Establishing the Task Force To Eliminate Fraud

[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 53 (Thursday, March 19, 2026)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 13485-13489]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2026-05497]

[[Page 13483]]

Vol. 91

Thursday,

No. 53

March 19, 2026

Part III

The President

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Executive Order 14395--Establishing the Task Force To Eliminate Fraud

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 91 , No. 53 / Thursday, March 19, 2026 /

Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--

The President

[[Page 13485]]

Executive Order 14395 of March 16, 2026

Establishing the Task Force To Eliminate Fraud

By the authority vested in me as President by the

Constitution and the laws of the United States of

America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose and Policy. American taxpayers fund

a vast benefits system for citizens in need that

includes housing, food, medical care, cash assistance,

and more. States administer these federally funded

programs, and some States have embraced loopholes that

avoid individual eligibility validation, allow self-

certification of eligibility, and expand eligibility

far beyond what the Congress intended. Worse, despite

accepting Federal funds, some States have refused to

institute basic fraud controls such as providing

enrollee information to the Federal Government that

would allow it to verify eligibility

-

certification of eligibility, and expand eligibility

far beyond what the Congress intended. Worse, despite

accepting Federal funds, some States have refused to

institute basic fraud controls such as providing

enrollee information to the Federal Government that

would allow it to verify eligibility. As a result,

illegal aliens, criminals, foreign gangs, bureaucrats,

State and local officials, non-governmental

organizations, and ineligible providers exploit these

programs--which are intended to provide a safety net to

lawfully eligible Americans--with ease. This

exploitation and lack of controls to prevent it have

resulted in widespread fraud, waste, and abuse at the

expense of the American taxpayers who pay for and

utilize these programs, contributing substantially to

the national debt.

Self-dealing political actors use such public benefits

programs to solidify control over their communities and

our political systems. Due to lax immigration policy

and immigration fraud, certain public officials admit

into our country, and provide sanctuary from Federal

immigration laws to, migrant populations who are likely

to rely on means-tested, public assistance programs

(welfare) and increase the political support and power

of the public officials providing the benefits. This

increased support incentivizes public officials to

maximize the flow of welfare to these communities and

makes public officials who do so more powerful

to rely on means-tested, public assistance programs

(welfare) and increase the political support and power

of the public officials providing the benefits. This

increased support incentivizes public officials to

maximize the flow of welfare to these communities and

makes public officials who do so more powerful. Many of

these public officials then fail to police these

programs--and in some cases, willfully turn a blind eye

to fraud, waste, and abuse within them--to ensure that

welfare flows to these migrants. Due to insufficient

election integrity measures, some migrants who are not

eligible to vote do so anyway, with the same public

officials permitting widespread ballot harvesting

schemes that compromise our election integrity and help

these public officials remain in power.

The staggering fraud and waste in Minnesota alone is a

case in point. Federal prosecutors in the State

estimate that Medicaid fraud in recent years could

total in the billions. Nearly 9 percent of the roughly

$866 million spent on food stamps in Minnesota each

year is estimated to be spent in error. The non-profit

Feeding our Future engineered a scam that stole nearly

$250 million intended to feed needy children in

Minnesota by opening fake meal sites and submitting

fraudulent claims for millions of meals that were never

served. One of the defendants in this scam was also

charged with submitting false claims to an autism

services program that was subject to widespread fraud

$250 million intended to feed needy children in

Minnesota by opening fake meal sites and submitting

fraudulent claims for millions of meals that were never

served. One of the defendants in this scam was also

charged with submitting false claims to an autism

services program that was subject to widespread fraud.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in Federal childcare

funding to Minnesota were stolen by an organized ring

of Somali immigrants and others who used the stolen

money to purchase cars, property, and luxury travel,

and sent the funds overseas. The Federal Government is

investigating allegations that some of the United

States taxpayer dollars subject to fraud in Minnesota

were even funneled to one of Africa's most heinous

terror groups. All of this was ignored or undetected by

State officials. There is also strong reason to believe

that similar problems

[[Page 13486]]

exist in other States, including California, Illinois,

New York, Maine, and Colorado. In fact, Minnesota and

20 other States filed a lawsuit to block the Federal

Government from even conducting a basic review to

determine whether their enrollees are in fact eligible

for taxpayer-funded benefits under the Supplemental

Nutrition Assistance Program. Such extensive,

undetected fraud could only exist in a system that

ignores it.

d a lawsuit to block the Federal

Government from even conducting a basic review to

determine whether their enrollees are in fact eligible

for taxpayer-funded benefits under the Supplemental

Nutrition Assistance Program. Such extensive,

undetected fraud could only exist in a system that

ignores it.

Fraud and mismanagement in these programs constitutes

theft of the hard-earned tax dollars from Americans

paying into these programs, and of the benefits owed to

Americans who need them. The failure to ensure

sufficient Federal oversight to prevent fraud, waste,

and abuse has allowed irresponsible State politicians

to increase Federal spending in their own States, which

has contributed to inflation for health care services,

housing, utilities, and groceries.

