A far-right YouTuber has sparked a renewed crackdown on Somali-owned day care centers in Minnesota, with the Trump administration taking notice. Nick Shirley's video, which claims to expose fraud at these centers, has been viewed over 2 million times and has caught the attention of DHS agents.
Shirley, a 23-year-old conservative commentator, has a history of using his platform to target immigrants and spread xenophobic conspiracy theories. His videos often feature him visiting day care centers or other locations that are frequented by Somali Americans, where he poses as a parent seeking child care for his "son."
In the video, Shirley approaches individuals with dark skin or women wearing hijabs, asking them questions about supposed "missing" children and whether they were aware of fraud. He also records conversations with a Minnesota resident who claims to have been attacked by Somali men after confronting them about alleged fraud.
The Trump administration's attention to the issue is part of its broader war on immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to visit 30 sites suspected of fraud in Minneapolis, and agents have been spotted at day care centers and other locations.
Immigrant rights advocates are worried that Shirley's video will exacerbate the harm already being done to Minnesota's immigrant communities. They say that the issue of fraud is not unique to Somali-owned day care centers and that increased oversight is needed to prevent bad actors from exploiting public funds.
"This narrative, perpetuated locally and nationally, feeds into larger narratives around certain immigrant communities," said Ana Pottratz Acosta, who leads the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Minnesota Law School. "There are bad actors in every community, and just because certain people commit fraud, it doesn't mean that every person who fits that same demographic profile is a bad actor."
Shirley's video has also sparked concerns about the potential for racial profiling and xenophobic stereotypes. The Intercept has found that Shirley has a history of spreading false claims and racist stereotypes about Somali Americans, including accusing them of sending money to al-Shabab.
The Trump administration's campaign against immigrants has been widely criticized as discriminatory and ineffective. Critics argue that the administration's policies have created a culture of fear and mistrust among immigrant communities, making it more difficult for them to access vital services and participate in the economy.
As the situation continues to unfold, immigrant rights advocates are urging people to remain vigilant and to speak out against misinformation and xenophobia. "We need to push back against this kind of narrative," said Pottratz Acosta. "We need to make sure that we're not perpetuating stereotypes or stigmatizing entire communities based on the actions of a few bad actors."
Shirley, a 23-year-old conservative commentator, has a history of using his platform to target immigrants and spread xenophobic conspiracy theories. His videos often feature him visiting day care centers or other locations that are frequented by Somali Americans, where he poses as a parent seeking child care for his "son."
In the video, Shirley approaches individuals with dark skin or women wearing hijabs, asking them questions about supposed "missing" children and whether they were aware of fraud. He also records conversations with a Minnesota resident who claims to have been attacked by Somali men after confronting them about alleged fraud.
The Trump administration's attention to the issue is part of its broader war on immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to visit 30 sites suspected of fraud in Minneapolis, and agents have been spotted at day care centers and other locations.
Immigrant rights advocates are worried that Shirley's video will exacerbate the harm already being done to Minnesota's immigrant communities. They say that the issue of fraud is not unique to Somali-owned day care centers and that increased oversight is needed to prevent bad actors from exploiting public funds.
"This narrative, perpetuated locally and nationally, feeds into larger narratives around certain immigrant communities," said Ana Pottratz Acosta, who leads the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Minnesota Law School. "There are bad actors in every community, and just because certain people commit fraud, it doesn't mean that every person who fits that same demographic profile is a bad actor."
Shirley's video has also sparked concerns about the potential for racial profiling and xenophobic stereotypes. The Intercept has found that Shirley has a history of spreading false claims and racist stereotypes about Somali Americans, including accusing them of sending money to al-Shabab.
The Trump administration's campaign against immigrants has been widely criticized as discriminatory and ineffective. Critics argue that the administration's policies have created a culture of fear and mistrust among immigrant communities, making it more difficult for them to access vital services and participate in the economy.
As the situation continues to unfold, immigrant rights advocates are urging people to remain vigilant and to speak out against misinformation and xenophobia. "We need to push back against this kind of narrative," said Pottratz Acosta. "We need to make sure that we're not perpetuating stereotypes or stigmatizing entire communities based on the actions of a few bad actors."
. I mean, someone's gotta ask themselves if they'd be happy in those shoes, being profiled and stereotyped just because of who they are or where they come from 
. This Nick Shirley fella is just spreading hate and misinformation left and right, and now the Trump administration is taking notice... not good 
. We gotta stand up to this kind of thing and make sure our communities aren't being torn apart by fear and mistrust 
. I've seen what xenophobia can do to people's lives, it's just heartbreaking 
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. Like, I know some people are gonna say "good riddance" about Somali-owned day care centers being under scrutiny, but come on, that's just not fair 
. Ana Pottratz Acosta makes a really valid point - it's not unique to Somali Americans who commit fraud, right? We need to be looking at all the bad actors in every community, not just targeting one group 
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. It's like, we should be having real conversations about how to fix problems, not perpetuating myths and stereotypes 
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. I mean, I get it, everyone wants to make America great again, but at what cost? We're seeing so many people being deported, denied services, and living in fear... it's just not right 
his video is basically a bunch of scripted questions to unsuspecting people just trying to get a rise outta them. and now the trump admin is taking notice and using it as an excuse to crack down on somali-owned day care centers? that's just ridiculous. we need to call him out for what he is - a racist con artist 
stats show 70% of ppl who view conspiracy theories like this are males aged 25-40 
meanwhile, Somali American communities in Minnesota have reported a 300% increase in hate crimes since Trump took office 
chart showing that immigration detention rates have increased by 250% since 2015 
did you know that the average duration of an ICE detention is only 29 days? but still, ppl are being held for months without bail 
also, let's not forget that Shirley's vid features him asking women wearing hijabs about "missing" kids... sounds like a textbook example of racial profiling to me 
This is getting out of hand... a guy makes some fake video and suddenly everyone's all up in arms about Somali-owned day care centers? Like, come on, let's not forget that there are actual bad guys out here doing bad stuff and we should be focusing on catching them, not perpetuating fear and xenophobia. 
I mean, I get that Shirley's got a history of spreading crazy claims, but shouldn't we be trying to educate people instead of just reacting with outrage? And what's with all the blanket statements about Somali Americans? Can't we just talk about the issue at hand without resorting to stereotypes and generalizations? 
so another far-right YouTuber thinks they can just waltz in and start stirring up drama for their own gain... Nick Shirley's video is literally the perfect example of how to create a false narrative and let people believe whatever you want them to. Like, who needs evidence when you've got a bunch of made-up stories about "fraud" and "attacks"? 
And of course, the Trump administration has to take notice because that's exactly what they're all about - creating more problems for already vulnerable communities. It's like they say: "follow the money"... or in this case, follow Nick Shirley's YouTube ad revenue 
A diagram of a daycare center with Somali parents and kids in the background:
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A police officer diagram with a caption "Protecting communities, not perpetuating hate":
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i also heard that shirley has a history of spreading lies and racist stuff... yeah, that's not cool at all 
and what's with the Trump admin taking notice? are they just trying to stir up more drama? 
. There are bad actors everywhere, but we can't let fear and xenophobia dictate our policies 
. And we need to make sure that immigrants are treated with dignity and respect 
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. Ana Pottratz Acosta says this narrative feeds into bigger issues of racism & stereotyping, & we need to push back against it 
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. And now, we have DHS agents visiting day care centers and other locations, just because of this narrative 
. It's time to push back against misinformation and xenophobia 
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. Nick Shirley's video is just a masterclass in manipulation, using his platform to whip up fear and xenophobia against Somali Americans 
. Ana Pottratz Acosta is spot on when she says that there are bad actors everywhere, but just because one person does something wrong doesn't mean you get to stigmatize an entire group of people.
. The Trump administration's policies have already done a great job of creating a culture of fear and mistrust among immigrant communities, and now we're just going to let Shirley's video perpetuate that? 
. We can't let misinformation and xenophobia win out over facts and reason 
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