Laura Hois, co-chair of Awake Illinois’ Downers Grove chapter and candidate for Illinois House District 81, said the Trump administration’s federal funding freeze emphasizes the urgent need for stricter oversight of state spending and nonprofit funding.
The Trump administration is freezing more than $10 billion in federal child care and social services funding nationwide, including significant allocations for Illinois, amid concerns that benefits were fraudulently diverted to non-citizens. 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.
“I agree with the Trump administration’s decision to freeze federal aid to Illinois pending receipt of information regarding whether non-citizen illegal aliens did in fact fraudulently receive TANF money during the period from 2019 to 2025,” Hois told the DuPage Policy Journal. “The negative impact on illegals who don’t belong here will be immediate. But the freeze is needed to ensure that only eligible citizens receive social services.”
Federal officials requested detailed records from Illinois dating back to 2019 as part of an investigation into potential misuse of social services funds. While governors in other Democratic-led states publicly condemned the freeze as political retaliation, Illinois officials had not issued a response 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 revelations that Minnesota’s social-services system had been exploited in what federal prosecutors called “industrial-scale fraud,” involving fake nonprofits and businesses billing the state for services never delivered. Investigators estimate 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 are accused of creating fictitious child care operations, falsifying records, involving family members, and traveling interstate to carry out the scheme. The case encompasses 92 defendants and dozens of convictions, with millions allegedly sent abroad or used to acquire luxury goods.
A viral video from independent journalist Nick Shirley showed nearly empty, state-subsidized childcare centers collecting millions in funds, prompting Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to suspend his re-election campaign. Republicans cited the move as evidence of accountability failures, according to Minnesota State Wire.
President Donald Trump weighed in, calling the Minnesota scandal an example of widespread mismanagement across 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!”
their handling of public funds.
“Walz and Pritzker’s friendship is irrelevant; both of them should be prosecuted for theft, removed from office and sent to jail,” she said.
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” and highlighting their personal rapport. Pritzker said the two “hit it off immediately,” exchanged cell phone numbers, and spoke frequently, according to ABC7 Chicago.
Hois also addressed Illinois’ nonprofit funding, saying state dollars are being spent without proper oversight.
“The Illinois budget should be amended to stop disbursements of state funds to politically connected non-government organizations,” she said. “It is not appropriate for NGOs to receive taxpayer funding if there is no oversight. I suspect those in charge of NGOs would resist oversight even if fraudulent use of funds is exposed. Implementing rules to require transparency would be a waste of time.”
In May 2025, Illinois House Republicans raised concerns that more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds was being directed to politically connected nonprofits with little oversight, describing a $14 million allocation to the Indo American Center as “just a drop in the bucket.”
The lawmakers also proposed a leaner $44 billion state budget, which was rejected by Pritzker-aligned legislators, according to The Center Square.
She said lawmakers must actively oversee spending to prevent misuse of public funds.
“The Illinois legislature is responsible to prevent reckless spending. The state budget should not have included a line item for politically-connected NGOs,” Hois said.
An Illinois DOGE series report revealed that over $1 billion in taxpayer funds flowed to nonprofits with limited oversight. Major recipients included the Indo-American Center ($25M), ONE Northside ($1.25M), the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce ($11.4M since 2020, including $4M in FY25), Centro de Trabajadores Unidos ($7M total), Black Researchers Collective ($700K annually), Chicago Therapy Collective ($1.5M FY24), and TMH Mancave ($750K). In addition, more than $73M went to local chambers and economic development nonprofits, while racial, ethnic, and religious NGOs collectively received $237M, often with minimal transparency, according to the Macon Reporter.
Hois said lasting reform in Illinois requires a change in political leadership.
“Democrat control must end in Illinois,” she said.
Hois, a Republican, is challenging four-term incumbent State Rep. Anne Stava (D-Downers Grove) for the Illinois House of Representatives in District 81. Hois has a background as an attorney, business owner, Downers Grove town clerk (2013–2017), and local Republican committeeman, with involvement in multiple Illinois civic and faith-based organizations.
The 81st House District is located in the Chicago area and spans parts of DuPage and Will counties, including portions of Downers Grove, Lisle, Naperville, Woodridge, Darien, Westmont, and Bolingbrook.
