Trump administration threatens to cut off SNAP funding to Minnesota over beneficiary data

Leaders in Minneapolis and St. Paul say they are standing with the local Somali community amid reports federal officials are planning a targeted immigration crackdown. The operation would target a few hundred people with final deportation orders. Most Somali residents in Minnesota are U.S. citizens and city leaders raised concerns they could be caught up in a federal operation. Gov. Tim Walz says he's open to a federal probe focused on whether Minnesota funding went to terrorist groups in Somalia. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent posted on social media he is launching an investigation to determine whether taxpayer money went to al-Shabaab, after allegations were raised by a conservative think tank. Walz says he’s taken action to prevent fraud in state programs after lawmakers gave him broader authority earlier this year. Republicans have criticized Walz over his administration’s response to fraud in Medicaid programs. The Trump administration is threatening to cut off federal administrative SNAP funding to Minnesota over the state’s refusal to share data about beneficiaries. State leaders have declined to share the names, birth dates, addresses and Social Security numbers of food assistance program participants — and won a court order earlier this year to not share that data. The Trump administration says the information is needed to investigate fraud. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has identified the police officer in Plymouth who shot and wounded a man after responding a domestic disturbance call last week. Officer Jacob Coopet allegedly confronted and shot a man with a handgun. The man remains in stable condition.