Several civil rights organizations have filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over the agency's failure to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request.
The legal action seeks records concerning Trump administration restrictions on federal childcare and family assistance programs.
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These restrictions followed unsubstantiated claims of fraud targeting Somali childcare providers and Democratic state officials.
The coalition of plaintiffs includes the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Illinois, the ACLU of Colorado, the National Women’s Law Center, and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice.
The plaintiffs are seeking communications between federal officials and far-right social media influencer Nick Shirley.
His December 2025 YouTube video alleged widespread fraud at Minnesota childcare centers without offering concrete evidence.
The video went viral after being amplified by Elon Musk on X. Senior Trump administration officials cited it as justification for freezing billions in social services funding.
When questioned by reporters regarding the validity of his claims, Shirley defended his video production.
Journalists and state investigators later visited the facilities and confirmed normal operations, debunking the allegations.
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In January 2026, the federal government froze over $10 billion in funding across three programs: the Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and the Social Service Block Grant.
Five affected states sued to block the funding freeze, leading a federal judge to halt the restrictions on January 9.
