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President Trump says he's cutting federal funding to Minnesota Feb. 1
President Donald Trump said Tuesday the federal government is stopping all payments to sanctuary cities and states, including Minnesota, starting Feb. 1, in an effort to stop widespread fraud and crime.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - President Donald Trump said Tuesday the federal government is stopping all payments to sanctuary cities and states, including Minnesota, starting Feb. 1.
Trump made the comments while talking about various topics at the Detroit Economic Club.
Fraud investigation continues
What we know:
The move comes as Minnesota remains under investigation over widespread fraud involving day care centers throughout the Twin Cities. Last week, Gov. Tim Walz announced he would not seek a third term as much of the alleged fraud has happened during his tenure.
Trump on Tuesday called Walz "stupid, a crook and incompetent."
"Starting February 1, we’re not making any payments to sanctuary cities or states having sanctuary cities because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens, and it breeds fraud and crime," Trump said. "It’s a great state, now it’s getting destroyed by that stupid governor. What a stupid guy he is, he’s a crook. He’s an incompetent governor, he’s a crook, he allowed this. You can’t have corruption on a scale that nobody has ever seen before, you’re sitting as governor, and you don’t know what’s going on, it’s impossible."
When asked what funding will be cut, Trump said, "You'll see, it'll be significant. Minnesota is going to have to take care of itself for a little while."
Trump is also suspending nearly 8,000 small business loans in Minnesota that he says are tied to suspected fraud.
‘All we want to do is get them out’
What they're saying:
Tensions are high in the Twin Cities as thousands of federal agents are in the area for Operation Metro Surge, an effort to remove violent criminals from the state.
During a Jan. 7 immigration operation, Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent during an immigration operation, sparking protests across the metro and country. Jonathan Ross is claiming self-defense, saying Good drove her vehicle at him while trying to flee.
Trump says ICE agents are in the state to remove violent criminals. Protesters say people lawfully documenting the events are being attacked.
"Our ICE operation in Minnesota is finding hundreds of killers, violent predators and child rapists, some of the worst criminal offenders anywhere in the world, murderers all over the place. All we want to do is get them out," Trump said.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson resigns
Why you should care:
Six federal prosecutors, including Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, are resigning in the wake of a reported investigation into Good’s widow, who was with her during the shooting.
Thompson has been the face of Minnesota’s fraud investigations, and took the lead on the case involving Vance Boelter, the man accused of shooting state lawmakers Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman last June. Thompson and five other prosecutors reportedly resigned after being pushed to investigate Good’s widow.