> At a Glance
> – Conservative creators film surprise visits to Somali-run child care centers in Minnesota, Ohio, Washington, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania
> – Nick Shirley’s Dec. 26 video claims centers are closed yet receive state funds; it has 135M views on X and praise from Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk
> – U.S. Health and Human Services froze all federal child care payments to Minnesota after the video spread
> – Why it matters: Operators say the trend amounts to targeted harassment, while Republicans call it fraud spotting
A wave of social-media probes that began in Minnesota has pushed into at least seven more states, as right-wing influencers show up unannounced at day care centers-mostly Somali-run-filming staff and claiming widespread subsidy fraud without verified evidence.
How One Video Ignited Multi-State Visits
Nick Shirley, a conservative content creator, posted a Dec. 26 video that now has 135 million views on X; it shows locked Minnesota facilities he claims still collect state money.
High-profile conservatives, including Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk, and accounts like “Catturd,” amplified the clip, inspiring copy-cat visits in Columbus, Seattle, Portland and smaller towns.
Cam Higby and Jonathan Choe, two rising right-wing journalists, say they inspected four Somali-run centers near Seattle on Dec. 30. Their metrics:
- Compared multi-year subsidy totals with a single-day headcount
- Filmed closed doors and empty parking lots during the holiday lull
- Posted claims of “seven-figure abuse” without confirmed fraud
Higby admitted:
> “It could very well be that the day cares themselves are acting within the law.”
Political Fallout and Pushback
Minnesota’s bipartisan federal probe since 2022 produced dozens of convictions, many of Somali descent, feeding the narrative. President Trump has since attacked Somalis as a group, and over 40 Ohio Republicans now demand surprise audits statewide.
Democratic officials call the tactic harassment:
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson:
> “I stand with Somali child care providers who have experienced targeted harassment.”
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown:
> “Showing up on someone’s porch … isn’t an investigation.”
Data vs. Reality
State agencies say influencers misread records:
| Issue Claimed | Agency Response |
|---|---|
| No street address listed | In-home providers may opt out of public address lists |
| Closed during holiday | Many centers shut between Christmas and New Year’s |
| High subsidies, low same-day kids | Long-term totals vs. one-day snapshot mismatch |
Community Impact
Dorothy Jubity Hassan, refugee nonprofit CEO in Columbus:
> “This is a witch hunt … still suffering … consequences of poverty.”
Guadalupe Magallan, Washington child-care association:
> “We’re just trying to survive … If we were getting rich, we wouldn’t live the way we live.”
Columbus police logged eight calls about confrontations at centers since Monday, though no arrests have been made.
Key Takeaways
- Federal payments to Minnesota frozen after viral video
- Influencers focus almost exclusively on Somali operators, citing Minnesota fraud cases
- No new state fraud complaints reported despite the uproar
- Right-wing media ecosystem signals appetite for more exposés heading into 2026 campaigns
The trend shows how a single unverified video can mobilize nationwide vigilante audits, leaving immigrant small-business owners to prove legitimacy while authorities sort fact from viral fiction.
Categories
[“Political News”, “Breaking News”, “Local News”]
