It would appear that independent journalist Nick Shirley’s expose on medical subsidies fraud in California, largely perpetrated by immigrants, was more devastating to Democrats than anyone could have guessed.
By Tyler Durden of Zerohedge on April 14, 2026
After making waves in Minneapolis by revealing rampant daycare fraud run by Somali migrants feeding on millions in government subsidies (and likely funneling some of that cash to Democrat politicians), Nick Shirley traveled to the Golden State only to find more fraud, including voting scams and medical care scams.
The investigation has apparently led to at least 21 arrests associated with medical fraud just after Shirley published his report, though no official sources have confirmed a direct connection.
This brand of taxpayer theft is an ever present problem within blue states where Democrats and migrants seem to work hand-in-hand. But the real giveaway is the fact that Democrats, NGOs and leftist activist groups respond with such hostility to any efforts to expose migrant fraud.
In Minnesota, the state government and NGOs enabled violent leftist mobs in order to distract from the Somali fraud issue and prevent ICE agents from making arrests. This is how important these scam networks are to the political left.
In California we find similar behavior, but this time lawmakers are actually pushing legislation that would help to prevent future journalists like Nick Shirley from identifying the locations tied to taxpayer theft schemes.
Shirley Responds
“California is trying to pass a bill that would criminalize investigative journalism with misdemeanors, $10,000 fines, imprisonment, and content takedown,” Shirley posted on X. “Under AB 2624, government-funded entities like the Somali “Learing” Daycare centers would be protected from being exposed if they operated inside California.”
Is the Bill Real and Current?
Yes – AB 2624 (2025-2026 session) is an active, real piece of legislation titled “Privacy for immigration support services providers.” It was introduced on February 20, 2026, by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D), and it was amended on April 9, 2026. As of April 13, 2026, it has advanced through committee (read second time and amended) and remains in progress in the Assembly.
What the Bill Actually Does
The bill extends an existing address confidentiality program (modeled after protections for reproductive health care and gender-affirming care providers) to “designated immigration support services providers,” their employees, volunteers, and household members.
Key provisions include:
- Prohibiting anyone from knowingly posting, displaying, disclosing, or distributing on the internet or social media the personal information or images of these individuals with the specific intent to incite violence, threaten harm, or enable a crime involving violence against them.
- Banning soliciting, selling, or trading such information/images with the same harmful intent.
- Penalties: Misdemeanor violations carry fines up to $10,000 per violation, imprisonment (typically up to 1 year), or both. It also creates civil remedies, including potential damages.
- Confidentiality: It shields home addresses in public records and allows affected individuals to seek removal of threatening content.
Officially, the bill aims to protect workers at nonprofits and service providers (potentially including daycares serving immigrants) from doxxing and harassment amid rising threats of violence. It creates new crimes and state-mandated local programs but does not explicitly mention “journalism” or ban filming in public.
DeMaio Punches Back
Critics, led by Assemblymember Carl DeMaio (R), argue the bill is a direct response to Shirley’s viral investigations. Shirley has documented alleged widespread fraud in taxpayer-funded programs run by certain immigrant groups, including empty or minimally staffed daycares and hospices claiming millions in government reimbursements (one series alleged over $170 million in California fraud). His on-the-ground videos – often filmed publicly – have gone massively viral and prompted scrutiny.
During a recent Assembly committee hearing, DeMaio directly confronted the bill’s author, Mia Bonta, over language that would allow individuals affiliated with certain organizations to demand the removal of video recordings – even if taken in public – and even impose costly financial penalties against those who publish the videos online.
“California Democrats are trying to intimidate citizen watchdog journalists and protect waste and fraud happening in far-left-wing NGOs. AB 2624 can only be described as the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ — a bill designed to silence citizen journalists exposing fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars…”
DeMaio’s calls AB 2624 the “Stop Nick Shirley Act”:
“AB 2624 would allow activists and taxpayer-funded organizations to demand the removal of video evidence — even if it captures misconduct in plain view — and threatens journalists with massive financial penalties… If this bill becomes law, the message is clear to every journalist in California: expose corruption and you will be punished. AB 2624 is an unconstitutional direct attack on transparency and the First Amendment.”
The law would be a direct violation of the 1st Amendment, which is why Democrats included language of “violence and threats”, giving them a legal loophole which they hope will help them to circumvent freedom of speech protections. If passed, it would allow any organization or fraud group involved in taxpayer theft to simply declare that they “feel threatened” or “have been threatened” and ostensibly force a citizen journalist to censor videos and articles that discuss the group’s criminal activities.
In other words, Democrats are creating laws designed to protect criminals and criminalize free speech, but what else is new. They didn’t seem to have a problem with CNN harassing MAGA grannies.
