@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
I am a teacher. An 'educator' is a word used by pompous idiots. Never call me that again.
I read the story. And then I found it wasn't true. In fact, the stupid NAzi twat Mr Shirley had visited on a day it was shut.
It has since lost its licence because so many parents and children had been threatened as a result of the stupid drunken lies he put out it had lost all its children.
And as a result of these lies, and their uncritical swallowing by the far right, Minnesota has lost all federal funding for childcare causing enormous damage to hundreds of thousands of children.
And do you know - I don't find that terribly funny?
I note Trump's approval rating has gone down slightly the last from around -12% to -14% (using Nate Silver's aggregator).
That's around the lowest level he's been at this term for any sustained period of time.
I can only imagine the latest news being negative for him. NATO supporters including Afghanistan veterans. Second amendment rights supporters. These are the sorts of groups who have significant numbers left in the "approve of Trump" camp who can be lost.
Trump's popularity within his base remains a core part of what gives him such power. If that fades sufficiently, then his attempts to overturn democracy will be harder to achieve.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
If there are more ICE arrests in a dozen other states, why has the Trump administration identified Minnesota as such a hotbed of problems and sent such a large army of ICE agents there? They are not needed in Minnesota. Your own data proves that this is a politically motivated attack on the state of Minnesota.
Other way around, the State of Minnesota is waging a politally motivated war on Trump.
In all seriousness you are so wrong.
Two things can be true. ICE officers can have behaved appallingly, and ICE as a whole could be being subjected to a highly organised and well-funded professional protest movement aimed at taking it down via some questionable tactics.
From this distance it would seem to me that the USA has reached a point at which the rule of law and the separation pf powers have not held up to the degree that it is not unreasonable for well intentioned people to engage in civil resistance.
To be specific: I think it is justified for USA citizens to believe that the illegal use of force by state sanctioned authority will not lead to investigation, prosecution and punishment and the reason for this is that civil authority is not being subject to the rule of law. Example: Renee Good.
The citizen faces similar difficult choices to those faced by Iranians now, or Germans in the 1930s.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
I am a teacher. An 'educator' is a word used by pompous idiots. Never call me that again.
I read the story. And then I found it wasn't true. In fact, the stupid NAzi twat Mr Shirley had visited on a day it was shut.
It has since lost its licence because so many parents and children had been threatened as a result of the stupid drunken lies he put out it had lost all its children.
And do you know - I don't find that terribly funny?
There were never any children there, except for the day after they closed when for some reason a bunch of children turned up to meet journalists flown in to meet them.
If there were children in these daycares, there would be hundreds of parents complaining about them being closed down. But there’s no parents complaining.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
$9 billion is one estimate that hasn't been proven, but there has certainly been a lot of fraud. It's that order of magnitude.
Which isn't a reason to flood the state with ICE agents, nor to shoot people. Nor to then claim those people were "domestic terrorists" and refuse any investigation of the ICE agents doing the shooting.
I note Trump's approval rating has gone down slightly the last from around -12% to -14% (using Nate Silver's aggregator).
That's around the lowest level he's been at this term for any sustained period of time.
I can only imagine the latest news being negative for him. NATO supporters including Afghanistan veterans. Second amendment rights supporters. These are the sorts of groups who have significant numbers left in the "approve of Trump" camp who can be lost.
Trump's popularity within his base remains a core part of what gives him such power. If that fades sufficiently, then his attempts to overturn democracy will be harder to achieve.
Remember that even Trump's 40% current approval rating means 4/5 of his 2024 voters still back him.
Now that would be a loss still sufficient for the Democrats to easily win the midterms in November and the 2028 presidential election but it does mean MAGA can control the GOP for years to come at the same time
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Maybe he can read about Trumpcoin on his Trump phone.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
Ok...
Those numbers from Vera are tracking who is being held in detention centres. They tell you nothing about where the detainees are being picked up. There are several flights a day out of Minnesota to detention centres in Texas and elsewhere. Example here:
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
“Enough. It’s not acceptable for American citizens to be killed by federal agents for exercising their God-given and constitutional rights to protest their government.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
It's been 14 mins and Andy Burnham still hasn't published part II, this is why he isn't fit to be an MP and the NEC were right to block him.
I am disappointed by today’s NEC decision and concerned about its potential impact on the important elections ahead of us.
To whoever is Labour’s candidate and to our members in Manchester and Tameside: you will have my full support and I will be there whenever you need me.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
I know we're all talking about it, because things that happen in America are consequential beyond its borders, but 'I stand with' is a weird way to get involved in the story if one is not American.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Trump has been selling influence and making hundreds of millions of dollars.
Crypto meme coin. How is it any different to other big-name American politicians selling fancy fundraiser dinners for $1m a plate?
Yes the amount of money in American politics is seriously bad, and leads to the politicians following the wishes of the donors rather than the wishes of the electorate.
“Enough. It’s not acceptable for American citizens to be killed by federal agents for exercising their God-given and constitutional rights to protest their government.
Governors have more scope to be a little more individual I expect, but the partisan loyalty of the tribes in the USA is off the charts, outside a bare handful of people, almost all long out of the game, pushback at one's own side is never sustained for longer than a gnat's fart.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Poland is in no hurry to join the euro zone, Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski told the Financial Times in an interview published on Sunday.
Domanski said that the case for adopting the euro had weakened as Poland has outpaced most economies in the bloc. Member states of the European Union are obliged to join the single currency area when certain criteria are met.
“Our economy is now doing clearly better than most of those that have the euro,” Domanski said.
“We have more and more data, research and arguments to keep the Polish zloty.”
I am old enough to remember when @williamglenn was a Eurofederalist. He was a damn articulate one too.
Rather gives the lie to the idea that any member can be forced into the euro, of course.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Trump has been selling influence and making hundreds of millions of dollars.
