Ron Vitiello, a senior adviser to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, told Newsmax on Friday that federal authorities are using a "whole of government" approach to confront what he described as an organized fraud operation that has flourished in Minnesota for years.
In an appearance on "Rob Schmitt Tonight," Vitiello told guest host Bob Brooks that the scale and duration of the alleged fraud make clear that officials "can't claim to not know what was going on," noting public reporting and court activity tied to the case dates to at least 2017.
"This is a long-term problem," Vitiello said. "It is, in fact, organized crime committed at the hands of people who came into the country undervetted or not vetted at all and crossed illegally."
Vitiello said those individuals exploited existing government programs that were intended to help vulnerable communities, turning them into what he described as "a pipeline for the left" and "potentially for terrorists."
"I don't think it's unique to Minnesota," Vitiello said.
"But now they have the attention of every American citizen, anybody that's paying attention."
Federal agencies have expanded their involvement as the investigations deepen.
The Department of Health and Human Services has cut off certain child care payments, and the FBI and Department of Justice are conducting criminal investigations.
The Small Business Administration has suspended borrowers tied to suspected fraud, and the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are conducting enforcement operations, including in-person visits.
"The administration is now going to take this up in investigations, both in the Congress, the executive branch," he said.
"Every level is digging into the safety net that they provide that community, and they're going to find out where all those dollars are and hold people to account."
The enforcement push also includes immigration actions.
DHS has confirmed that cases involving Somali U.S. citizens are being reviewed for possible denaturalization if citizenship was obtained fraudulently.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has said U.S. law allows citizenship to be revoked when it is procured under false pretenses.
"That is the plan," Vitiello said. "It is a whole of government approach."
He added that individuals indicted and convicted will face prosecution, while those found to be in the country illegally or who lied to obtain legal status "are going to be sent back as well."
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