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**JANUARY 23, 2026**

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The American child care system has never been adequate for families and care workers, advocates say. But now [link removed], the Trump administration is rolling back rules that were supposed to help by ensuring fair payment terms and an equal distribution of resources. These changes come during the administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, which they justify in part with claims of child care funding fraud. Despite the dismal state of child care at the federal level, some states and cities are stepping up and moving toward universal child care. 

**–Emma Janssen, writing fellow**

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ChiccoDodiFC/iStock

Trump’s War on Child Care [link removed]

**By Emma Janssen and Naomi Bethune**

On December 26, right-wing YouTuber and content creator Nick Shirley posted a video that
quickly went viral. In it, Shirley visits multiple child care facilities in Minnesota that seemed
empty or unused, interviews people who claim they had never seen children at these locations, and accosts Somali employees, accusing them of receiving public funds but not providing services. A manager of one day care center said Shirley visited outside of its regular hours, and state investigators verified that all facilities featured in the video were operating normally. Despite this, the Trump administration responded at top speed, striving to root out “waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Enrolling one’s children in a child care program can be expensive, particularly in areas that
already have a high cost of living. As of 2024, U.S. families spend anywhere between $6,552 to $15,600 per year on full-day care for one child. The 2024 Child Care Development Fund helped working families afford and access quality child care, while also improving payment methods for child care providers.

Seizing on the opportunity provided by Shirley’s video, and as part of the Trump administration’s war on Somali immigrants, Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would lead to the revocation of multiple child care rules featured in the Fund. If the changes go through, families and child care providers alike will face increased challenges.

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