Why Minnesota Child-Care Fraud Became a MAGA Media Obsession

On Wednesday morning former President Donald Trump used Truth Social to amplify allegations about child-care fraud in Minnesota, writing that “Much of the Minnesota Fraud, up to 90%, is caused by people that came into our Country, illegally, from Somalia.” He also attacked Rep. Ilhan Omar, saying, “Lowlifes like this can only be a liability to our Country’s greatness. Send them back from where they came.” Those assertions were posted without supporting evidence and have been widely challenged.

Background: Longstanding Investigations And Fraud Trends

Federal and state authorities have been investigating suspected fraud in Minnesota’s nutrition and child-care programs for years. Since 2022, those probes have produced dozens of criminal convictions across multiple schemes and providers. Fraud of this kind — where false providers obtain public funds or legitimate providers bill for services not delivered — is a recognized risk in programs where public money flows through private entities.

Fraud accelerated in some areas during the Covid-19 emergency, when large volumes of relief funding were distributed quickly. In 2023, the Small Business Administration’s inspector general estimated roughly $64 billion in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan disbursements.

Who’s Involved — And What The Record Shows

Some convictions have involved Somali American defendants, which helped fuel nativist and xenophobic commentary by political actors. At the same time, major prosecutions have cut across racial lines: one of the largest recent cases involved Aimee Bock, a white woman convicted of orchestrating a scheme that defrauded nutrition programs of about $250 million.

The Viral Clip That Ignited Coverage

The recent surge in national attention followed a viral video by 23-year-old MAGA YouTuber Nick Shirley, who filmed confrontations at Twin Cities day-care centers and claimed many were empty. Independent checks have shown some of Shirley’s specific claims are false or misleading. The video features a man Shirley calls “David,” who makes unproven allegations — including an assertion that stolen funds were being funneled to terrorism — a claim federal prosecutors have rejected.

Despite weak sourcing, the clip was amplified rapidly across conservative channels. High-profile endorsements and extensive Fox News coverage helped the story trend, prompting politicians to demand action and investigations to be highlighted in national media.

Policy Fallout

The political spectacle translated into policy: the Department of Health and Human Services announced a pause in child-care payments to Minnesota, citing what it described as “shocking and credible allegations of extensive fraud.” That funding freeze risks forcing providers to close, costing jobs and leaving families without affordable child care while investigations continue.

Why This Matters

The episode illustrates how a coordinated media and political surge can reframe a long-running, multi-jurisdictional enforcement effort as an urgent, single-state scandal — often with heavy political and social consequences. It also underscores that fraud can cross racial and ethnic lines and that rapid amplification of unverified claims can produce immediate policy effects with real harm to communities.

Key Quote (Truth Social): “Much of the Minnesota Fraud, up to 90%, is caused by people that came into our Country, illegally, from Somalia.” — Donald J. Trump

Bottom line: Investigations into fraud are ongoing and have produced convictions, but the recent media storm was driven more by viral content and political amplification than by a single new revelation. The most immediate consequence has been a funding pause that could disrupt child-care access for Minnesota families while legal and administrative processes continue.