WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said Thursday she supports efforts to eliminate fraud impacting federal funds but wants more information about one step recently taken.

Asked during her weekly press briefing Thursday about a policy change taking effect Sunday that prevents green card holders from applying for Small Business Administration loans, Capito, R-W.Va., said she does not oppose providing support to non-citizen business owners who are in the country legally.

“If in fact there’s fraud in SBA – and I would have to think there probably is for them to make this decision — I support that,” she said. “However, I do support people that are here legally, that have gone through the process to get a green card and that want to grow the economy, should have some access to some help.”

Capito said she plans to ask the SBA if this is a temporary pause, how long it could last and if they believe this area is the source of the fraud.

“Honestly, the fraud is probably all across the program,” she said. “But highlighting this I think will be problematic to some of our businesses in West Virginia. And we’ve heard from them.”

She said the government must “make sure the precious dollars that our taxpayers pay every year go to the right place and are legally spent.

“The states are going to have to tighten their oversight,” she said. “They’ve been way too lax on this.”

Capito referred to allegations of fraud involving day care centers run by Somali residents in Minneapolis that were a factor in the recent immigration crackdown there. She said California should probably be looked at next because of alleged fraud there.

During Tuesday’s State of the Union address, President Donald Trump announced Vice President JD Vance would be in charge of a national “war on fraud.”