By Phillip C. Parrish, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota
Fellow Minnesotans, the clock is ticking. As Washington teeters on the brink of a government shutdown, the partisan theater distracts from a truth that’s staring us in the face: Minnesota is hemorrhaging billions to fraud, and our leaders are either complicit or incompetent. My recent article, “Minnesota’s Medicaid Mess: Exposing the Fraudulent Shell Game That’s Robbing Our Citizens Blind,” laid bare the exploitation of federal funds through state expansions that invite abuse. Today, we must go further. We must connect the dots to Brad Finstad’s critical legislation and call out the media and DFL for their dishonest silence.
The Fraud Epidemic: A Statewide Emergency
Let’s recap the stakes. The U.S. Secret Service’s recent bust of a New York SIM farm—300 servers, 100,000 SIM cards capable of crippling telecoms—mirrors the tactics plaguing Minnesota. We’ve lost $250 million to Feeding Our Future, $281 million to housing scams, and thousands of identities in Faribault’s Medicaid fraud rings. These aren’t isolated incidents; they’re symptoms of a system designed to fail us. The DOJ’s June 2025 takedown charged 324 defendants for $14.6 billion in health care fraud nationwide, with Minnesota’s share including $8.4 million from Somali-led home health schemes and ongoing FBI raids on autism centers. Yet, where’s the outrage? Where’s the action?
The answer lies in the shadows of our state’s policies. Democratic leaders, under the guise of compassion, expanded MinnesotaCare to undocumented immigrants, ballooning costs from $196 million to $550 million in months. Gov. Walz and the DFL protested repeal as “killing lives,” but the fraud doesn’t stop. Kids remain covered, loopholes linger, and our seniors wait longer for care while $100 billion in national improper payments skew to these states. This isn’t policy; it’s a predatory pipeline.
Brad Finstad’s Bill: The Missing Piece
Enter Rep. Brad Finstad’s H.R. 8839, the “No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act.” This bill, introduced in June 2024 and gaining traction, seeks to bar undocumented immigrants from accessing VA benefits, focusing on a principle that should extend statewide: American taxpayers’ resources must prioritize American citizens. Finstad’s legislation is a blueprint for what Minnesota needs now. It’s not just about the VA; it’s about sealing the spigot of fraud that flows from federal to state programs.
Finstad’s bill addresses a critical vulnerability: the lack of stringent verification and the exploitation of loopholes. In Minnesota, we see this daily. The PITSTOP-66 Medicaid scheme in Faribault involved 1,100+ victims, with fraudsters using stolen identities to bill millions for fake transport services. The Feeding Our Future scandal saw $1.1 million funneled through Faribault’s Somali Community Resettlement Services, with funds vanishing into personal accounts. These aren’t accidents; they’re engineered abuses of a system that lacks Finstad’s safeguards.
Why hasn’t this bill’s ethos been applied here? Because the DFL and their media allies drown it out. They frame any call for verification as “anti-immigrant,” ignoring the fraud that harms all Minnesotans, including immigrant communities stigmatized by these schemes. Finstad’s approach—audit, verify, protect— is exactly what our state needs to reclaim our resources and rebuild trust.
The Media’s Dishonesty and DFL’s Deception
Here’s where the outrage must peak. Major outlets like MPR and Star Tribune paint a picture of “compassionate expansion,” glossing over the fraud. They cite fact-checkers who admit it’s not “federal Medicaid” for immigrants but dodge how state gimmicks blend funds and invite abuse. On X, the narrative is different. Minnesotans are fed up, tagging #EndMNFraud and demanding transparency. Yet, the DFL’s response? Silence or spin. Gov. Walz’s office calls probes “harassment,” while AG Ellison’s unit fights fires after the barn’s burned.
This dishonesty is a deliberate strategy. The DFL knows the truth would unravel their narrative. They’ve built a system where “fairness” excuses fraud, where “vulnerable access” masks exploitation. The House Oversight Committee’s August 2025 demands for answers from Walz on the “Biden border crisis” and waste in our programs were met with deflection, not action. Meanwhile, the Legislative Auditor’s June 2025 report exposed DHS oversights, but where’s the follow-through?
The Imperative: Act Now or Lose Everything
Minnesotans, we are at a crossroads. The fraud isn’t just financial; it’s a betrayal of trust. The image of cash piles seized from fraudsters isn’t just a visual—it’s a symbol of what we’re losing. Every dollar stolen is a senior’s missed medication, a veteran’s unpaid benefit, a family’s foreclosed home. And the locations? Minneapolis, St. Paul, Burnsville, and rural spots like Fergus Falls and Faribault are ground zero. These are the warehouses, the strip-malls, the community centers where the exploitation happens.
We must demand more. We must push this dialogue until it shatters the illusions. Brad Finstad’s bill shows us the way: audit every dollar, seal every loophole, and redirect funds to our people. As your next Governor, I pledge to do just that. I’ll launch a statewide task force, subpoena cell tower logs, and raid suspect sites. I’ll stand against the machine, even if it means standing alone.
But we can’t wait for elections. Share this article. Tag @AGKeithEllison, @USAO_MN, @GovTimWalz on X. Demand E-Verify for benefits, audits with teeth, and federal strings that prioritize citizens first. The media won’t tell you the truth, but we are the media now. The DFL won’t protect you, but we will.
For a Minnesota that’s honest, secure, and ours,
Phillip C. Parrish
Candidate for Governor of Minnesota
Follow me on X: @phillipcparrish
###