The Dangerous Politicization of Ethnic Communities: How Government Officials Are Undermining Civil Rights

The Facts of the Case

A disturbing confrontation has emerged between California Governor Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator, Dr. Mehmet Oz. The conflict centers around a social media video in which Dr. Oz visited the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles and made serious allegations about healthcare fraud within the Armenian community. During the video, Oz pointed to a four-block radius containing 42 hospices, suggesting potential fraud, and specifically referenced what he called “the Russian Armenian mafia” being responsible for approximately $3.5 billion in hospice and home care fraud in Los Angeles.

The video shows Oz standing in front of a building that includes an Armenian bakery, with the camera panning to show Armenian script on business signs while Oz comments on “the lettering and language behind me is of that dialect.” These remarks prompted Governor Newsom to file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, accusing Oz of discrimination. Newsom’s office argued that Oz “spewed baseless and racially charged allegations” that risked chilling participation in hospice and home care programs among the targeted community.

Historical and Political Context

This incident occurs against a backdrop of longstanding tensions between Turkey and Armenia, with historic grievances and Turkey’s alliance with Azerbaijan creating diplomatic strains. The two neighboring countries have no formal diplomatic ties, and their border has remained closed since the 1990s. Dr. Oz, whose parents emigrated from Turkey, made these comments in this sensitive context.

The confrontation also represents another chapter in the ongoing political battles between Governor Newsom, seen as a potential Democratic presidential candidate for 2028, and the Trump administration. They have previously clashed on issues ranging from National Guard deployments to California’s environmental policies. This particular incident aligns with a broader Trump administration effort to spotlight fraud around the country, following similar allegations involving Somali residents in Minneapolis that prompted immigration crackdowns and protests.

The Dangerous Precedent of Government-Sponsored Stereotyping

What we are witnessing here is nothing short of alarming—a federal official using his position of authority to target an ethnic community with broad-brush allegations without providing concrete evidence. Dr. Oz’s comments represent a dangerous departure from the principles of due process and equal protection that form the bedrock of our constitutional democracy. When government officials engage in this type of ethnic targeting, they undermine the very institutions they are sworn to protect and serve.

The fact that these allegations were made while standing in front of businesses displaying Armenian script creates an unmistakable visual connection between ethnicity and criminality. This is precisely the type of stereotyping that civil rights laws were designed to prevent. It’s particularly concerning coming from a high-ranking official responsible for administering healthcare programs that should serve all Americans equally, regardless of their ethnic background.

The Chilling Effect on Civil Liberties

Governor Newsom’s complaint rightly highlights the “real-world harm” already caused by these allegations, including dampening business at an Armenian bakery shown in the video. This demonstrates how quickly government rhetoric can translate into economic harm for innocent community members. More importantly, it creates a chilling effect that could prevent legitimate participation in government healthcare programs, ultimately harming those who need these services most.

When communities feel targeted by their own government, trust in institutions erodes. This erosion of trust makes it more difficult to combat actual fraud because community members may become reluctant to cooperate with legitimate investigations. The administration’s approach appears to prioritize political messaging over effective governance, sacrificing both civil liberties and effective fraud prevention in the process.

The Broader Pattern of Ethnic Targeting

This incident cannot be viewed in isolation. It follows a pattern of this administration targeting specific ethnic communities with broad allegations—from the travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries to the allegations against Somali residents in Minneapolis that led to immigration crackdowns. Each instance represents a dangerous normalization of ethnic profiling by government officials.

What makes this particular case especially concerning is that it involves healthcare—a fundamental human need that should be divorced from political targeting. Healthcare fraud is a serious issue that deserves serious investigation, but that investigation must be based on evidence rather than ethnicity. California’s approach of revoking more than 280 hospice licenses and banning new licenses starting in 2022 demonstrates that fraud prevention can be addressed through evidence-based policy rather than ethnic stereotyping.

The Constitutional Implications

From a constitutional perspective, this incident raises serious concerns about equal protection under the law. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees that no state shall “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” While this applies directly to state action, federal officials have an even higher responsibility to uphold these principles. When federal administrators engage in ethnic targeting, they undermine public confidence in the fairness of our government institutions.

The First Amendment implications are equally concerning. While government officials have free speech rights, their words carry the weight of government authority and can have a chilling effect on protected speech and association within targeted communities. The combination of government power and ethnic targeting creates a particularly dangerous dynamic that threatens the liberties of all Americans.

The Path Forward: Principles Over Politics

As a nation founded on the principles of liberty and justice for all, we must demand better from our government officials. Fraud investigations must be based on evidence, not ethnicity. Government communications must be measured and factual, not inflammatory and speculative. And public officials must remember that they serve all Americans, not just those who share their political views or ethnic background.

The appropriate response to healthcare fraud is thorough, evidence-based investigation—exactly the approach California has implemented with its license revocations and moratoriums. This demonstrates that effective governance doesn’t require ethnic scapegoating or inflammatory rhetoric. It requires competence, diligence, and respect for constitutional principles.

Conclusion: Upholding American Values

This incident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly democratic norms can erode when government officials prioritize political messaging over principled governance. The targeting of ethnic communities by those in power represents a fundamental betrayal of American values and constitutional principles. We must remain vigilant against these tendencies and demand accountability from those who would use their positions to divide rather than unite our diverse nation.

The strength of American democracy has always been its ability to embrace diversity while maintaining unity under constitutional principles. When government officials forget this fundamental truth, they undermine the very foundation of our republic. We must recommit to the principles of equal protection, due process, and government accountability—not as partisan issues, but as fundamental American values that transcend political divisions.