Thousands of working families across Minnesota are now at risk of losing access to affordable child care — not because of confirmed fraud, but because of a viral video.

After a social media influencer made accusations against 10 child care centers in the Twin Cities — most of which were found to have children present upon inspection — the federal government announced a blanket freeze on $185 million in child care funds for the entire state. This sweeping decision punishes more than 1,200 providers and threatens care for 23,000 Minnesota children, even though only four centers are under formal investigation.

Let’s be clear: fraud in any government program must be taken seriously. But cutting off funding to every provider based on unverified accusations is reckless, harmful, and unjust. Many of the centers affected serve low-income, immigrant, and working-class families — the very communities who can least afford disruptions in care.

Providers have already warned they may be forced to close their doors within weeks. Without urgent action, Minnesota families could face devastating consequences: parents losing jobs due to lack of care, children losing trusted caregivers, and providers losing the ability to pay staff.

We call on Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to immediately lift the freeze on Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) funding. And we urge Minnesota state leaders — including Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison — to exhaust every legal and political option to protect our child care infrastructure from politically motivated overreach.

One viral video should not dismantle a lifeline for tens of thousands of families. Add your name to demand a swift reversal of this harmful decision.