House candidate Parrilli on Illinois federal funding freeze: ‘Taxpayers deserve accountability and transparency’
Gina Parrilli, a Republican candidate for Illinois House District 45, said the Trump administration’s freeze of billions in federal child care and social services funding highlights the need for stronger oversight and accountability to ensure taxpayer dollars are properly used.
The Trump administration is holding back more than $10 billion in federal funding for child care and social services across the U.S., including substantial amounts for Illinois, amid allegations that some benefits were fraudulently claimed by non-citizens, according to the New York Post. The freeze affects programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Child Care Development Fund, and the Social Services Block Grant.
“Due to the uncovered fraud and long-standing mismanagement in Illinois, I support increased federal oversight and accountability when it comes to taxpayer dollars,” Parrilli told the DuPage Policy Journal. “Illinois has a history of wasteful spending and weak controls, and taxpayers deserve to know that federal aid is being used exactly as intended.”
Federal authorities have formally requested detailed records from Illinois dating back to 2019 as part of an inquiry into potential misuse of social services funds. While governors in other Democratic-led states condemned the freeze as political retaliation, Illinois officials had not publicly commented at the time, according to the New York Post.
Parrilli said that families relying on essential services should not be penalized.
“Any pause or review of funding should be targeted, transparent, and focused on fixing the system — not harming children, seniors, or working parents,” she said. “If Illinois had stronger financial controls and responsible leadership in place, these kinds of interventions wouldn’t be necessary.”
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 follows reports that Minnesota’s social-services system was exploited in what federal prosecutors describe as “industrial-scale fraud,” involving sham nonprofits and businesses billing the state for services never delivered. Investigators estimate the alleged theft could total up to $9 billion since 2018, marking one of the largest public-benefit fraud schemes in U.S. history, according to the New York Post.
Suspects allegedly built fictitious child care businesses, fabricating client records and recruiting relatives to file false claims, with some traveling across state lines. The fraud has produced 92 defendants and numerous convictions, with millions allegedly sent abroad or spent on luxury items.
Amid emerging details, including a viral video by independent journalist Nick Shirley showing nearly empty, state-subsidized childcare centers still receiving millions in funds, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz abruptly ended his re-election campaign. Republicans pointed to the situation as evidence of leadership failures under his administration, according to Minnesota State Wire.
President Donald Trump commented on the Minnesota scandal, asserting it revealed 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!”
Parrilli raised concerns about state leadership and connections that she says may contribute to ongoing fraud.
“I am not shocked by the close relationship that Pritzker has with Walz — birds of a feather flock together,” she said. “My concern is how much fraud is being committed in Illinois.”
Just over a year ago, Gov. Pritzker publicly praised Walz after Vice President Kamala Harris chose 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 that “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.
She also pointed to longstanding governance issues in the state.
“While speaking of fraud, we can end with Michael Madigan, the previous speaker of the House. Madigan was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison for corruption. IL has a long-standing governance issue,” Parrilli said. “In the last decade, Illinois has had four elected politicians sent to prison.”
Parrilli said Illinois must strengthen audits and oversight across all levels of government.
“IL must implement stricter oversight at every level of government. IL needs an audit of every government department,” she said. There have been in the past few years, major cases riddled with fraud. Taxpayers are being swindled out of their hard-earned money and there needs to be accountability and an audit of all government agencies.”
In May 2025, Illinois House Republicans, including State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville), stated that over $1 billion in taxpayer dollars had gone to politically connected nonprofits. Halbrook called the $14 million allocated to the Indo-American Center “just a drop in the bucket,” according to The Center Square.
The Republican caucus proposed a streamlined $44 billion state budget, which was ultimately rejected by Pritzker-aligned lawmakers in the General Assembly.
Parrilli said nonprofit oversight is critical to protecting taxpayer money.
“Taxpayer dollars should never be treated like blank checks,” she said. “If over a billion dollars is going to outside organizations, the public deserves to know where the money is going, how it’s being spent, and whether it’s truly helping people.”
According to the Macon Reporter, Illinois House Republicans cited findings from the Illinois DOGE series indicating that over $1 billion in taxpayer funds flowed to nonprofits with limited 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). Additionally, local chambers and economic development nonprofits received over $73 million, and racial, ethnic, and religious NGOs were allocated $237 million.
dollars is essential to protecting public funds and maintaining trust in government programs.
“I support requiring any NGO that receives state funding to meet clear standards: regular independent audits, detailed reporting, and measurable results,” said Parrilli. If an organization can’t show how funds are being used or fails basic accountability checks, they should not receive more taxpayer money.”
She said every program that receives state or federal funds should be closely monitored.
“Every program that gets state or federal funds should be closely monitored, with regular audits to catch waste or fraud,” Parrilli said. “Organizations that receive money should have to show results and explain how the funds are spent — each dollar needs to be accounted for. If a program isn’t doing what it’s supposed to, it shouldn’t get more money,”
Parrilli said lawmakers have a responsibility to ensure that the public can easily access information on how every taxpayer dollar is spent.
“Lawmakers should also make this information easy for the public to see,” she said. “When government spending is transparent and accountable, taxpayers can trust that their money is being used wisely. There needs to be an annual audit and there needs to be transparency of where every taxpayer dollar is going.”
Parrilli, a Republican, is challenging incumbent Martha Deuter (D-Elmhurs) for the Illinois House of Representatives in District 45 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Illinois House District 45 covers parts of Elmhurst, Westmont, Oak Brook, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Addison, Oakbrook Terrace, Willowbrook, and Villa Park in the Chicago suburbs.