Meme coin. How is it any different to other big-name American politicians selling fancy fundraiser dinners for $1m a plate?
Yes the amount of money in American politics is seriously bad, and leads to the politicians following the wishes of the donors rather than the wishes of the electorate.
I really do not understand why it is necessary to defend memecoin grifting now. Even in an argument of good things thatTrump has done that is not going to be on the list. That'd be like defending Biden by excusing him pardoning his son, it really doesn't aid the defence at all.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Trump has been selling influence and making hundreds of millions of dollars.
Meme coin. How is it any different to other big-name American politicians selling fancy fundraiser dinners for $1m a plate?
Yes the amount of money in American politics is seriously bad, and leads to the politicians following the wishes of the donors rather than the wishes of the electorate.
Income from fundraising dinners has to be declared as political donations, so there's some transparency there. Trumpcoin is not being declared as political donations. The money isn't going into campaigning: it's going into Trump's pockets. Foreign governments can't buy places at fundraising dinners, but are involved in $Trump.
Politicians with fancy fundraising dinners aren't re-writing laws around dinners. Trump has dismantled numerous rules around crypto.
Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, whose company Binance just happened to be in business with the Trump family's crypto startup World Liberty Financial.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
Ok...
Those numbers from Vera are tracking who is being held in detention centres. They tell you nothing about where the detainees are being picked up. There are several flights a day out of Minnesota to detention centres in Texas and elsewhere. Example here:
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
Isn't that because they're flying people out of Minnesota into Texas to hold in detention there?
I know we're all talking about it, because things that happen in America are consequential beyond its borders, but 'I stand with' is a weird way to get involved in the story if one is not American.
Had to google to confirm what I suspected: that Mr Boam was a Reform councillor. Looks a bit wet behind the ears, but in our land of Dixon of Dock Green and unarmed bobbies on the beat, Nigel will find such endorsements unhelpful.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Careful, now. You're going to make our dear beloved Leon green with envy by the degree to which you have hijacked this thread tonight.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
Isn't that because they're flying people out of Minnesota into Texas to hold in detention there?
Good question. I guess it’s possible, happy to see any evidence that point in that direction.
My point was that arrests in Minnesota are not necessarily high in number, but are taking up a disproportional amount of resources because of the attitude of the State government towards Federal authorities.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
Isn't that because they're flying people out of Minnesota into Texas to hold in detention there?
Good question. I guess it’s possible, happy to see any evidence that point in that direction.
My point was that arrests in Minnesota are not necessarily high in number, but are taking up a disproportional amount of resources because of the attitude of the State government towards Federal authorities.
Honestly you’ll shovel anything MAGA tells you into your gob won’t you. And the Right complains about lack of critical thinking, good grief.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
when you see what his cronies are doing to civilians in broad daylight, you don't need much of an imagination to wonder what's happening to the women and children in his ICE camps
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Sandpit, love you lots, I have agreed with many of your historic posts and you agree with many of mine but I worry that you are doing the thing where you agree with a microcosm of something that isn’t popular and the. Go down the route of defending everything else they do because if you don’t it might feel that your belief in the small thing is undone by everything else being clearly wrong.
I can accept that I hoped that there might be benefits from Trumpism but they are massively outweighed by the wrong. I accept that hope and tiny wins are less important than the bigger picture.
Trump and his administration are beyond wrong. I admire your understandable desire to defend the few things you believe are ok and correct but it ultimately needs you to buy in to the rest of the shit.
There is absolutely nothing good about the Trump regime/movement. You don’t need to contort to defend. Just relax and accept it’s fucked and hope for a new US gov who get the old republican/small gov world if that is what you want - I do. But don’t accept this absolute abortion of government this is.
This is from someone who thinks that we are generally in agreement on life, we both live in small tax, interesting places where it comes to gov and finances but there is really no defence of the current US administration.
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
If you live in the Sandpit surely you've already admitted that human rights are somewhat optional.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
If there are more ICE arrests in a dozen other states, why has the Trump administration identified Minnesota as such a hotbed of problems and sent such a large army of ICE agents there? They are not needed in Minnesota. Your own data proves that this is a politically motivated attack on the state of Minnesota.
Other way around, the State of Minnesota is waging a politally motivated war on Trump.
In all seriousness you are so wrong.
Two things can be true. ICE officers can have behaved appallingly, and ICE as a whole could be being subjected to a highly organised and well-funded professional protest movement aimed at taking it down via some questionable tactics.
I must say whenever I've gone and protested about something (LTNs, raptor persecution, stuff like that), I've always been baffled by the lack of cash I've received from Big Bicycle and the RSPB. They must have the wrong bank details.
This might startle you somewhat but people go on protests because they believe in something.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Fair enough. Hitler wasn't all bad, he liked dogs.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Sandpit, love you lots, I have agreed with many of your historic posts and you agree with many of mine but I worry that you are doing the thing where you agree with a microcosm of something that isn’t popular and the. Go down the route of defending everything else they do because if you don’t it might feel that your belief in the small thing is undone by everything else being clearly wrong.
I can accept that I hoped that there might be benefits from Trumpism but they are massively outweighed by the wrong. I accept that hope and tiny wins are less important than the bigger picture.
Trump and his administration are beyond wrong. I admire your understandable desire to defend the few things you believe are ok and correct but it ultimately needs you to buy in to the rest of the shit.
There is absolutely nothing good about the Trump regime/movement. You don’t need to contort to defend. Just relax and accept it’s fucked and hope for a new US gov who get the old republican/small gov world if that is what you want - I do. But don’t accept this absolute abortion of government this is.
This is from someone who thinks that we are generally in agreement on life, we both live in small tax, interesting places where it comes to gov and finances but there is really no defence of the current US administration.
I think the really tricky thing politically is when you intensely dislike the alternative (as Sandpit does the Dems) and so end up justifying things that you really shouldn't.
