¶ Overview
After federal agents killed two Americans in Minneapolis, Schutz urged local law enforcement to cooperate with federal officials, and later predicted the harmful effects of immigration enforcement would fade and not be a defining factor in the general election.
Schutz also called anti-fraud enforcement one of his main priorities, only after the discredited video from conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley falsely claimed to uncover hundreds of thousands in stolen funds in Minnesota daycares. Many of the daycares were Somali-run, which prompted Trump to end temporary protected status for Somali immigrants, and was the main motivation for Trump to send federal immigration agents to Minneapolis.
Schutz said his plan to fight fraud in Minnesota included “tough-on-crime enforcement” rather than more oversight, “more boots on the ground” fraud investigations, and establishing fraud “watchdogs” in the attorney general’s office.
¶ Schutz Said The Impacts Of Immigration Enforcement That Killed Two Americans Would “Fade” Before The Election
¶ Schutz Urged Cooperation With The Federal Agents That Killed Two Americans
¶ Schutz Expressed Sympathy For The Deaths Of Renee Good And Alex Pretti, But Urged Local Law Enforcement To Cooperate With Federal Immigration Agents
Schutz Expressed Sympathy For The Deaths Of Renee Good And Alex Pretti, But Said The Solution To Violence From Federal Immigration Agents Was For Local Law Enforcement To Cooperate “And Not Simply Attack Federal Officials.” According to Schutz’s Facebook, “Minnesotans have unfortunately woken up to see our state leading the news for the wrong reasons for many weeks. First, we endured story after story uncovering the massive fraud many of us have been concerned with for years. Now, in the wake of a federal law enforcement operation following years of loose enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws, we are in the news for the death of two individuals. Regardless of our political affiliations, we must remember that Renee Good and Alex Pretti had family and friends who will never see them again. Our hearts go out to them. We must also remember that law enforcement officers put their lives on the line for us every day. In 2025, over 100 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. Our hearts go out to their families also. Despite the rhetoric amplified to a deafening roar by that dark hole called the Internet and the news media, we are not in a civil war. But we are beset by division, chaos, and violence. These times call for Lincoln like wise and thoughtful leadership. I challenge our elected leaders to look for solutions, not finger-pointing. A solution that allows for both the legitimate exercise of Federal law enforcement polices and the peaceful non-obstructive protests by those who oppose those policies. These are not mutually exclusive. There will be no solution unless our elected leaders talk with each other instead of shouting in an echo chamber. If I were Attorney General, I would use the influence of the office to coordinate between federal and local authorities to ensure clear communication, lawful cooperation, and accountability, while working closely with Hennepin County officials and community leaders to reduce tensions and protect public safety. Finally, we need transparency. Our government loses its legitimacy and the trust of its citizens if it is not transparent. Minnesotans are entitled to a complete and thorough investigation of these shootings. And that investigation needs to be a joint effort between Federal and cooperative local law enforcement officials. We are entitled to know the facts. Local law enforcement officials should be those who would actually seek the truth and not simply attack federal officials. It is time for our government to work for the people at all levels of government.”
[Facebook, Ron Schutz For MN Attorney General, 1/26/26]
¶ Schutz Said He Thought The Harm Federal Immigration Agents Did Towards Minnesotans Was “Going To Fade”
¶ Schutz Said He Thought The Harm Federal Immigration Agents Did Towards Minnesotans Was “Going To Fade” And Would Not Be A Defining Issue In The General Election
Schutz Said He Thought The Harm Federal Immigration Agents Did Towards Minnesotans Was “Going To Fade” From The News Cycle And Would Not Be A Defining Issue In The General Election. According to Schutz on the Brian Kilmeade Show, “KILMEADE: Well, and do you think that the whole ICE controversy and all the things, the storming of the church, the two people shot and killed. Has that made it harder or easier for Republicans to be successful in Minnesota? SCHUTZ: Well, it's a long way between now and the election as you know from following politics. Ten months is an eternity in politics. The news cycle changes. And what happened with the operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, that will fade. Some other issue will dominate the news cycle. And so, in the short term, I don't think that necessarily did Republicans any good. But I think in the long term that that's not going to be the issue that's going to drive the election in November. KILMEADE: How do you get the narrative, Ron Schutz, into being more about the corruption? How do you change the narrative? SCHUTZ: Well, they've, the Metro Surge changed the narrative. But that's down now, Tom Homan has said they've pulled everybody out. I mean I think there may only be 500 ICE agents in the Twin Cities metro area right now. So again, that's going to fade. Fraud is not. And the reason fraud is not going to fade is because we have a legislative session undergoing right now and the legislature continues to investigate fraud, we would expect the U.S. attorney's office to continue prosecuting fraud cases. So I think fraud is going to continue to be front and center as we move forward.” [Ron Schutz Interview - Brian Kilmeade Show, Fox News Radio, 2/23/26] (AUDIO)
¶ Schutz Shared Discredited Claims Of Fraud And Wanted “Boots On The Ground” Fraud Enforcement
¶ Schutz Said “Fighting Fraud” Was A Main Priority Of His Campaign
2026: Schutz Said “Fighting Fraud” Was A Main Priority Of His Campaign And Criticized Ellison For Being “Willfully Blind” To Minnesota’s “Massive Culture Of Fraud.” According to Ron Schutz for Attorney General, “A massive culture of fraud has taken hold and infested our one-party controlled state government that has cost Minnesota taxpayers Billions of dollars. Instead of addressing this crisis, the current Attorney General has been willfully blind to it. In fact, in December of 2021 Keith Ellison met with several of the to be indicted and convicted defendants in the infamous and sprawling Feeding Our Future fraud scandal. Astoundingly, he said he would help them. You can learn more details about that meeting here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/feeding-our-future-keith-ellison-caught-on-tape/ The Feeding Our Future fraud scandal is just the one of many under Keith Ellison's watch. We also have the Autism Services Fraud scandal, the Housing Stabilization Fraud scandal, the Evergreen Recovery Medicaid Fraud scandal, and, unfortunately, certainly more to come. I will make fighting fraud and protecting taxpayer dollars a top priority and take aggressive steps to stop the fraud before it starts.”
[Ron Schutz For Attorney General, Ron’s Priorities, Archived 5/5/26]
¶ Schutz Praised YouTuber Nick Shirley’s “Investigation” Uncovering Fraud In Contrast To Inaction From Ellison
Schutz Shared YouTuber Nick Shirley’s “Investigation” Claiming To Find More Than $110,000,000 In Fraud In Minnesota. According to Schutz’s Twitter, “If Nick Shirley can find this fraud, why can't Keith Ellison?!! Quote Nick shirley @nickshirleyy Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud, this might be my most important work yet. We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day. Like it and share it around like wildfire! Its time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable. We ALL work way too hard and pay too much in taxes for this to be happening, the fraud must be stopped.”
[Twitter, @RonforMNAG, 12/28/25]
Schutz Said It Was A “Disgrace” That YouTubers Were “Finding More Fraud In Our State Than Keith Ellison.” According to Schutz’s Twitter, “It's a disgrace with YouTubers are finding more fraud in our state than Keith Ellison, who has broad investigatory powers at his disposal as Attorney General.”
