A right-wing media influencer accused Somali day care operators in Minnesota of defrauding the federal government. This has led to threats against staff and a federal child care funding freeze.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Somali Americans in Minnesota who operate child care centers say they’ve received violent threats and have been targeted by vandalism.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
This follows posting of a video last week by a right-wing YouTube influencer that he said shows evidence of fraud at Somali American-run child care centers. The Trump administration responded to the video by suspending federal funding for child care centers, not just in Minnesota, but around the U.S.
MARTÍNEZ: In a few minutes, we’ll hear from the head of a child care center advocacy group about how those cuts are affecting its members. We start, though, with details from Minnesota.
MARTIN: NPR’s Brian Mann is reporting on this, and he’s with us now. Good morning, Brian.
BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: Good morning, Michel.
MARTIN: So Somali American day care operators in Minneapolis say they’re facing harassment and vandalism. What more can you tell us about this?
MANN: Yeah. Nasrulah Mohamed spoke at a press conference at the Nokomis Day Care Center, where he works in Minneapolis. And he said there’s been a break-in. There’s been vandalism, and some people in the community are scared.
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NASRULAH MOHAMED: We’ve been receiving hateful messages through our voicemails threatening us, including one that happened yesterday morning after the break-in. This is frightening and exhausting.
MANN: Now, Mohamed says sensitive documents have been stolen. After that press conference on Wednesday, President Trump posted on social media, calling Mohamed’s account of the break-in a total fraud. As this situation unfolded, Trump has again attacked Somali Americans in Minnesota, calling them – and I’m quoting here, Michel – “lowlifes.”
MARTIN: How did this escalate so fast?
MANN: Yeah. The day after Christmas, Nick Shirley, a 23-year-old MAGA-connected social media influencer, posted a video. He claims it shows Somali American-run day care centers are cheating the federal government out of millions of tax dollars. The video doesn’t offer clear proof, and it appears these social media claims have not yet been independently investigated or verified, but the video went viral. A lot of conservative media outlets jumped on the story, and so did Trump on his social media feed. So now the Trump administration is halting funding for child care programs around the country. Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill spoke in a video posted online. He said child care funds will be released only when states prove they’re being spent legitimately.
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JIM O’NEILL: Starting today, we require a justification receipt or photo evidence before we make a payment.
MANN: Now, this disruption’s going to affect hundreds of thousands of children, especially in low-income families in all 50 states. O’Neill says he took this action based on what he describes as intrepid journalists making shocking and credible allegations. NPR asked the Department of Health and Human Services press office if they have concrete evidence of serious or widespread wrongdoing, but we’ve had no response.
MARTIN: So what happens now to these child care centers, those in Minnesota and around the country?
MANN: Yeah. This is interesting. Speaking at that press conference this week, Mary Solheim, a child care provider in Maplewood, Minnesota, said this funding freeze could be devastating for kids and their working parents around the country. Child care’s incredibly expensive, of course, and these subsidies are make-or-break for many families. Solheim also voiced dismay that one social media influencer could disrupt the child care system so dramatically.
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MARY SOLHEIM: Now a random YouTube personality can cause this much fear. Our children, our families and teachers and providers work hard enough without feeling scared to come to work every single day.
MANN: Now, again, Michel, NPR has asked federal officials for clarification about what evidence they have of any wrongdoing. We’ve also asked what process states will have to go through now to scrutinize thousands of child care providers around the country in order to get these federal dollars flowing again. We just don’t yet have answers to any of those questions.
MARTIN: That is NPR’s Brian Mann. Brian, thank you.
MANN: Thank you.
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