I think many in this country found themselves in such a position when we were asked to choose between Corbyn and Johnson as PM.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
If there are more ICE arrests in a dozen other states, why has the Trump administration identified Minnesota as such a hotbed of problems and sent such a large army of ICE agents there? They are not needed in Minnesota. Your own data proves that this is a politically motivated attack on the state of Minnesota.
Other way around, the State of Minnesota is waging a politally motivated war on Trump.
In all seriousness you are so wrong.
Two things can be true. ICE officers can have behaved appallingly, and ICE as a whole could be being subjected to a highly organised and well-funded professional protest movement aimed at taking it down via some questionable tactics.
I must say whenever I've gone and protested about something (LTNs, raptor persecution, stuff like that), I've always been baffled by the lack of cash I've received from Big Bicycle and the RSPB. They must have the wrong bank details.
This might startle you somewhat but people go on protests because they believe in something.
A friend took part in direct action - blocking up peat drains overnight to annoy Fisons - but she definitely didn't get money from Big Coir.
They got annoyed enough to use explosives to blow up one of the dams, just to make a point.
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
Weirdly, the name Kyle Rittenhouse springs to mind.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
If there are more ICE arrests in a dozen other states, why has the Trump administration identified Minnesota as such a hotbed of problems and sent such a large army of ICE agents there? They are not needed in Minnesota. Your own data proves that this is a politically motivated attack on the state of Minnesota.
Other way around, the State of Minnesota is waging a politally motivated war on Trump.
In all seriousness you are so wrong.
Two things can be true. ICE officers can have behaved appallingly, and ICE as a whole could be being subjected to a highly organised and well-funded professional protest movement aimed at taking it down via some questionable tactics.
I must say whenever I've gone and protested about something (LTNs, raptor persecution, stuff like that), I've always been baffled by the lack of cash I've received from Big Bicycle and the RSPB. They must have the wrong bank details.
This might startle you somewhat but people go on protests because they believe in something.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
If there are more ICE arrests in a dozen other states, why has the Trump administration identified Minnesota as such a hotbed of problems and sent such a large army of ICE agents there? They are not needed in Minnesota. Your own data proves that this is a politically motivated attack on the state of Minnesota.
Other way around, the State of Minnesota is waging a politally motivated war on Trump.
In all seriousness you are so wrong.
Two things can be true. ICE officers can have behaved appallingly, and ICE as a whole could be being subjected to a highly organised and well-funded professional protest movement aimed at taking it down via some questionable tactics.
I must say whenever I've gone and protested about something (LTNs, raptor persecution...
I have this image of the Royal Society for the Preservation of Raptors urging a boycott of Spielberg for "Jurassic Park"...
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
Weirdly, the name Kyle Rittenhouse springs to mind.
It’s not just Rittenhouse, it’s the whole batshit “we need to be armed to resist a tyrannical government” and their moment has come and tumbleweed.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Fair enough. Hitler wasn't all bad, he liked dogs.
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
I have already said that this was murder plain and simple but the fact that it is okay for people to attend protests with a concealed fire arm is surely at least a part of the problem. The ICE and Border service seem to be a group of thugs but it is hardly surprising in these circumstances that they are more than a bit twitchy. Americans are nuts.
The centrist foxhounds going after @platopit is unnecessary and unedifying. The guy can hold and express his opinions. He doesn't owe any podcast listening c-nt on here a rationalisation or justification.
It's a good job that @Jessopious' wife's boyfriend isn't letting him use the computer at the moment. He would have been all over it,
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
Weirdly, the name Kyle Rittenhouse springs to mind.
It’s not just Rittenhouse, it’s the whole batshit “we need to be armed to resist a tyrannical government” and their moment has come and tumbleweed.
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
Weirdly, the name Kyle Rittenhouse springs to mind.
It’s not just Rittenhouse, it’s the whole batshit “we need to be armed to resist a tyrannical government” and their moment has come and tumbleweed.
That's because by and large they aren't really freedom-loving patriots but a bunch of bootlicking idiots who own firearms for a whole bunch of different psychological deficiencies.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with all of your points, particularly that Sandpit is a thoughtful poster who brings a valuable perspective to this board...he has also spent the last two evenings justifying extra-judicial killing. This deserves to be challenged.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
He is excusing what is effectively state execution though, not to mention the terrorising of school children and the abduction of people with legal residency. I appreciate that he has chosen to live in a region where that is normal, but for people with even the tiniest amount of humanity it really isn't, wherever it is happening.
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
I have already said that this was murder plain and simple but the fact that it is okay for people to attend protests with a concealed fire arm is surely at least a part of the problem. The ICE and Border service seem to be a group of thugs but it is hardly surprising in these circumstances that they are more than a bit twitchy. Americans are nuts.
I) How do you know if a person has a concealed firearm? Ii) A concealed carry permit permits a person to carry a concealed firearm. There are circs where it is allowed to disarm them (school entrances being the obvious one) but that's not the default position.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
Agreed.
I think @Sandpit has painted himself into a bit of a corner and doesn't really like to admit he may be wrong on this point but he's a good member of the PB community and one with whom I enjoy debating, although I rarely agree with him on anything apart from Ukraine.
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
I have already said that this was murder plain and simple but the fact that it is okay for people to attend protests with a concealed fire arm is surely at least a part of the problem. The ICE and Border service seem to be a group of thugs but it is hardly surprising in these circumstances that they are more than a bit twitchy. Americans are nuts.
Second amendment. It's part of the rules of the US that civilians may be armed and police or other police like organisations should have the training to disarm and not kill said civilians. The video shows that this was murder, unambiguously murder. They disarmed him and then another agent shot him twice in the back. That agent should be put up on murder charges.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Fair enough. Hitler wasn't all bad, he liked dogs.