Making matters worse, the previous administration

adopted policies that weakened the Federal Government's

oversight of State administration and distribution of

Federal funds under these programs, including by

reducing commonsense verification measures, expanding

access without adequate controls, tolerating

unacceptable error rates, creating conditions in which

fraud was institutionally tolerated and therefore

flourished, and enabling individuals with substantial

means to improperly access benefits.

My Administration will use all available resources and

authorities to fight fraud, close loopholes, enforce

eligibility rules, and protect benefits for eligible

Americans, while ensuring States administering Federal

benefits programs do the same.

th substantial

means to improperly access benefits.

My Administration will use all available resources and

authorities to fight fraud, close loopholes, enforce

eligibility rules, and protect benefits for eligible

Americans, while ensuring States administering Federal

benefits programs do the same.

Sec. 2. Establishment of the Task Force. (a) There is

hereby established within the Executive Office of the

President a Task Force to Eliminate Fraud (Task Force).

(b) The Vice President of the United States shall

serve as the Chairman of the Task Force. The Chairman

of the Federal Trade Commission shall serve as Vice

Chairman of the Task Force, shall preside over the Task

Force at the direction of the Chairman or in his

absence, and shall exercise all powers of the Chairman

herein defined at his direction or in his absence. The

Chairman shall designate an Executive Director, who

shall administer and execute the day-to-day operations

of the Task Force, and who shall report to the Vice

Chairman. The Assistant to the President for Homeland

Security shall serve as the Senior Advisor to the Task

Force.

(c) In addition to the Chairman, the Vice Chairman,

and the Senior Advisor, the Task Force shall include

appropriate representatives from the following

executive departments and agencies (agencies), or

components:

(i) the Department of the Treasury;

(ii) the Department of Justice;

(iii) the Department of Agriculture;

(iv) the Department of Labor;

he Chairman, the Vice Chairman,

and the Senior Advisor, the Task Force shall include

appropriate representatives from the following

executive departments and agencies (agencies), or

components:

(i) the Department of the Treasury;

(ii) the Department of Justice;

(iii) the Department of Agriculture;

(iv) the Department of Labor;

(v) the Department of Health and Human Services;

(vi) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;

(vii) the Department of Education;

(viii) the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(ix) the Department of Homeland Security;

(x) the Small Business Administration;

(xi) the Office of Management and Budget; and

(xii) other agencies, inspectors general, or components within the

Executive Office of the President, as determined by the Chairman.

(d) The Chairman or the Vice Chairman shall convene

regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its

agenda, and direct its work, consistent with this

order. The Executive Director shall assist in the

performance

[[Page 13487]]

of these duties. The Chairman may designate any member

of the Task Force to preside over meetings of the Task

Force in the absence of the Vice Chairman.

(e) The Task Force shall coordinate with the

Homeland Security Council on any matters related to law

enforcement, public safety, national security,

transnational crime, and organized criminal activity.

of the Task Force to preside over meetings of the Task

Force in the absence of the Vice Chairman.

(e) The Task Force shall coordinate with the

Homeland Security Council on any matters related to law

enforcement, public safety, national security,

transnational crime, and organized criminal activity.

Sec. 3. Operation and Priorities of the Task Force. (a)

The Task Force shall, on behalf of the President,

coordinate and accelerate a comprehensive national

strategy to stop fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal

benefit programs, including programs administered

jointly with State, local, tribal, and territorial

partners. The Task Force shall advise the President

and, on behalf of the President, shall coordinate the

work of appropriate member agencies to:

(i) develop measures to improve eligibility verification processes in

Federal benefits programs and maximize enforcement of eligibility

requirements, including program-specific requirements and the Personal

Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996;

(ii) develop appropriate controls that operate before funds are obligated

or disbursed to prevent improper payments in Federal benefits programs,

including by coordinating agency action to determine when ongoing fraud or

potential fraud require proactively pausing certain types of funding until

such controls can be established;

(iii) evaluate indicators of fraud and high-risk vulnerabilities to fraud,

including major fraud trends and cross-program and large-scale schemes,

which shall include considering the current and potential use by member

agencies of third-party contractors to maximize efficacy in detecting

fraud;

fraud require proactively pausing certain types of funding until

such controls can be established;

(iii) evaluate indicators of fraud and high-risk vulnerabilities to fraud,

including major fraud trends and cross-program and large-scale schemes,

which shall include considering the current and potential use by member

agencies of third-party contractors to maximize efficacy in detecting

fraud;

(iv) promote the facilitation of information and data sharing and

coordination between State, local, tribal, and territorial governments and

the Federal Government, and benefit-providing agencies and law enforcement

agencies;

(v) disrupt and dismantle fraud networks and facilitators, including

providers, contractors, or other entities and repeat cross-program

offenders through interagency information sharing and coordination;

(vi) investigate and disrupt the mechanisms through which fraud is

committed, including any mechanisms involving facilitation of fraud by

Federal, State, local, tribal, or territorial officials;

(vii) prevent remittance transfers that involve the proceeds of Federal

benefits fraud, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law;

(viii) audit and ensure prospective compliance monitoring, including for

use in identifying fraud in Federal benefits programs; and

(ix) analyze identifying information for all providers or retailers

associated with redemption of benefits to inspect for fraud and develop a

process by which member agencies recommend policies for wide-scale

revalidations or reauthorization to deter fraudulent providers, as

appropriate and to the extent consistent with applicable law.

se in identifying fraud in Federal benefits programs; and

(ix) analyze identifying information for all providers or retailers

associated with redemption of benefits to inspect for fraud and develop a

process by which member agencies recommend policies for wide-scale

revalidations or reauthorization to deter fraudulent providers, as

appropriate and to the extent consistent with applicable law.

