The Stroke of the Pen

On March 16, 2026, the President of the United States signed Executive Order 14395 – Establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. There is very little fanfare or media coverage with each new executive order. When they are covered, coverage seems selective and limited, and it seems many people do not understand what an executive order does. All Executive Orders are published in the Federal Register.

There is no easy way to explain executive orders, and no School House Rock video to assist in knowing what they do or how they are created. There is an expectation that the three branches of government will work together in the best interest of the people of the United States, providing the checks and balances needed to ensure no one branch of the government is able to abuse the powers it has been granted.

Executive orders are not legislation; they require no approval from Congress, and Congress cannot simply overturn them. Congress may pass legislation that might make it difficult, or even impossible, to carry out the order, such as removing funding. Only a sitting U.S. President may overturn an existing executive order by issuing another executive order to that effect. Every President, except William Henry Harrison who died 31 days in office, has signed at least one executive order. This is a power granted to the executive branch that can only be overturned by the executive branch. Executive orders have the force of law and are implementable once signed, granting federal agencies the power to execute.

On April 7, 2026, the Acting Attorney General issued a memorandum establishing the National Fraud Enforcement Division (NFED) within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). This new division will be dedicated to the centralized, coordinated investigation and prosecution of fraud against taxpayer dollars and taxpayer-funded programs. This promises an increase in enforcement activity and could potentially save millions of taxpayers’ dollars. Fraud is a concern for taxpayers who want to see the elimination of governmental waste and proper use of federal revenue. After all, individual income taxes are the largest source of revenue for the federal budget, accounting for over 50% of the revenue collected by the government.

The preparation of the federal budget is underway with on-going questions of how much of the federal budget will go towards social programs which have already seen cuts since the beginning of this presidential administration. Now, as EO 14395 takes shape with the supporting agency developments, there is the concern that the “Executive Order May Signal Administration’s Continued Effort to Block Basic Needs Assistance.” Families that depend on food assistance programs, health care, and other basic needs are the most vulnerable.

Additionally, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities notes: “Targeting states with Democratic leadership or that are otherwise disfavored by the Administration with more funding freezes would harm families who need the support to afford the basics amid rising costs and massive cuts to food assistance and health care in the Republican megabill last year.” The Executive Order specifically cites the theft of $250 million in Minnesota and identifies the potential for fraud in the states which filed a lawsuit against the president over global tariffs.

That lawsuit is led by attorneys general from Oregon, Arizona, California and New York joined by Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Vermont and Nevada are the only two states with Republican governors that joined the lawsuit.

In early 2026, the HHS froze over $9.7 billion in funding for TANF and child care programs in five states (CA, CO, IL, MN, NY) over fraud concerns. This followed a wider January 2025 effort by the Trump administration to pause federal grants to align spending with new priorities, impacting Head Start and community health centers. These five states are led by Democratic governors.

“The Administration is trying to freeze federal child care funding and funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). TANF provides income assistance to very low-income families with children, and TANF and SSBG support a range of services, including child care, job training, and protective services for seniors.” Those who are most vulnerable continue to bear the brunt of the policies which are retributive, while holding at the fore and weaponizing the concerns of the populous.

Fraud has been an on-going challenge in the administration of government programs. With large sums of money involved, multiple vendors, and the sophisticated use of technology, scams continue to siphon resources. The system should address these issues overall, rather than punish the people who need services and care, without attention and punishment for malevolent actors.

Executive Orders are the rule of the day. They are creating significant changes and creating mandates that affect the lives of people in the United States and around the world. The absence of coverage and attention to the actions being taken at the stroke of the pen continue to create policies that are harmful to segments of the population considered to be less acceptable than others.

The call for change continues. Change to a system that is not efficient or effective. Change in current government practices that are authoritarian and retaliatory. Change in cuts to programs. Change in increased military spending. Change in the oversight process to ensure that the checks and balances written into the Constitution of the United States are enforced and upheld.

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