The centrist foxhounds going after @platopit is unnecessary and unedifying. The guy can hold and express his opinions. He doesn't owe any podcast listening c-nt on here a rationalisation or justification.
It's a good job that @Jessopious' wife's boyfriend isn't letting him use the computer at the moment. He would have been all over it,
i've got far more interesting things to do with my life than listen to fucking podcasts thanks.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
It seems fair to defend Trump [and the administration] on some levels - many things are arguable. TDS is still a thing.
But justifying the shooting of someone in the street who is protesting peacefully would seem a different matter.
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
I have already said that this was murder plain and simple but the fact that it is okay for people to attend protests with a concealed fire arm is surely at least a part of the problem. The ICE and Border service seem to be a group of thugs but it is hardly surprising in these circumstances that they are more than a bit twitchy. Americans are nuts.
Agree with the practicalities of that. The whole thing has put to bed the "good guy with a gun" and "stand up to tyrannical government" arguments. This was the good guy standing up to a tyrannical government - and is now dead.
Not my circus, not my monkeys, but it's possible that Andy is showing why he's not the man.
(and grim as it is for Labour to admit it, risking the GM mayorality to save one Westminster seat is a rubbish gamble.)
That's why the NEC told him no by 9:1 He left the HoC to be Manc Mayor because he thought Labour were out of the running nationally, others hung on in there. He could have stood down in '24 and looked for a constituency then but didn't. It's just personal opportunism.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
If there are more ICE arrests in a dozen other states, why has the Trump administration identified Minnesota as such a hotbed of problems and sent such a large army of ICE agents there? They are not needed in Minnesota. Your own data proves that this is a politically motivated attack on the state of Minnesota.
Other way around, the State of Minnesota is waging a politally motivated war on Trump.
In all seriousness you are so wrong.
Two things can be true. ICE officers can have behaved appallingly, and ICE as a whole could be being subjected to a highly organised and well-funded professional protest movement aimed at taking it down via some questionable tactics.
I must say whenever I've gone and protested about something (LTNs, raptor persecution, stuff like that), I've always been baffled by the lack of cash I've received from Big Bicycle and the RSPB. They must have the wrong bank details.
This might startle you somewhat but people go on protests because they believe in something.
You mean, you didn’t even get a penny farthing from Big Bicycle?
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
It seems fair to defend Trump [and the administration] on some levels - many things are arguable. TDS is still a thing.
But justifying the shooting of someone in the street who is protesting peacefully would seem a different matter.
Sure, but the abuse of Sandpit personally has gone OTT IMO.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
It seems fair to defend Trump [and the administration] on some levels - many things are arguable. TDS is still a thing.
But justifying the shooting of someone in the street who is protesting peacefully would seem a different matter.
The phrase TDS is often trotted out by trump apologists who don't want to see the whole picture.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Sandpit, love you lots, I have agreed with many of your historic posts and you agree with many of mine but I worry that you are doing the thing where you agree with a microcosm of something that isn’t popular and the. Go down the route of defending everything else they do because if you don’t it might feel that your belief in the small thing is undone by everything else being clearly wrong.
I can accept that I hoped that there might be benefits from Trumpism but they are massively outweighed by the wrong. I accept that hope and tiny wins are less important than the bigger picture.
Trump and his administration are beyond wrong. I admire your understandable desire to defend the few things you believe are ok and correct but it ultimately needs you to buy in to the rest of the shit.
There is absolutely nothing good about the Trump regime/movement. You don’t need to contort to defend. Just relax and accept it’s fucked and hope for a new US gov who get the old republican/small gov world if that is what you want - I do. But don’t accept this absolute abortion of government this is.
This is from someone who thinks that we are generally in agreement on life, we both live in small tax, interesting places where it comes to gov and finances but there is really no defence of the current US administration.
It is not for you to take Sandpit to one side and tell him what he's allowed to think. Piss off.
There's a huge political battle going on in the USA, in which a sizeable minority support the Trump administration. Most of us would prefer to think that's just because they're less well-informed than us here on PB on events in their own country, but it's valuable for those of us who actually like to engage the odd brain cell to have access to the alternative viewpoint that Sandpit brings.
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law." https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
I have already said that this was murder plain and simple but the fact that it is okay for people to attend protests with a concealed fire arm is surely at least a part of the problem. The ICE and Border service seem to be a group of thugs but it is hardly surprising in these circumstances that they are more than a bit twitchy. Americans are nuts.
Agree with the practicalities of that. The whole thing has put to bed the "good guy with a gun" and "stand up to tyrannical government" arguments. This was the good guy standing up to a tyrannical government - and is now dead.
No one sane thinks that it's OK to carry a live firearm around in public, but it is legal in the US and Trump supporters are particularly keen on their right to do so. Also clear that in a sane world ICE wouldn't have firearms as they are clearly trigger-happy bigots who in a properly run police force would assessed unfit to carry a firearm.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
If there are more ICE arrests in a dozen other states, why has the Trump administration identified Minnesota as such a hotbed of problems and sent such a large army of ICE agents there? They are not needed in Minnesota. Your own data proves that this is a politically motivated attack on the state of Minnesota.
Other way around, the State of Minnesota is waging a politally motivated war on Trump.
In all seriousness you are so wrong.
Two things can be true. ICE officers can have behaved appallingly, and ICE as a whole could be being subjected to a highly organised and well-funded professional protest movement aimed at taking it down via some questionable tactics.
I must say whenever I've gone and protested about something (LTNs, raptor persecution, stuff like that), I've always been baffled by the lack of cash I've received from Big Bicycle and the RSPB. They must have the wrong bank details.
This might startle you somewhat but people go on protests because they believe in something.
Not sure how you feel your bird protesting is remotely relevant to this case.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
It seems fair to defend Trump [and the administration] on some levels - many things are arguable. TDS is still a thing.
But justifying the shooting of someone in the street who is protesting peacefully would seem a different matter.