(b) Each agency administering Federal benefit

programs shall, consistent with applicable law, provide

to the Task Force information concerning such programs

that the Task Force deems relevant to advising the

President and coordinating efforts to uncover benefits

fraud and increase fraud-detection capability.

(c) The Task Force shall be subject to the

President's direct supervision and control. The Task

Force, through the Chairman, shall provide frequent

updates to the President regarding its work and shall

ensure that its actions are consistent with the

President's directions.

Sec. 4. Improved Controls and Fraud-Prevention

Measures. (a) Each agency administering Federal benefit

programs represented on the Task Force shall identify

the agency's benefit transactions and processes that

are most susceptible to fraud schemes, which may

include new enrollments, redeterminations, provider

enrollments, eligibility self-attestation procedures,

changes

[[Page 13488]]

eral benefit

programs represented on the Task Force shall identify

the agency's benefit transactions and processes that

are most susceptible to fraud schemes, which may

include new enrollments, redeterminations, provider

enrollments, eligibility self-attestation procedures,

changes

[[Page 13488]]

to payment destinations or payees, or transactions

involving third party intermediaries. Within 30 days of

the date of this order, each such agency shall submit

to the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Task Force

descriptions of such transactions and processes and

suggested measures to prevent such fraud.

(b) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the

Task Force shall coordinate member agency efforts to

adopt, as appropriate, minimum anti-fraud requirements

for transactions and processes identified under

subsection (a) of this section to prevent fraud and

loopholes that allow for systemic abuse and

exploitation. If such transactions and processes

involving Federal funding are administered by a State,

local, territorial, or tribal jurisdiction, then the

Task Force and appropriate member agencies shall

address how such jurisdictions can demonstrate

implementation of the anti-fraud requirements. The Task

Force and its member agencies also shall examine and

recommend, as appropriate, any ways that Federal funds

may be withheld from jurisdictions that do not have

adequate anti-fraud requirements. Specifically, such

anti-fraud requirements may include:

implementation of the anti-fraud requirements. The Task

Force and its member agencies also shall examine and

recommend, as appropriate, any ways that Federal funds

may be withheld from jurisdictions that do not have

adequate anti-fraud requirements. Specifically, such

anti-fraud requirements may include:

(i) screening, proof of identity, and eligibility verification;

(ii) pre-payment integrity and risk controls, including affirmative

documentation requirements concerning services provided;

(iii) information- and data-sharing processes, updated criteria, minimum

integrity checks, cross-program risk indicators, and coordinated recovery

and enforcement pathways to prevent immigration sponsor and beneficiary and

household-related related fraud, abuse, or improper usage;

(iv) appropriate use of providers, vendors, contractors, nonprofit

organizations, intermediaries, and service organizations; and

(v) audit and remedial measures, including suspension, termination,

repayment, exclusion, and debarment actions, as appropriate.

(c) Within 90 days of the date of this order, each

member of the Task Force shall submit to the Chairman

and the Vice Chairman of the Task Force a measurable

implementation plan concerning the measures identified

or developed under this order.

Sec. 5. Administration. The heads of other agencies

shall, upon the request of the Chairman or the Vice

Chairman, provide administrative and technical support,

or information required by the Task Force to carry out

its functions.

Sec. 6. Maximizing Taxpayer Pursuit of Fraud Involving

Taxpayer Dollars. The Attorney General shall:

s of other agencies

shall, upon the request of the Chairman or the Vice

Chairman, provide administrative and technical support,

or information required by the Task Force to carry out

its functions.

Sec. 6. Maximizing Taxpayer Pursuit of Fraud Involving

Taxpayer Dollars. The Attorney General shall:

(a) take appropriate action to promote the

meritorious pursuit by private persons of civil actions

under 31 U.S.C. 3730 concerning fraud within Federal

benefit programs; and

(b) ensure prompt review of such actions, including

within the 60-day period contemplated by 31 U.S.C.

3730(a)(4) to the maximum extent practicable.

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order

shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or

the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with

applicable law and subject to the availability of

appropriations.

[[Page 13489]]

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,

create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,

enforceable at law or in equity by any party against

the United States, its departments, agencies, or

entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any

other person.

ons.

[[Page 13489]]

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,

create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,

enforceable at law or in equity by any party against

the United States, its departments, agencies, or

entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any

other person.

(d) The costs for publication of this order shall

be borne by the Department of the Treasury.

<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>

(Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

March 16, 2026.

[FR Doc. 2026-05497

Filed 3-18-26; 11:15 am]

Billing code 4810-25-P

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