‘No Aid for Ghost Students Act’ underscores federal role in Minnesota’s fraud fight

As Minnesota prepares to launch an automated system to flag and prevent fraud in college applications across the state, federal reforms are also pending in Washington. Legislation known as the No Aid for Ghost Students Act is now awaiting passage in the Senate. The bill would require an identity fraud detection system to be used on every Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been calling for tighter controls since 5 INVESTIGATES documented cases of enrollment fraud where bad actors used stolen identities to apply to colleges and access financial aid. In 2025, Education Secretary Linda McMahon criticized Minnesota for its handling of the issue, but during a stop in Rochester last week, she acknowledged enrollment fraud largely started at the federal level, for sure. RELATED: Secretary of Education visits Minnesota, faces questions about federal funding Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education