The Minnesota House approved the measure by a vote of 126-5, with bipartisan backing from Republicans and Democrats. The legislation now heads to the state Senate and is expected to be signed by Governor Tim Walz, who has publicly indicated support for the proposal.

Under the legislation, the Office of the Inspector General, or OIG, would begin operating immediately, with broader enforcement authority scheduled to phase in by 2028. Lawmakers backing the bill said the agency would investigate corruption and misuse of public funds across state programs.

Republican state Representative Kristin Robbins, who chairs the Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Oversight Committee, said the new office would strengthen ongoing investigations into alleged fraud schemes linked to state-administered welfare and pandemic relief programs.

The legislation comes amid heightened political and legal scrutiny of fraud cases involving organizations connected to Minnesota’s Somali-American community, the largest Somali diaspora population in the United States.

Federal prosecutors and U.S. President Donald Trump have alleged that more than $9 billion may have been improperly obtained through social service fraud schemes in Minnesota involving federal and state welfare funding distributed since 2018.

One of the most prominent cases centers on the now-defunct nonprofit Feeding Our Future, which administered federally funded meal reimbursement programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors said defendants created shell companies and fictitious meal distribution sites, submitting falsified meal counts to the Minnesota Department of Education to secure inflated reimbursements.

Former Feeding Our Future executive director Aimee Bock was found guilty of wire fraud and bribery charges, according to court proceedings cited by lawmakers.Authorities have charged 79 individuals, most of them Somali Americans, in connection with schemes allegedly involving more than $250 million in fraudulent grant claims tied to child nutrition and welfare programs.

Robbins’ committee recently subpoenaed Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar to testify regarding allegations that she assisted entities accused of abusing federal and state funds. Omar has not complied with the subpoena, according to committee officials.

The investigations have intensified debate in Minnesota over oversight of pandemic-era aid programs and the effectiveness of state controls governing the distribution of federal welfare funding.

Large crowds gathered in major cities including New York, Washington, Dallas and Los Angeles, while organizers said nearly two-thirds of events took place in smaller communities, marking a sharp expansion beyond urban centers.

The protests come months ahead of November’s midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.The rallies, the third in a series since last year, follow earlier demonstrations that drew millions of participants. Organizers linked the surge in turnout to opposition against Trump’s immigration crackdown, U.S. involvement in the Iran conflict, and broader concerns over democratic institutions.

In St. Paul, Minnesota, a key focal point amid immigration enforcement tensions, thousands gathered outside the state capitol. Governor Tim Walz told demonstrators their actions reflected “compassion” and “democracy,” while Senator Bernie Sanders warned against what he described as a drift toward authoritarianism.

In New York, actor Robert De Niro, one of the rally organizers, addressed a crowd stretching across multiple city blocks, saying no previous U.S. president had posed a comparable threat to civil liberties.

Musician Bruce Springsteen performed at the Minnesota event, debuting a protest ballad criticizing federal immigration actions.Participants cited a range of concerns, including deportation policies and recent military operations involving Iran.

Demonstrators in Washington gathered on the National Mall with pro-democracy slogans, while smaller groups, including elderly residents in Maryland, staged roadside protests urging resistance to what they termed “tyranny.”In Dallas, clashes broke out between demonstrators and counterprotesters, including a group linked to Enrique Tarrio.

Police reported several arrests after minor scuffles and street blockages.Authorities in Los Angeles also detained multiple individuals after protesters refused to disperse near a federal facility, with law enforcement deploying tear gas after objects were thrown.

Democratic support for the protests, describing them as extreme, while organizers defended the rallies as peaceful expressions of dissent.political stakes riseThe protests coincide with declining approval ratings for Trump, which fell to 36 percent, the lowest level since his return to office, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Organizers say participation is rising even in traditionally Republican states, signaling broader political engagement ahead of the midterms.Leah Greenberg, co-founder of the Indivisible movement that organized the protests, said suburban districts critical to national elections are seeing heightened activity, reflecting growing mobilization among opposition voters.

The demonstrations were also framed by organizers as a response to ongoing military action involving Iran, now in its fourth week, adding a foreign policy dimension to domestic unrest.