The phrase TDS is often trotted out by trump apologists who don't want to see the whole picture.
I certainly wouldn't apologise for him but what I would take it to mean is not taking each specific action on its own merits.
He might accidentally do something right. Increasingly long odds on that, perhaps.
DS applies to all politicians, including Starmer, who also manages to blunder into doing the right thing sometimes, having announced the wrong thing first.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
If there are more ICE arrests in a dozen other states, why has the Trump administration identified Minnesota as such a hotbed of problems and sent such a large army of ICE agents there? They are not needed in Minnesota. Your own data proves that this is a politically motivated attack on the state of Minnesota.
Other way around, the State of Minnesota is waging a politally motivated war on Trump.
In all seriousness you are so wrong.
Two things can be true. ICE officers can have behaved appallingly, and ICE as a whole could be being subjected to a highly organised and well-funded professional protest movement aimed at taking it down via some questionable tactics.
I must say whenever I've gone and protested about something (LTNs, raptor persecution, stuff like that), I've always been baffled by the lack of cash I've received from Big Bicycle and the RSPB. They must have the wrong bank details.
This might startle you somewhat but people go on protests because they believe in something.
Not sure how you feel your bird protesting is remotely relevant to this case.
Yours is a standard trope directed at people who protest. It might stem from an inability to comprehend holding a particular view, or for never having felt strongly enough about something to understand the compulsion. Often it's a deliberate way of undermining them.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Sandpit, love you lots, I have agreed with many of your historic posts and you agree with many of mine but I worry that you are doing the thing where you agree with a microcosm of something that isn’t popular and the. Go down the route of defending everything else they do because if you don’t it might feel that your belief in the small thing is undone by everything else being clearly wrong.
I can accept that I hoped that there might be benefits from Trumpism but they are massively outweighed by the wrong. I accept that hope and tiny wins are less important than the bigger picture.
Trump and his administration are beyond wrong. I admire your understandable desire to defend the few things you believe are ok and correct but it ultimately needs you to buy in to the rest of the shit.
There is absolutely nothing good about the Trump regime/movement. You don’t need to contort to defend. Just relax and accept it’s fucked and hope for a new US gov who get the old republican/small gov world if that is what you want - I do. But don’t accept this absolute abortion of government this is.
This is from someone who thinks that we are generally in agreement on life, we both live in small tax, interesting places where it comes to gov and finances but there is really no defence of the current US administration.
It is not for you to take Sandpit to one side and tell him what he's allowed to think. Piss off.
There's a huge political battle going on in the USA, in which a sizeable minority support the Trump administration. Most of us would prefer to think that's just because they're less well-informed than us here on PB on events in their own country, but it's valuable for those of us who actually like to engage the odd brain cell to have access to the alternative viewpoint that Sandpit brings.
And it’s not for you to tell me what to say to Sandpit who I like and was just expressing a view. Piss off.
I clearly appreciate alternative viewpoints and would hate this place to be a hive-mind but also it’s fair to then express to someone here that I disagree with their current view - you and I have disagreed and agreed on multiple issues.
I absolutely support Sandpit having a different view and agree with him and disagree on various points.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
It seems fair to defend Trump [and the administration] on some levels - many things are arguable. TDS is still a thing.
But justifying the shooting of someone in the street who is protesting peacefully would seem a different matter.
The phrase TDS is often trotted out by trump apologists who don't want to see the whole picture.
I certainly wouldn't apologise for him but what I would take it to mean is not taking each specific action on its own merits.
He might accidentally do something right. Increasingly long odds on that, perhaps.
DS applies to all politicians, including Starmer, who also manages to blunder into doing the right thing sometimes, having announced the wrong thing first.
We were assured he was going to invade Greenland a couple of days ago. That he was a deranged dementia patient who had lost the capacity to reason, and therefore he'd as happily soak Greenland in European blood as eat his morning cornflakes.
Except it has now all been wrapped up diplomatically, he seems to have got everything he asked for, and he now says force was never on the agenda. Yet no embarrassed climb down from our resident Trump experts, just on to the next civilisation-ending outrage and hope nobody will notice.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Fair enough. Hitler wasn't all bad, he liked dogs.
@BarackObama · 1h The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Tim Walz and his fraudster friends are trying to stoke a civil war, that’s why the media focus is on Minnesota.
You're going to have to do better than an unsourced/unliked graphic from a person whose pinned Tweet begins with.
DEMOCRATS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE BORDERS FOR POLITICAL GAINS
THEY PUT THESE IMMIGRANTS THROUGH FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL TORTURE BY CARTELS
JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS & ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
The journey through the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Darién Gap for millions of Latin American migrants seeking refuge in America during the Biden administration was a descent into chaos, where every step courted death. Families from Venezuela, Honduras, and beyond, fleeing economic collapse and violence, embarked on this perilous trek, often starting with overcrowded buses or boats that dumped them at the jungle's edge. The physical ordeals began immediately: navigating swollen rivers that could sweep away the unwary, trudging through mud-slick trails infested with venomous snakes and insects carrying deadly diseases like malaria. Exhaustion set in quickly, with migrants carrying heavy packs under relentless rain, their feet blistering and rotting from constant wetness. Many succumbed to dehydration, starvation, or injuries from falls into ravines, their bodies left behind as grim markers for those who followed.
I’ll start with Newsweek then, who say that 23.2% of all ICE detentions are in Texas, with Florida in second place.
DuckDuckGo AI, quoting the Prison Policy Initiative:
ICE Detentions by State in 2025 Overview of Detention Numbers In 2025, the number of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) varied significantly across different states. The following table summarizes the states with the highest number of ICE detainees: STATE NUMBER OF DETAINEES Texas 9,657 California 5,000 Florida 4,500 New York 3,200 Arizona 1,592 Key Points Texas consistently held the largest number of detainees, with over 9,600 individuals in ICE custody. California and Florida followed, with significant numbers reflecting their large immigrant populations. New York and Arizona also had notable detainee counts, indicating active ICE operations in these states.
