John Foley, deputy GOP committeeman for the Evanston Republican Organization, said the recent federal funding freeze highlights how Illinois taxpayers are at risk of funding fraudulent nonprofits and that stricter oversight is urgently needed to protect well-run organizations from being unfairly impacted.
The Trump administration is pausing over $10 billion in federal funding for child care and social services programs across the country, including significant amounts for Illinois, amid concerns that some benefits were being claimed by ineligible recipients. Programs affected include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Child Care Development Fund, and the Social Services Block Grant, according to the New York Post.
“Why should taxpayers be expected to fund fraudulent nonprofits?” Foley told North Cook News. “Properly running nonprofits will be impacted without a doubt. These organizations should aggressively call out the bad apples that are impacting well-run, well-intentioned nonprofits. There will be pain—this is due to poor oversight. Politicians run on outing waste, fraud, and abuse. This needs to be done and hopefully quickly so that well-run nonprofits are not impacted.”
Federal authorities have requested detailed records from Illinois going back to 2019 as part of an investigation into potential misuse of social services funding. While officials in other Democratic-led states condemned the freeze as politically motivated, Illinois had not publicly responded at the time, according to the New York Post.
U.S. Judge Arun Subramanian of the Southern District of New York temporarily blocked the administration’s freeze on federal child care and family assistance funds for low-income families in Illinois on Jan. 9, according to USA Today. Illinois, California, Colorado, Minnesota, and New York had filed suit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services after the funding was cut off.
On Feb. 6, a federal judge halted the Trump administration’s $10 billion funding freeze on child care and family planning programs targeting five Democratic-led states, including Illinois, according to ABC7 Chicago. Judge Vernon S. Broderick of the Southern District of New York issued a preliminary injunction directing the administration to reinstate access to the funds. The administration alleged fraud but presented no evidence. The injunction remains in effect pending a final ruling on the freeze’s legality.
The freeze comes amid reports that Minnesota’s social services system was exploited through what federal prosecutors describe as “industrial-scale fraud,” involving fake nonprofits and businesses billing the state for services never provided. Investigators estimate the losses may total as much as $9 billion since 2018, making it one of the largest public-benefit fraud schemes in U.S. history, according to the New York Post.
Suspects allegedly constructed fake child care operations, forging client records and enlisting family members, with some traveling from out of state to carry out the scheme. The operation has yielded 92 defendants, dozens of convictions, and evidence that millions were transferred overseas or spent on high-end goods.
As new information surfaced, including a viral video from independent journalist Nick Shirley showing nearly empty, state-subsidized childcare centers collecting millions in funds, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz abruptly ended his re-election campaign. Republicans cited the move as evidence of accountability failures under his leadership, according to Minnesota State Wire.
President Donald Trump also weighed in on the Minnesota case, saying it revealed mismanagement in multiple states.
“Governor Walz has destroyed the State of Minnesota, but others, like Governor Gavin Newscum, JB Pritzker, and Kathy Hochul, have done, in my opinion, an even more dishonest and incompetent job,” Trump said on Truth Social. “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!”
Foley raised concerns about the connection between Pritzker and Walz, noting the broader implications for Illinois.
“Tim Walz and JB Pritzker are the byproduct of having a non-adversarial press and the demise of investigative journalism,” Foley said. “This close relationship was successfully made Minnesota and Illinois states to avoid. Also, this close relationship shows the perils of one-party leadership. Do the voters realize what they have wrought upon themselves? Finally, this close relationship is a byproduct of mindless Trump opposition—instead of trying to find common ground with Trump, they mindlessly oppose every action he has taken—couldn’t they even find 50% common ground?”
Little over a year ago, Gov. Pritzker publicly praised Walz after Vice President Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate, calling him a “proven leader who brings to public service the big heart and hard work of a Midwesterner” and noting, “We hit it off immediately. We have each other’s cell phone numbers. We talk to each other on a fairly frequent basis,” according to ABC7 Chicago.
In May 2025, Illinois House Republicans, including State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville), said more than $1 billion in taxpayer money was being funneled to politically connected nonprofits. Halbrook said $14 million for the Indo-American Center was “just a drop in the bucket,” according to The Center Square.
Republicans put forward a pared-down $44 billion state budget, which was ultimately dismissed by Pritzker-aligned lawmakers in the General Assembly.
Foley emphasized the need for audits and oversight of nonprofits.
“(We should conduct) random unannounced on-site audits during hours of operation,” he said.
According to the Macon Reporter, Illinois House Republicans cited findings from the Illinois DOGE series showing that more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds flowed to nonprofits with minimal oversight. Major recipients included the Indo-American Center ($25 million), ONE Northside ($1.25 million), the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce ($11.4 million since 2020, including $4 million in FY25), Centro de Trabajadores Unidos ($7 million total), the Black Researchers Collective ($700,000 annually), the Chicago Therapy Collective ($1.5 million in FY24), and TMH Mancave ($750,000). In addition, more than $73 million went to local chambers and economic development nonprofits, while racial, ethnic, and religious NGOs collectively received $237 million.
Foley said that swift legislative action is needed to protect taxpayer dollars.
“This is not possible as the Republican Party can only offer token solutions that immediately die in the Illinois House and Senate,” he said. “With the gerrymandering in place, the voters are going to have to finally get mad as hell, and I don’t see that as Illinois slowly boils its citizens to death.”
Foley also said that federal funding should not support sanctuary cities and states.
“Indirectly related to the topic…national taxpayers should not be expected to fund sanctuary cities or states,” he said. “Sanctuary cities and states are hotbeds for fraud. If they will not adhere to federal law, they need to lose their federal funding.”
Foley is the deputy GOP committeeman for the Evanston Republican Organization, a local Republican Party official involved in precinct-level political leadership and community activities.