[Twitter, @RonforMNAG, 1/16/26]
¶ Jason Steck Opinion: Shirley Accused Daycares Of Fraud That Was Impossible Under The Child Care Assistance Program
Jason Steck Opinion: A Minnesota Attorney Said Shirley’s Claim That “Fake Daycares” Were Receiving Child Care Assistance Program Funds Was Impossible Because Only Parents Could Apply For The Funds. According to a Jason Steck opinion from the Minnesota Star Tribune, “Rather than being accessed by day care providers directly, CCAP funds must be applied for by parents, who have to provide documentation to county DCYF agencies of their children’s identities and ages and of their particular needs for child-care services in light of the parent’s employment schedule. [...] In the CCAP system, it is simply impossible to have ‘fake day cares’ with no children like Shirley claimed to find because there would be no way to get a CCAP authorization for fake children and no way for a day care provider to bill the government without the CCAP authorization.” [Jason Steck Opinion - Minnesota Star Tribune, 1/8/26]
¶ Shirley’s “Investigation” Was A Driving Force Behind The Deployment Of Federal Immigration Agents To Minnesota, Which Resulted In The Deaths Of Two Americans
¶ Trump Deployed Federal Immigration Agents To Minnesota Following Allegations Of Fraud In Somali-Run Daycares
Federal Immigration Agents Were Deployed In Minnesota After Trump Ended Temporary Deportation Protections For Somali Immigrants, Which Stemmed From Shirley’s Video Accusing Somali-Run Daycares Of Committing Fraud. According to CBS News, “Late December 2025: YouTuber Nick Shirley posts a video visiting federally supported childcare centers around Minneapolis, claiming nearly a dozen centers were not providing services and suggesting owners were taking taxpayer funds. [...] In response to the viral video, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services freezes federal childcare funding for Minnesota, which receives about $185 million in federal support for childcare. President Trump publicly blames the Somali community, making derogatory remarks and ending temporary deportation protections for Somali immigrants in Minnesota. [...] Amid the funding freeze and increased scrutiny, more than 2,000 federal agents from Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrive in the Twin Cities. Clashes with protesters occur, and federal agents shoot and kill two Americans, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in two separate incidents. About 3,700 immigrants are arrested and detained, most of whom are not Somali or connected to any alleged fraud.” [CBS News, 4/28/26]
¶ Schutz Criticized Ellison’s Efforts To Mitigate Harm From Federal Immigration Agents Toward Minnesotans
Schutz Criticized Ellison For Launching A Form To Report Harm From Federal Immigration Agents, Questioning Where The “Hotline” Was For “The Harm Done By The Billions Of Dollars Stolen In Fraud.” According to Schutz’s Twitter, “What about all the harm done by the billions of dollars stolen in fraud or the rising crime since Keith Ellison took charge in 2019? Where is that hotline? Quote Attorney General Keith Ellison @AGEllison The surge of DHS agents into Minnesota has done tremendous harm to the people of Minnesota, and I urge those who have personally experienced or directly witnessed that harm to share their stories with my office.”
[Twitter, @RonforMNAG, 1/21/26]
¶ Schutz Said Minnesota Needed “Tough-On-Crime” And “Boots On The Ground” Fraud Enforcement
¶ Schutz Said More Oversight Would Not Fix Fraud In Minnesota And “Only Tough-On-Crime Enforcement” Would Be Effective
Schutz Said More Oversight Would Not Fix Fraud In Minnesota And “Only Tough-On-Crime Enforcement” Would Be Effective. According to Schutz’s Twitter, “You can’t fix fraud with more bureaucracy- only tough-on-crime enforcement. That’s exactly what I’ll bring to the table as Minnesota’s next Attorney General.”
[Twitter, @RonforMNAG, 2/3/26]
¶ Schutz Said He Wanted To Investigate Fraud With “More Boots On The Ground” And Would Establish “Watchdogs” Over Entities That Receive Federal Or State Money
2026: Schutz Said Ellison “Failed To Be Proactive In Rooting Out Fraud,” And Said He Would Support An Independent Inspector General’s Office To Investigate Fraud With “More Boots On The Ground.” According to the Marshall Independent, “Schutz said one major priority for him as attorney general would be combating fraud in Minnesota. ‘Everyone agrees Minnesota has a massive fraud problem,’ he said. However, Schutz said Ellison has not done enough to address the problem. The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office is a primary regulator for nonprofits, and has broad powers to fight fraud, Schutz said. ‘This attorney general hasn’t really done that,’ he said. ‘He has failed to be proactive in rooting out fraud.’ If elected, Schutz said, he would take a more aggressive stance on stopping fraud. ‘There are a number of things that can be done to be proactive,’ he said. Some Minnesota state legislators have supported the idea of having an independent inspector general’s office to fight fraud. If an independent investigative agency was approved, Schutz said, it could also be a positive thing. ‘It would be more boots on the ground,’ he said.” [Marshall Independent, 4/29/26]
2025: Schutz Said He Would Use Lawyers In The Attorney General’s Office As “Watchdogs Over Nonprofits And Anyone Else Who Receives Federal Or State Money.” According to KSTP 5 Eyewitness News, “Schutz says he will work to stop fraud before it happens. He will use the attorney general’s 200 lawyers to be watchdogs over nonprofits and anyone else who receives federal or state money and make sure they know someone is watching.” [KSTP 5 Eyewitness News, 10/24/25]