That statistic is absolutely meaningless unless we know how many actual illegal immigrants there are in each state.
Most of them will be in states that border Mexico or ones with easy access to the sea. So that is where most arrests will happen. Minnesota is neither.
And given your claims about Somalian fraud turned out to be essentially a mad MAGA conspiracy theory I don't think you're on very strong ground with arguing Minnesota is a hotbed of illegal immigration.
CBS News: the charges and convictions of the many fraud schemes in Minnesota
This summer, state officials shut down a fairly new program designed to help seniors and people with disabilities find housing after discovering "large-scale fraud." A month later, federal prosecutors charged eight people with defrauding the program, which was run through the state's Medicaid service, by enrolling as providers and submitting millions in "fake and inflated bills." Another five people were charged with bilking the housing program in mid-December — including two Pennsylvanians with no clear connections to Minnesota who allegedly traveled there in what prosecutors described as "fraud tourism." Prosecutors said the housing stabilization program was susceptible to fraud because it intentionally had "low barriers to entry" and few record-keeping requirements. They also noted that spending on the program had ballooned to more than $100 million last year, despite initial estimates that it would cost around $2.6 million a year.
NY Post: Minnesota welfare fraud masterminded interviewed from prison
The convicted mastermind of the staggering $250 million welfare fraud scam in Minnesota has moaned in a jailhouse interview about having “lost everything” as she faces up to 33 years in prison.
As the head of the infamous nonprofit Feeding Our Future, Aimee Bock, 45, splurged millions of federal dollars intended to support hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic on luxury cars, designer handbags, and properties worldwide.
Bock oversaw a network of fraudsters — almost all Somali and East African — that took advantage of a bill co-signed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) waiving some requirements for school meal programs during the pandemic.
Prosecutors Say Minnesota’s Fraud Scandal Goes Further Than Previously Known Federal prosecutors said they were now investigating fraud worth billions of dollars in 14 social services programs in the state.
Yes, the federal prosecutors trying to prosecute Smith for daring to prosecute the fat old Paedo Protector say that it goes much further than previously claimed. Of course. That's conclusive.
The reality is there was fraud. As there was in every state. Most notably, of course, in Florida. It was not as widespread or as serious in Minnesota as MAGA are claiming because it's essentially a highly personal smear campaign against Tim Walz, building on the really nasty false allegations they made against him in the campaign.
No wonder he's had enough and is quitting politics.
Edit - there's a detailed analysis here if you're interested in analysis rather than MAGA tinhattery:
There’s an estimated $9bn in NGO fraud in Minnesota.
Surely, as an educator, you had a laugh at the story of the “Quality Learing Center”(sic), which had no kids but a turnover of $3m a year?
So good that you are getting interested in financial irregularities, Sandpit. May I draw your attention to Trumpcoin? Perhaps it passed you by. It will shock you to your sandals.
Trumpcoin? No idea I’m afraid, something cryptocurrency?
Goodness, no. https://realtrumpcoins.com/ (Go on, don't be coy, you've got one of the solid gold ones, haven't you?)
Well if you bought gold a year ago, you’re about 77% up. It could go over $5,000 tomorrow.
Gold goes up during times of insecurity... and who is most responsible for this recent increase in insecurity? Oh, yes, Donald Trump, your hero.
You all keep missing the numourous critisisms.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Sandpit, love you lots, I have agreed with many of your historic posts and you agree with many of mine but I worry that you are doing the thing where you agree with a microcosm of something that isn’t popular and the. Go down the route of defending everything else they do because if you don’t it might feel that your belief in the small thing is undone by everything else being clearly wrong.
I can accept that I hoped that there might be benefits from Trumpism but they are massively outweighed by the wrong. I accept that hope and tiny wins are less important than the bigger picture.
Trump and his administration are beyond wrong. I admire your understandable desire to defend the few things you believe are ok and correct but it ultimately needs you to buy in to the rest of the shit.
There is absolutely nothing good about the Trump regime/movement. You don’t need to contort to defend. Just relax and accept it’s fucked and hope for a new US gov who get the old republican/small gov world if that is what you want - I do. But don’t accept this absolute abortion of government this is.
This is from someone who thinks that we are generally in agreement on life, we both live in small tax, interesting places where it comes to gov and finances but there is really no defence of the current US administration.
It is not for you to take Sandpit to one side and tell him what he's allowed to think. Piss off.
There's a huge political battle going on in the USA, in which a sizeable minority support the Trump administration. Most of us would prefer to think that's just because they're less well-informed than us here on PB on events in their own country, but it's valuable for those of us who actually like to engage the odd brain cell to have access to the alternative viewpoint that Sandpit brings.
And it’s not for you to tell me what to say to Sandpit who I like and was just expressing a view. Piss off.
I clearly appreciate alternative viewpoints and would hate this place to be a hive-mind but also it’s fair to then express to someone here that I disagree with their current view - you and I have disagreed and agreed on multiple issues.
I absolutely support Sandpit having a different view and agree with him and disagree on various points.
Of all the posts in the argument, your chummy patronisation was to me the most egregious.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
It seems fair to defend Trump [and the administration] on some levels - many things are arguable. TDS is still a thing.
But justifying the shooting of someone in the street who is protesting peacefully would seem a different matter.
The phrase TDS is often trotted out by trump apologists who don't want to see the whole picture.
I certainly wouldn't apologise for him but what I would take it to mean is not taking each specific action on its own merits.
He might accidentally do something right. Increasingly long odds on that, perhaps.
DS applies to all politicians, including Starmer, who also manages to blunder into doing the right thing sometimes, having announced the wrong thing first.
