Independent journalist Nick Shirley's video certainly is having consequences. Federal investigations into the billion-dollar fraud are being stepped up, and Jim O'Neill, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, has posted to X that "We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud."
We have frozen all child care payments to the state of Minnesota.
— Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill (@HHS_Jim) December 30, 2025
You have probably read the serious allegations that the state of Minnesota has funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent daycares across Minnesota over the past decade.
Today we have taken three actions… pic.twitter.com/VYbyf3WGop
The post continues:
… against the blatant fraud that appears to be rampant in Minnesota and across the country:
1. I have activated our defend the spend system for all ACF payments. Starting today, all ACF payments across America will require a justification and a receipt or photo evidence before we send money to a state.
2. Alex Adams and I have identified the individuals in @nickshirleyy's excellent work. I have demanded from @GovTimWalz a comprehensive audit of these centers. This includes attendance records, licenses, complaints, investigations, and inspections.
3. We have launched a dedicated fraud-reporting hotline and email address at https://childcare.gov. Whether you are a parent, provider, or member of the general public, we want to hear from you.
We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud.
@ACFHHS @HHSGov
BREAKING: HHS freezes all childcare payments to the state of Minnesota amidst widespread fraud allegations and moving forward all payments across America will require a receipt or photo evidence and justification before money is sent.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) December 30, 2025
“We have turned off the money spigot”. https://t.co/AjnJeJoRUt
FANTASTIC!
— RunTheStairs (@runthestairs) December 30, 2025
Freezing the childcare payments is step one. Recovering the money and deporting the Somalis is what must come next. That is mandatory.
— Andy froemel (@FroemelAndy) December 30, 2025
Now the media will have its angle. They will now pay attention & do report after report of kids who couldn’t get access to childcare because of this. Whether these stories are true or not won’t matter to them. They had ignored the story because they didn’t have a Trump angle.
— MaryLouWestin (@LouWestin) December 30, 2025
Yep. "Racist President Trump Starves Children."
Makes sense since it’s obvious Minnesota wasn’t doing due diligence on this.
— LizaM (@gotchatheregrin) December 30, 2025
Good start but we want arrests
— Tiffany Ensign (@TiffanyEnsign) December 30, 2025
Klobuchar is going to have a meltdown.
— Coffee4me2 (@Coffee4us123) December 30, 2025
A judge will step in guaranteed.
— Flawless Laser and MedSpa (@Flawless_82009) December 30, 2025
Guaranteed, but they will be overturned.
Now the NGOs need to be suspended and their assets seized.
— Jenny (@Jenny_IDLYITW) December 30, 2025
Thank you. This is what Americans are desperate for: action. Decisive action.
— Andrew Beck (@AndrewBeckUSA) December 30, 2025
It's refreshing to see some decisive action from the federal government.
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