Right-wing influencers have targeted Somali child care centres, leaving providers fearful
After a viral video alleging fraud, Somali-run child care centres across the US have faced intimidation from influencers and journalists, prompting new security measures and official responses.
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By Torontoer Staff
Somali-run child care centres across the United States have been targeted by right-wing influencers and journalists since a viral video accused them of billing for children they did not care for. The allegations have been disproven in many cases, but providers report ongoing harassment, threats and increased security costs.
The pressure has come as immigration enforcement activity and politically charged rhetoric have intensified, leaving some providers worried about their safety and the wellbeing of the children in their care.
How the controversy began
The episode escalated after a video posted by influencer Nick Shirley, shortly after Christmas, alleged that members of Minneapolis’s Somali community were operating fake child care centres to collect federal subsidies. Inspectors later disproved the central claims that centres were billing for children they did not serve, but the video drew national attention and prompted the Trump administration to attempt to freeze child care funding for Minnesota and other states until a court ordered the funds released.
President Donald Trump also intensified focus on the issue with repeated attacks on Somali immigrants and references to a past, large-scale fraud case in Minnesota. In Minnesota, about 87 percent of foreign-born Somalis are naturalized U.S. citizens, according to cited figures.
On-the-ground intimidation and harassment
Providers in multiple cities say the attention has translated into stalking behaviour, online threats and unwanted visits. In San Diego, home-based provider Samsam Khalif said she spotted two men with a camera parked outside while she was dropping off children, and circled the block several times rather than unload. She installed additional security cameras after the incident.
I’m scared. I don’t know what their intention is.
Samsam Khalif, child care provider in San Diego
In the Minneapolis area, providers report cars circling their buildings, one person defecating near a centre entrance, and motorists yelling that a centre was a 'fake day care.' Some have had their phone lines hacked, exposing parents to slur-filled voicemail messages. In Federal Way, Washington, and Columbus, Ohio, right-wing journalists and influencers filmed themselves at addresses listed on state websites and pressed staff for proof that they were legitimate centres.
Official responses and political debate
Local officials have pushed back against intimidation. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said she would not tolerate efforts to 'intimidate, harass or film Somali child care providers.' At the same time, Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, warned that asking questions or practising so-called citizen journalism is protected speech, and said federal civil rights authorities would intervene if local governments chilled that speech.
Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine publicly debunked influencer claims about a Columbus centre, and defended providers who refuse to admit strangers. 'Well, hell, no! No one should let them in,' he told reporters, urging caution before treating refusal to admit an uninvited visitor as evidence of fraud.
Despite pushback, some Republican lawmakers moved to increase oversight of centres that accept public money. Proposed measures include requirements for live video feeds of classrooms for state officials, a step advocates say would do little to address root problems and would further invade privacy.
Impact on providers and child care services
Providers say the scrutiny has distracted from ongoing child care challenges, including long subsidy waiting lists and funding shortfalls that make it harder for parents to work. Centres are now budgeting for security, drawing up lockdown procedures, and keeping blinds closed to protect children from unwanted visitors and from witnessing immigration enforcement activity.
I can’t have peace of mind about whether the centre will be safe today, that’s a hard pill to swallow.
Anonymous child care provider in Minneapolis
Child care advocates argue that focusing on alleged fraud, much of which has been disproven or remains unsubstantiated, diverts attention and funds from fixing access and affordability. Ruth Friedman, former head of the Office of Child Care under President Biden, said political actors are using the allegations to undermine efforts to invest in child care.
They are using it to try to discredit the movement toward investing in child care.
Ruth Friedman, former head of the Office of Child Care
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson, Andrew Nixon, rejected the idea that concerns about program integrity are manufactured, and urged anyone with credible information on suspected fraud to report it to government channels.
What this means going forward
The controversy has highlighted tensions between public accountability for subsidized services and the safety and privacy of community-based providers, many of them immigrants. Inspectors have confirmed legitimate operations in several contested cases, but continued online amplification of unproven claims keeps pressure on families and workers who rely on these services.
Providers say they are adapting to the new risk environment, but the added costs and emotional toll could reduce the number of available spots at a time when child care access is already strained.
The debate is likely to continue on multiple fronts: legal challenges over funding, state proposals to expand monitoring, and federal responses to allegations. For now, many Somali-run centres say their priority remains protecting children and maintaining stable care despite the harassment they face.
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