"After right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley's viral video alleging fraud at Minnesota daycares he said were operated by Somali residents, Donald Trump's administration responded by flooding the state with federal immigration agents and freezing funding for childcare services. (A judge ruled that the federal government must continue funding childcare subsidies, at least temporarily.) Now Shirley is back loitering outside daycares again, this time in California."
"Like with his last video, which featured a "source" later identified by The Intercept as a far-right onetime political candidate and lobbyist, Shirley seems to have had a local tour guide: Amy Reichert, a San Diego right-wing activist who unsuccessfully ran for local election. She said on X that she spent two days with Shirley "checking out learning centers" in the city. An accompanying image appears to show the two of them - a tripod-mounted phone in tow - outside a business."
"In Minneapolis, a refusal to let Shirley and his team into daycares was taken as evidence that the business was a sham - a claim unsupported by follow-up visits. (Perhaps a good daycare should not allow a random YouTuber near its kids?) Subsequent visits by state inspectors found that children were present at the daycares Shirley visited and that they were "operating as expected.""
Nick Shirley created a viral video accusing Minnesota daycares operated by Somali residents of fraud, prompting federal immigration agents to be sent and childcare funding to be frozen. A judge ordered the federal government to continue childcare subsidies temporarily. Shirley traveled to California and announced his arrival, reportedly guided by San Diego activist Amy Reichert. Shirley uses public records on licensed childcare facilities to highlight inspector citations and conducts confrontational visits, sometimes demanding to see children. State inspectors later found children present and daycares operating as expected. Local providers report harassment despite no published San Diego video yet.
Read at The Verge
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