We were assured he was going to invade Greenland a couple of days ago. That he was a deranged dementia patient who had lost the capacity to reason, and therefore he'd as happily soak Greenland in European blood as eat his morning cornflakes.
Except it has now all been wrapped up diplomatically, he seems to have got everything he asked for, and he now says force was never on the agenda. Yet no embarrassed climb down from our resident Trump experts, just on to the next civilisation-ending outrage and hope nobody will notice.
Bless. Trump could quite easily have done the things you mention with impunity, that's the sign of a Narcissistic Sociopath. I suspect the reason it didn't come to that was a combination of Carney and the European "weapon" spoken about in other places. I'm not sure it was diplomacy, more a case of serious pushback. Don't forget, Lucky, next week he could be on his next set of dementia meds and we could be back in the first situation.
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
It seems fair to defend Trump [and the administration] on some levels - many things are arguable. TDS is still a thing.
But justifying the shooting of someone in the street who is protesting peacefully would seem a different matter.
The phrase TDS is often trotted out by trump apologists who don't want to see the whole picture.
I certainly wouldn't apologise for him but what I would take it to mean is not taking each specific action on its own merits.
He might accidentally do something right. Increasingly long odds on that, perhaps.
DS applies to all politicians, including Starmer, who also manages to blunder into doing the right thing sometimes, having announced the wrong thing first.
We were assured he was going to invade Greenland a couple of days ago. That he was a deranged dementia patient who had lost the capacity to reason, and therefore he'd as happily soak Greenland in European blood as eat his morning cornflakes.
Except it has now all been wrapped up diplomatically, he seems to have got everything he asked for, and he now says force was never on the agenda. Yet no embarrassed climb down from our resident Trump experts, just on to the next civilisation-ending outrage and hope nobody will notice.
No one thought he’d actually invade Greenland. And he didn’t get what he wanted . I see you omitted his trashing of NATO troops who died supporting the USA . He’s now given immunity to ICE to execute anyone they see fit and you’re still trying to sanewash his actions . He might not be mad but he is true evil .
Not my circus, not my monkeys, but it's possible that Andy is showing why he's not the man.
(and grim as it is for Labour to admit it, risking the GM mayorality to save one Westminster seat is a rubbish gamble.)
That's why the NEC told him no by 9:1 He left the HoC to be Manc Mayor because he thought Labour were out of the running nationally, others hung on in there. He could have stood down in '24 and looked for a constituency then but didn't. It's just personal opportunism.
If Labour lose the by election though, Burnham can now say 'told you so' and apply for Gorton again before the next GE. Given his Mayoral term expires in May 2028 if he does not run again the NEC could then hardly block him a second time
Can we lay off the pile on on Sandpit please? 1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises. 2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump. 3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
It seems fair to defend Trump [and the administration] on some levels - many things are arguable. TDS is still a thing.
But justifying the shooting of someone in the street who is protesting peacefully would seem a different matter.
The phrase TDS is often trotted out by trump apologists who don't want to see the whole picture.
I certainly wouldn't apologise for him but what I would take it to mean is not taking each specific action on its own merits.
He might accidentally do something right. Increasingly long odds on that, perhaps.
DS applies to all politicians, including Starmer, who also manages to blunder into doing the right thing sometimes, having announced the wrong thing first.
We were assured he was going to invade Greenland a couple of days ago. That he was a deranged dementia patient who had lost the capacity to reason, and therefore he'd as happily soak Greenland in European blood as eat his morning cornflakes.
Except it has now all been wrapped up diplomatically, he seems to have got everything he asked for, and he now says force was never on the agenda. Yet no embarrassed climb down from our resident Trump experts, just on to the next civilisation-ending outrage and hope nobody will notice.
No one thought he’d actually invade Greenland. And he didn’t get what he wanted . I see you omitted his trashing of NATO troops who died supporting the USA . He’s now given immunity to ICE to execute anyone they see fit and you’re still trying to sanewash his actions . He might not be mad but he is true evil .
Comments
I read the story. And then I found it wasn't true. In fact, the stupid NAzi twat Mr Shirley had visited on a day it was shut.
It has since lost its licence because so many parents and children had been threatened as a result of the stupid drunken lies he put out it had lost all its children.
And as a result of these lies, and their uncritical swallowing by the far right, Minnesota has lost all federal funding for childcare causing enormous damage to hundreds of thousands of children.
And do you know - I don't find that terribly funny?
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minneapolis-day-care-quality-learning-center-closed-after-nick-shirley-video/
That's around the lowest level he's been at this term for any sustained period of time.
I can only imagine the latest news being negative for him. NATO supporters including Afghanistan veterans. Second amendment rights supporters. These are the sorts of groups who have significant numbers left in the "approve of Trump" camp who can be lost.
Trump's popularity within his base remains a core part of what gives him such power. If that fades sufficiently, then his attempts to overturn democracy will be harder to achieve.
To be specific: I think it is justified for USA citizens to believe that the illegal use of force by state sanctioned authority will not lead to investigation, prosecution and punishment and the reason for this is that civil authority is not being subject to the rule of law. Example: Renee Good.
The citizen faces similar difficult choices to those faced by Iranians now, or Germans in the 1930s.
If there were children in these daycares, there would be hundreds of parents complaining about them being closed down. But there’s no parents complaining.
Which isn't a reason to flood the state with ICE agents, nor to shoot people. Nor to then claim those people were "domestic terrorists" and refuse any investigation of the ICE agents doing the shooting.
Now that would be a loss still sufficient for the Democrats to easily win the midterms in November and the 2028 presidential election but it does mean MAGA can control the GOP for years to come at the same time
Republicans start raising concerns about Minneapolis shooting
@RpsAgainstTrump
Republican Governor of Vermont, Phil Scott:
“Enough. It’s not acceptable for American citizens to be killed by federal agents for exercising their God-given and constitutional rights to protest their government.
https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/2015506955784306858
Trump has been selling influence and making hundreds of millions of dollars.
