In a troubling development that has rattled the community, a daycare center in Minneapolis, run by Somali-Americans, reported the theft of enrollment documents following an alleged break-in. This incident comes on the heels of a widely circulated video accusing childcare providers in the city of misappropriating government funds.
Nasrulah Mohamed, who manages the Nokomis Daycare Center, addressed the media on Wednesday, revealing that the facility had been vandalized and important documents were missing. His statement came during a press conference where he detailed the early morning call that alerted him and another manager to the break-in.
The Minneapolis Police Department has confirmed that a break-in was reported at the center’s location. Initially, their preliminary investigation indicated that no items were missing. However, a subsequent report aligned with Mohamed’s claims, noting the disappearance of several crucial documents.
According to Mohamed, the break-in resulted in significant damage to a wall and the loss of various documents previously secured in a file cabinet. These included sensitive materials such as child enrollment data, employee records, and checkbooks.
A video shared by the Somali-American platform, Tusmo Times, highlighted the aftermath of the break-in, showing a damaged door and wall. This footage has further fueled concerns within the community.
A Somali-American website, Tusmo Times, shared a video of the vandalism to the building, which depicted a damaged door and wall.
The attention on Somali-run daycares in Minnesota skyrocketed when YouTuber Nick Shirley released a viral video claiming the centers were using the business as a front to collect federal funds and weren’t actually caring for children.
The Nokomis Daycare Center in Minneapolis announced they experienced a burglary after a video went viral, claiming to expose fraud schemes in Somali-run childcare businesses
Manager Nasrulah Mohamed (pictured) said the center has endured racist attacks since YouTuber Nick Shirley shared a video investigating Somali-run childcare centers
The daycare center said the alleged vandal broke into the building and stole documents with the children’s information
He visited multiple Somali-run daycares in the Minneapolis area and alleged that they were empty because they weren’t in operation.
The video included several contentious interactions between Shirley and employees at the daycare centers.
Many of the centers featured in the video have denied Shirley’s allegations, claiming the businesses were closed when he arrived or that his information was incorrect.
Nokomis wasn’t featured in Shirley’s video and there’s no suggestion of impropriety related to the facility, but Mohamed claimed the center is receiving hate due to the YouTuber’s allegations.
The daycare center has limited violations and has a total capacity of up to 71 children, according to the Department of Human Services.
Nokomis had two violations from its last inspection in October: failing to provide documentation for a teacher and failing to comply with nutritional requirements.
Mohamed told reporters at a press conference that the alleged break-in was ‘devastating news’ and they didn’t know why their community was being targeted.
‘One video made by a specific individual made this all happen,’ he added.
Mohamed said employees at Nokomis were receiving hateful messages and voicemails following Shirley’s viral video.
Video footage of the daycare center revealed where the alleged vandal broke in
‘The rhetoric of the video seeks to promote division and hate towards the Somali community, which has real life consequences as evidenced by the damage sustained by the center,’ the daycare added in a press release.
As Mohamed spoke, supporters stood behind him with signs that read, ‘Racism has NO place in childcare,’ and ‘No childcare = No workforce.’
Mary Solheim, a director at a local daycare center in Minnesota, also spoke at the press conference to denounce the alleged break-in.
She added that the incident was a result of the ‘inflammatory rhetoric coming from the constant barrage of harassment from not only the current federal administration, but Minnesota legislators as well.’
Solheim called Shirley a ‘random YouTube personality’ and slammed his video for contributing to hate and fear towards the Somali community.
She also urged the federal government to end the freeze on childcare funds for Minnesota.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said his administration was cracking down on fraud, but said the federal government was politicizing the issue to defund social services
YouTuber Nick Shirley posted a viral video investigating the daycare centers in Minnesota, claiming they were stealing money from the federal government
The Department of Health and Human Services announced on Tuesday that federal child care funding for Minnesota would freeze amid fraud allegations.
Deputy HHS Secretary Jim O’Neill announced the freeze on social media, writing that the department has launched a fraud-reporting hotline and demanded an audit from Governor Tim Walz’s administration on the individuals in Shirley’s video.
O’Neill added that all payments from the Administration for Children and Families will now require justification and a receipt or photo evidence to receive money.
The scandal is now the second one plaguing the Somali community in Minnesota. The FBI previously announced that $250 million was allegedly stolen by sham vendors laundering money intended for food aid.
Prosecutors convicted 57 defendants in the case, most of whom were of Somali descent.
HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill (left) froze federal funding for childcare in Minnesota amid the allegations
FBI Director Kash Patel said the case was ‘just the tip of a very large iceberg’ of fraud in Minnesota.
However, Minnesota lawmakers have hit back at the federal administration, claiming that allegations of fraud were a guise to defund social services programs.
‘This is Trump’s long game. We’ve spent years cracking down on fraudsters,’ Walz wrote on X.
‘It’s a serious issue – but this has been his plan all along. He’s politicizing the issue to defund programs that help Minnesotans.’
