6 billion in fiscal year 2027 alone, according to a police memo from the Advancing American Freedom Foundation.
She cited the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” as the cause of rural hospital closures.
“Tonight, the President celebrated this law, the one threatening rural hospitals, stripping health care for millions of Americans and driving up costs in energy and housing, all while cutting food programs for hungry kids,” Spanberger said.
Spanberger criticized the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement measures. She referenced the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota at the hands of federal agents in January.
“Our broken immigration system is something to be fixed, not an excuse for unaccountable agents to terrorize our communities,” Spanberger said.
The governor also slammed Trump’s cabinet appointees and accused him of ceding power to international leaders in China and Russia. She referenced the White House ballroom construction project and the U.S. Department of Justice’s release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
She praised student groups and other activists across the country for engaging in walkouts to protest ICE. She also pointed to her 15-point margin of victory to become the first female governor of Virginia.
Spanberger also highlighted other Democratic victories in New Jersey, Georgia, Iowa and Texas. She called on Americans to honor the country’s 250th anniversary by uniting around a common cause.
“We, the people, have the power to make change, the power to stand up for what is right, the power to demand more of our nation.

President Donald Trump officially declared a “war on fraud” during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night. He named Vice President JD Vance as leader of the task force to fight fraud.
Trump claimed Somali fraud is up to $19 billion in Minnesota, greater than has previously been reported. He said it was “the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric of a nation.”
Trump suggested the efforts to tackle fraud could be used to balance the federal government’s budget. The U.S. national debt is more than $38 trillion.
“The Somali pirates who ransacked Minnesota remind us that there are large parts of the world where bribery, corruption and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception,” Trump said.
Trump blamed unrestricted immigration and open borders for the fraud issues. He said fraud leads to higher medical bills, car insurance, rent and taxes
Fraud allegations resurfaced in November when reports stated millions of taxpayers’ dollars were stolen from the state’s welfare system and sent to a Somali-based terror group. Dozens have already been convicted on fraud charges.
The allegations continued after conservative content creator Nick Shirley visited day care centers in Minnesota, alleging $110 million in fraud were spent in the child care centers. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz dropped out of the race for another term after allegations of fraud intensified.
Trump suggested California, Massachusetts and Maine are “even worse” in terms of fraud.
The president said the “war on fraud” began four months ago but stated he was officially announcing it on Tuesday night. The Trump administration has taken steps to cut funding for child care programs in states across the country.
The administration froze $10 billion in federal child care funding to California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York in January. Courts have sued to stop the freeze of funds. The administration has also sought to implement more rigorous verification methods for federal payments to child care facilities across the country.
Trump did not specify new details of the “war on fraud” during his address.

President Donald Trump delivers the second State of the Union address of his second term.