Yes the amount of money in American politics is seriously bad, and leads to the politicians following the wishes of the donors rather than the wishes of the electorate.
Governors have more scope to be a little more individual I expect, but the partisan loyalty of the tribes in the USA is off the charts, outside a bare handful of people, almost all long out of the game, pushback at one's own side is never sustained for longer than a gnat's fart.
https://t.co/oJpTexDJ3B
Politicians with fancy fundraising dinners aren't re-writing laws around dinners. Trump has dismantled numerous rules around crypto.
Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, whose company Binance just happened to be in business with the Trump family's crypto startup World Liberty Financial.
Do you see the difference now?
My point was that arrests in Minnesota are not necessarily high in number, but are taking up a disproportional amount of resources because of the attitude of the State government towards Federal authorities.
We all should have bought tonnes of it last year.
I don’t like the guy, I don’t like his type of politics, I don’t like that he insulted British soldiers, I wish he’d send thousands of missiles to Ukraine, and I think he’s causing a lot of the instability around the world right now.
I just don’t think he’s Hitler.
Rebellion threat means No 10 may water down special needs reform
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/government-overhaul-send-reform-labour-mp-rebellion-h5m3jjxbr
FBI Director Kash Patel: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says he's "completely incorrect on Minnesota law."
https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2015517145996874224
These are the same people who defended Rittenhouse bringing an assault rifle to a protest and killing two innocent people.
And the victim in Minnesota never even touched his gun.
What do you say, Sandpit ?
https://www.thetimes.com/article/952e3b88-71b6-4dfb-a406-555976dfc5d0?shareToken=8227366447efd81fc12a584005649609
I can accept that I hoped that there might be benefits from Trumpism but they are massively outweighed by the wrong. I accept that hope and tiny wins are less important than the bigger picture.
Trump and his administration are beyond wrong. I admire your understandable desire to defend the few things you believe are ok and correct but it ultimately needs you to buy in to the rest of the shit.
There is absolutely nothing good about the Trump regime/movement. You don’t need to contort to defend. Just relax and accept it’s fucked and hope for a new US gov who get the old republican/small gov world if that is what you want - I do. But don’t accept this absolute abortion of government this is.
This is from someone who thinks that we are generally in agreement on life, we both live in small tax, interesting places where it comes to gov and finances but there is really no defence of the current US administration.
🔴 Disapprove: 59% (+15)
🟢 Approve: 39% (-14)
Rasmussen / Jan 23, 2026
(% Change With Aug 2025)
https://x.com/USA_Polling/status/2015500486128845164
https://x.com/AndyBurnhamGM/status/2015532141816213944?s=20
This might startle you somewhat but people go on protests because they believe in something.
I think many in this country found themselves in such a position when we were asked to choose between Corbyn and Johnson as PM.
Ben Walker
@BNHWalker
Wesley coronation it is then.
https://x.com/BNHWalker/status/2015403145401122866
1) He's been on the site for fucking ages; I find it vanishingly unlikely he's being paid to make pro-Trump noises.
2) I've rarely heard him make pro-Trump noises. Not thinking Trump = Hitler does not equal pro-Trump.
3) As it happens, I do think Trump roughly equals Hitler. But I am very interested in the views of a seemingly intelligent poster who does not hold that view. Why wouldn't you be?
It's ridiculous to fall into the trap of 'poster x does not hate politician y as much as I do - therefore poster x loves politician y.' We saw this with Boris too.
They got annoyed enough to use explosives to blow up one of the dams, just to make a point.
It's a good job that @Jessopious' wife's boyfriend isn't letting him use the computer at the moment. He would have been all over it,
(and grim as it is for Labour to admit it, risking the GM mayorality to save one Westminster seat is a rubbish gamble.)
Ii) A concealed carry permit permits a person to carry a concealed firearm. There are circs where it is allowed to disarm them (school entrances being the obvious one) but that's not the default position.
I think @Sandpit has painted himself into a bit of a corner and doesn't really like to admit he may be wrong on this point but he's a good member of the PB community and one with whom I enjoy debating, although I rarely agree with him on anything apart from Ukraine.
But justifying the shooting of someone in the street who is protesting peacefully would seem a different matter.
He left the HoC to be Manc Mayor because he thought Labour were out of the running nationally, others hung on in there.
He could have stood down in '24 and looked for a constituency then but didn't. It's just personal opportunism.
There's a huge political battle going on in the USA, in which a sizeable minority support the Trump administration. Most of us would prefer to think that's just because they're less well-informed than us here on PB on events in their own country, but it's valuable for those of us who actually like to engage the odd brain cell to have access to the alternative viewpoint that Sandpit brings.
Also clear that in a sane world ICE wouldn't have firearms as they are clearly trigger-happy bigots who in a properly run police force would assessed unfit to carry a firearm.
He might accidentally do something right. Increasingly long odds on that, perhaps.
DS applies to all politicians, including Starmer, who also manages to blunder into doing the right thing sometimes, having announced the wrong thing first.
This might be the night Iran gets whacked.
I clearly appreciate alternative viewpoints and would hate this place to be a hive-mind but also it’s fair to then express to someone here that I disagree with their current view - you and I have disagreed and agreed on multiple issues.
I absolutely support Sandpit having a different view and agree with him and disagree on various points.
Except it has now all been wrapped up diplomatically, he seems to have got everything he asked for, and he now says force was never on the agenda. Yet no embarrassed climb down from our resident Trump experts, just on to the next civilisation-ending outrage and hope nobody will notice.
However, you are right, free speech for all.
FDB2626 to Dubai lined up just behind it.
Maybe an unrelated pause.
I think they are good information points, although after the total rubbish Signalbox was feeding about trains today....