Conservative YouTuber Appears in San Francisco Amid Fraud Claims

Nick Shirley, whose unsubstantiated allegations sparked an immigration crackdown in Minnesota, is spotted in the Tenderloin discussing drug issues.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Conservative influencer Nick Shirley, whose unsubstantiated claims of childcare fraud helped spark the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, has appeared in a video posted by a San Francisco resident critical of the city's response to the drug crisis. Shirley was seen discussing the impact of Proposition 47 and the challenges of helping people get off drugs with the resident, JJ Smith, in the Tenderloin neighborhood.

Why it matters

Shirley's visit to San Francisco comes after he traveled to San Diego and attempted to visit childcare facilities there, continuing his efforts to uncover alleged fraud similar to what he claimed to have found in Minnesota. His presence in the city raises concerns about the potential for further unsubstantiated claims that could impact local policies and communities.

The details

In the video posted by Smith, Shirley can be seen discussing the impact of Proposition 47, which changed thefts of $950 or less into misdemeanors and reduced penalties for some other low-level drug and property crimes. Shirley appears to criticize the law, saying it has been the 'downfall' of San Francisco, while Smith laments that police can no longer arrest people for possession of drug paraphernalia, which he believed was an opportunity to get people into detox.

  • On February 3, Shirley wrote that he 'touched down in San Diego' in late January 'to dive into investigations of potential daycare fraud similar to Minnesota's scandals.'
  • The video posted by JJ Smith was posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

The players

Nick Shirley

A 23-year-old conservative influencer from Utah whose unsubstantiated claims of childcare fraud in Minnesota helped spark an immigration crackdown by the Trump administration.

JJ Smith

A 55-year-old Tenderloin resident who frequently posts videos critical of the neighborhood and the city's response to the drug crisis.

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What they’re saying

“That can't be opened, It's impossible to open because people jump over the fence and break into tourists' rooms and they can't get no protection.”

— JJ Smith, Tenderloin resident (sfchronicle.com)

“Now they can just walk around with drug paraphernalia and nothing happens to them.”

— JJ Smith, Tenderloin resident (sfchronicle.com)

“Welcome to California... Here they will let you overdose on their streets, give you the narcan to revive yourself and then give you the supplies to kill yourself again.”

— Nick Shirley (X)

What’s next

It is unclear what Shirley's next steps will be in San Francisco or if he plans to continue his investigations into alleged childcare fraud in California.

The takeaway

Shirley's presence in San Francisco raises concerns about the potential for further unsubstantiated claims that could impact local policies and communities, particularly given his history of making inflammatory allegations that led to a federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota.