Senate pressure mounts as Minnesota fraud scandal continues to unfold

Banks serves on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), which oversees major areas of healthcare funding and policy. 

The Indiana senator pointed out that the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program is administered by the state government, but is largely funded by federal tax dollars through two programs that provide roughly $300 million in federal childcare subsidies to Minnesota.

On Sunday, Banks sent a letter to Alex J. Adams, the Assistant Secretary for Family Support, leading the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at HHS.

"I urge ACF to investigate reports of Somali networks creating fake 'daycare centers' as vehicles to steal millions of dollars from Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which administers hundreds of millions of dollars in federal childcare subsidies each year," Banks' letter to HHS reads. 

"Clearly, the Walz administration has failed to meet the most basic benchmarks required by ACF," Banks explained. "Any unlawful behavior uncovered in ACF's investigation must be immediately referred to the proper federal authorities including ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and Federal prosecutors."

Noem noted there's more information coming as to the DHS investigation. 

A significant number of those charged were members of Minnesota's Somali community.

Banks notes the importance of ensuring everyone behind the scandal is brought to justice, as well as holding elected officials and those who had responsibility over the matter accountable.

"Minnesota's childcare system relies on American taxpayer dollars," Banks told Fox News Digital. "As a member of the HELP Committee, I am calling for an investigation into the fake childcare centers run by Somali crime networks. 

Fox News Digital reached out to DHS, HHS and Gov. Tim Walz but did not receive responses in time for publication.