Trump administration reportedly freezes all childcare payments to all states
The Guardian••nation
Key Points:
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Trump administration has frozen all childcare payments to all states, requiring states to prove funds are spent legitimately before releasing payments.
- HHS officials Jim O’Neill and Alex Adams announced the activation of a "defend-the-spend system," demanding extensive documentation such as attendance records and inspection reports for childcare funding.
- The funding freeze was initially thought to target Minnesota specifically but was later confirmed to apply nationwide, prompted by a viral video alleging fraud in Somali American-operated daycare centers in Minneapolis.
- The video’s fraud claims have not been independently verified, and similar allegations have been previously investigated, with some charges brought during the Biden administration.
- Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned
