Minnesota Now

Following xenophobic comments from President Donald Trump and an immigration operation targeting some Somalis in the Twin Cities, a local Somali Republican with aspirations to run for office is now questioning his political future. With the first half of the school year winding down, mental health and addiction struggles are becoming unmanageable for some students. We checked in with a counselor in Chisago county.We also learned more about St. Paul's growing homeless encampment as temperatures reach frigid lows.And mountain lion sightings led two Duluth schools to go into lockdown Wednesday. We got more details about the big cat.Plus, a tour of the hard-won University of Minnesota's men's gymnastics gym. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “The Holly and the Ivy” arranged and performed by Peter Ostroushko. Our Song of the Day was “Hans Painted with Flowers” by Steven J. Schmidt.

A mountain lion has been spotted in Duluth and along the North Shore. Two Duluth schools went into lockdown yesterday because the big cat was nearby. MPR News Duluth bureau reporter Dan Kraker spoke to John Erb, a wildlife researcher with the DNR about where this mountain lion came from and where it may be headed.

We're nearing the end of the semester for high school students in Minnesota. It's a time when social groups are solidified, finals are coming up, and stressors are starting to catch up to some students. While the majority of schools have mental health services, there are still many gaps. Nonprofit mental health workers are teaming up with public schools to make sure students have the support they need. Minnesota Now checked in with one as the semester comes to a close. Nicholas Karlstad is a youth peer support specialist with Know The Truth for middle and high schools in Chisago County. He shared more about his work with host Nina Moini.

Just east of downtown St. Paul, near Pig's Eye Park along the river, people at a homeless encampment are facing this winter's first subzero temperatures. Recent reports say the camp has grown in the last six months and comes at a time when several St. Paul shelters say they're at capacity. It's a site that's far away from many homeless support services and organizations. Volunteers and the city's homeless response team have been regularly coming to the camp to provide supplies and support. Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke with St. Paul's director of safety and inspections, Angie Wiese, to learn more about the situation.For more information on warming spaces available in Ramsey County, visit the county's website.

Minnesota is in national news due to President Donald Trump's recent targeting of the state's Somali population. In a cabinet meeting this week, the president made xenophobic and racist comments about Somali people. MPR News is also following reports that the White House is sending federal agents to the Twin Cities to arrest Somali immigrants who have final deportation orders. All of this has spread fear among Somali Minnesotans, most of whom are U.S. citizens or green card holders. Salman Fiqy, who is Somali, threw his energy into campaigning for Republican candidates in his Somali community in the south Twin Cities metro during the 2024 election. This was after he had ended an unsuccessful campaign for a Republican house seat. Results from the 2024 presidential election showed Democrats lost support in Minneapolis neighborhoods with high numbers of Somali voters. A survey from that time also showed growing support for the Republican party.Since President Donald Trump's recent xenophobic comments, Fiqy has shared that he can no longer support the party. Salman Fiqy spoke with host Nina Moini more about his decision.

The University of Minnesota Men's Gymnastics Club has a new 14,000 square foot facility in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood. The program was dropped by the University back in 2020, meaning they were out of the NCAA and had no monetary support from the school. Then in 2024, they got kicked out of their campus facility and were forced to commute up to 40 minutes to different gyms around the metro. Now, for the first time, they have their own home gym. Minnesota Now got the chance to tour it and learn how the team has been able to vault to new heights.

The Somali community is at the center of a reported ICE operation in the Twin Cities, bringing fear to a community of 80,000 people. We spoke to state senator Omar Fateh, who represents many Somali Minnesotans and is Somali himself. Plus, we checked in with a Minneapolis Imam and a Somali Minneapolis police sergeant about how community leaders are responding. MPR News reporter Jon Collins was also out in the Somali community, asking what they've seen in the last 24 hours. Plus, temperatures are plummeting due to arctic air in our region. MPR meteorologist Brandon Weatherz gave us the details on how long these cold temperatures will last. And, a local author is bringing together the first refugee writing cohort. We learned more about the project ahead of their first event Wednesday. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Lullaby” by Low and our Song of the Day was “Cerulean” by Ocean Blue.

Over the past six months, a group of seven writers have been working together under the mentorship of local author Kao Kalia Yang. But these aren't just any writers, they are all refugees. The cohort will share their work for the first time at the East Side Freedom Library in St. Paul on Wednesday night. Kao Kalia Yang and Pa Zao Vang, one of the writers from the workshop, joined host Nina Moini to share more about the project.

Fear has rippled through the state's East African community following reports of an immigration enforcement push in the Twin Cities targeting Somali immigrants who have final deportation orders. The New York Times and the Associated Press reported Tuesday morning that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will send 100 federal agents to the Twin Cities this week and that the operation could sweep up legal residents including U.S. citizens.Most of Minnesota's 80,000 Somali residents are U.S. citizens or legal residents. A much smaller number in the hundreds have temporary protected status, a designation President Donald Trump has said he will end for Somali immigrants in Minnesota.For perspective, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with three leaders of the Minneapolis Somali community, State Senator Omar Fateh, Imam Hassan Jama and police sergeant Mukhtar Abdulkadir.Read the full reporting at MPRNews.org.

The Trump administration is pointing negative rhetoric and government action at Somali Minnesotans. The White House is citing the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal to cast suspicion on Somali immigrants. We got some perspective from a Twin Cities professor who is a leading expert on Somali studies.St. Paul police and federal agents have used chemical irritants to control crowds at two sites of federal immigration arrests recently. We talked to a doctor who has studied the impact of products like tear gas and pepper spray on human health. We learned how Minnesota fruit growers are trying to adapt to a changing climate. A Minnesota horror writer has a special delivery. It's a novel in the form of a newspaper, delivered over 12 months. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “4th” by FPA and our Song of the Day was “Radio” by Laura Hugo.

One week ago Tuesday, a confrontation led to St. Paul police using chemical irritants and projectiles on a crowd. Hundreds of people gathered to protest and document the arrest of two people by federal immigration agents. The police department says it is reviewing officers' response. The incident came just days after a similar confrontation with federal agents in another part of the city. They, too, used chemical irritants and projectiles. In cities across the country, federal immigration actions have resulted in frequent clashes between law enforcement and community members who are organizing to respond. More could be on the horizon after reports came out Tuesday that federal agents are expected to target hundreds of Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities. Minneapolis and St. Paul leaders said in a press conference that local law enforcement will not assist the operation but will respond to public safety threats. To understand more about the health impacts of what are called less lethal methods of crowd control, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Dr. Rohini Haar. She is an emergency physician, a medical advisor for the group Physicians for Human Rights and a lecturer in the University of California-Berkeley law school.

Somali Minnesotans are being targeted by the Trump administration. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke about the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, citing convictions of people of Somali descent. Leavitt used the case to drive home a narrative that Somalis who emigrated to Minnesota should leave the country. President Donald Trump – has without proof – said that Somali people are funneling money to the terrorist group Al Shabaab. And the U-S Treasury is now investigating that claim. Joining Minnesota Now to talk about the impact of the rhetoric from the federal government in Ahmed Samatar, James Wallace professor of international studies at Macalester College.

Fruit crops in Minnesota have gone dormant to survive the winter. That leaves the people who grow them to plan ahead. For organic fruit growers, that includes preparing for warmer winters, wetter springs and drier summers. Those are among the climate-driven trends affecting Minnesota. On Wednesday, the University of Minnesota Extension will begin the second year of a climate resilience program for fruit growers in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Madeline Wimmer is organizing the program as an extension educator and president of the Organic Fruit Growers Association. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the role fruit crops play in the region's food system and how fruit farmers are adjusting for climate change.

Northfield-based horror writer Benjamin Percy has a new novel out and it's unlike anything he's done before. To start, Percy's new book “The End Times” does not come in the form of a book — instead, it's being released as a series of 12 newspaper deliveries over the course of the year. The story follows the residents of a fictional Minnesota town called North End as they try to rebuild 12 years after a horrific plague nearly wiped out all of humanity. In true Percy fashion, weird and strange things start happening as they work to restart their lives. Percy joined Minnesota Now to give a preview of what readers can expect from “The End Times.”

There has been a series of major changes to immigration policy out of Washington in the past few days. The Trump administration stopped all asylum cases, in addition to visas for Afghans. We'll learn about the impact in Minnesota. The state of Minnesota has one more month to launch its new paid family and medical leave program. We'll talk with one of the people involved in the rollout. Today is World AIDS Day, but the federal government is not participating. We'll find out what groups in Minnesota are doing to raise awareness and defend funding for HIV prevention and treatment. And as the Vikings continue to struggle, the team announced today it is waiving receiver Adam Thielen. Our sports contributors will join us to explain this and other sports news. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Silence” by Jillian Rae and our Song of the Day was "Burnin' the Midnight Oil” by Purple Funk Metropolis.

Monday is World AIDS Day, but the United States government is sitting out the commemoration this year. The World Health Organization created the day in the 1980s to remember those lost to the disease and rally support for prevention and treatment. This is the first year since 1993 that the President of the United States has not signed a proclamation to recognize the day. The Trump Administration also told federal employees not to use government funds or social media for World AIDS Day, according to the New York Times. Matt Toburen leads the Aliveness Project, which supports people living with HIV in the Twin Cities. He joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about how his organization is still raising awareness.

We're entering the final month of the NFL season. The Minnesota Vikings have been stuck at the bottom of their division, the NFC North, for weeks now. And Sunday was another low point — or, you might say no point. They lost, 26-0, to the Seattle Seahawks. Minnesota Now sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined host Nina Moini to talk about this and more uplifting Minnesota sports news.

In exactly one month on Jan. 1, Minnesota will introduce a new benefit for most workers in the state. It's a paid family and medical leave program that guarantees access to paid time off; for new parents, to recover from a medical issue, or to care for a sick family member. It's a big change for Minnesota's employers — and the workers who can take advantage of it. Evan Rowe is the deputy commissioner of workforce services at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. He joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to explain what you need to know before the launch.

Some immigrants in Minnesota have questions after a recent series of Trump administration orders related to immigration. Those decisions included halting all asylum case decisions, plus pausing issuing visas for people from Afghanistan. That's after last week's shooting of two National Guard members in Washington D.C. by an Afghan national who was granted asylum this year. Jane Graupman is the executive director of the International Institute of Minnesota. She joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to help makes sense of the new orders and how it's affecting Minnesota.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter says the St. Paul Police Department is reviewing how its officers responded to an apparent immigration action Tuesday morning on the city's east side. Police deployed projectiles and chemical irritants against people and the press. St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry says his officers responded to the scene when a car was struck during a federal arrest. He says he then heard reports of protesters arming themselves with rocks and sticks.This comes within a week of protesters responding to an ICE raid at a St. Paul business, Bro-Tex. Hundreds of people have responded to both immigration actions and that's partially due to what's known as a “rapid response network,” where legal observers are being called to document what's happening. Edwin Torres Desantiago is the manager of the Immigrant Defense Network, which oversees the rapid response. He joined Minnesota Now guest host Chris Farrell to talk about legal observer response.

This weekend, the Hmong community in Minnesota will be celebrating the Hmong New Year. This year is significant, as 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Hmong Americans in Minnesota.Hmong folk singing is a form of song poetry that is commonly sung around Hmong New Year and other celebrations. Pang Her Vang is the president of the Mong United Equality Association. She's a culture expert and Hmong elder here in the community and joined Minnesota Now to share more about the tradition of song poetry and also share some songs.

An immigration operation in St. Paul escalated with the use of chemical irritants and projectiles Tuesdays. Hundreds of protesters responded. We'll go inside the rapid response organization that mobilizes when ICE is spotted.It's safe to say winter is here. Paul Huttner shared snow totals from across the state. With a large international population, the city of Rochester is working to to prepare residents for winter.Plus, a biologist broke down the relationship between the deer and wolf population in Minnesota. This weekend is the Hmong New Year. We heard about the long oral tradition of Hmong song poetry.The Minnesota Music Minute was “It's All Over Now, Baby Blue” by Bob Dylan. The Song of the Day was “All Are Welcome At Our Table” by Pat Egan.

The first snow storm of the season swept through the state Tuesday into Wednesday. That means new Minnesotans have now been properly baptized. Duluth picked up the most snow with 10.3 inches and the Twin Cities received 3.1 inches. In Rochester, which got 1-2 inches of snow, the public works department and other organizations have been helping prepare new Minnesotans for winter. Earlier this fall, they put on the second annual Rochester Snow Summit, a winter-preparedness event organized by the city. Jake Busho is the public works street maintenance supervisor and one of the organizers of the Rochester Snow Summit. He talked with MPR News host Chris Farrell along with Jessica Thornton. She is aging services program manager at Family Service Rochester, an organization that participated in the summit.

Firearm season for deer hunters is largely over in Minnesota. Data from the state Department of Natural Resources shows hunters were more successful than they have been for a few years. The number of harvests has climbed back from a low point in 2023. In low years, some hunters see a lack of deer and point to wolves as the cause. A recent study from far northern Minnesota tells a different story. The Voyageurs Wolf Project studies wolves in Voyageurs National Park and the surrounding area. Biologist Tom Gable leads the project and joined MPR News host Chris Farrell with details on how fluctuating deer and wolf populations impact one another.

Most of Minnesota woke up Wednesday in a swirl of wind and snow. By noon, much of the wintry weather had blown into Wisconsin. MPR Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner joined Minnesota Now with snowfall totals and a Thanksgiving weekend forecast.

A winter storm warning is in effect through Wednesday morning, just in time for Thanksgiving travel. Meteorologist Mandy Thalhuber had details and we talked to MnDOT about what to expect on the road.The holidays are a critical time for retailers big and small. We got an outlook for Minnesota businesses. COP30, this year's United Nations climate conference, ended last weekend. We spoke with two Minnesota college students who were there. Mary Lucia, a former DJ for The Current, is out with a new memoir. We heard part of her conversation with MPR's Kerri Miller. And two pro women's volleyball teams are coming to the state. In the late 1980s, there was a team here. We met a former Minnesota Monarch.The Minnesota Music Minute was a rendition of “Let It Snow” by the Brian Setzer Orchestra. The Song of the Day was “Hit My Line” by BRUTE.

Memoirists often talk about their painful truths, dreams and demons in their work. An iconic radio DJ out of Minnesota has put to paper a story of her life that covers all of that, including her harrowing experience of being stalked while living in the public eye.Mary Lucia's slim but revealing memoir, out Tuesday, is called "What Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Weirder and Harder to Relate To." Lucia is a former DJ at The Current and is currently the program advisor at the University of Minnesota's Radio K. She spoke to MPR's Kerri Miller about the memoir and her experience. Listen to the full conversation on Big Books and Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller on Friday at 11 a.m.

Two professional women's volleyball leagues recently announced they are coming to Minnesota. Major League Volleyball and League One Volleyball will launch teams in 2027. But it won't be the first time Minnesota has had a professional women's volleyball team. In 1987, a brand-new professional women's volleyball league brought the Minnesota Monarchs to the state. The league fell apart halfway through the season in 1989 due to financial problems. But while it lasted, the Monarchs had a steady fanbase. Former Monarch Annie Adamczak-Glavan is a coach and director of Club 43, a youth volleyball club based in Hopkins. She joined MPR News host Chris Farrell to share more about the Monarchs and what she thinks about the new leagues.

Belém, Brazil hosted this year's United Nations climate conference, which wrapped up last weekend.More than 50,000 people attended COP30. Even though representatives of the United States government were absent, a few Minnesotans were there, including students from a class at the College of St. Benedict and Saint John's University. St. Ben's juniors Ella Chiroux and Abby Robinson joined MPR News host Chris Farrell to share about their experience.

Much of the state is under a winter storm warning through Wednesday morning. The forecast has shifted to include more snow hitting the Twin Cities metro. This comes at one of the busiest travel weeks of the year with Thanksgiving. MPR News host Chris Farrell spoke to MPR News meteorologist Mandy Thalhuber for an update on the forecast and MnDOT spokesperson Anne Meyer, who shared advice on how to drive in winter weather.

Whether you're the kind of shopper who will line up at the big box stores for Black Friday or if you like to keep it low-key with a few small businesses, chances are holiday shopping feels slightly different this year.Due to tariffs, rising costs and overall economic uncertainty, shoppers may be more hesitant to spend this holiday season. Projections for Minnesota-based retailer Target show a challenging outlook for the holiday season. MPR News has reported on multiple small businesses that have been affected by the tariff rollercoaster.Bruce Nustad, the president of the Minnesota Retailers Association, joined MPR News host Chris Farrell to break down these trends.

President Donald Trump has called to eliminate temporary protected status to Somali migrants in Minnesota. We'll break down how this could impact Minnesota's Somali community with an immigration lawyer. At 22, Kristin Collier learned her mother had taken out more than $200,000 of loans in her name without her consent. She wrote a book about the experience. We'll hear from her.Plus, Waymo, the self-driving rideshare service, is coming to Minneapolis. But can it navigate our winter weather? A U of M researcher explains. We'll get an update on the first winter snowstorm of the season ahead of Thanksgiving travel.And it's win or go home for Minnesota United in round two of the playoffs. Our Minnesota Music Minute was in-memoriam of Jellybean Johnson, with the song “Jungle Love” by The Time. Our Song of the Day was “Jet Airliner” by Steve Miller Band.

President Donald Trump called to eliminate a program that provides what's known as temporary protected status to migrants to the U.S. from Somalia. In a social media post on Friday, he linked Minnesota's Somali population to a quote “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” and alleged without proof that Somali gangs are terrorizing the state.Minnesota is home to the largest population of Somali immigrants in the country. Joining Minnesota Now to explain temporary protected status and how this is affecting Minnesota is Julia Decker, the policy director at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota.

Waymo, the autonomous vehicle ride-sharing service, is currently on the streets of Minneapolis beginning testing. For now, there is a driver behind the wheel. But eventually Waymo wants you to take a ride with no driver. Minneapolis would be one of Waymo's first winter-weather markets and the company says it has been testing in winter conditions including the Sierra Nevada and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. MPR News host Chris Farrell spoke to Raj Rajamani, an autonomous vehicle expert at the University of Minnesota and Frank Douma, who researches autonomous vehicle policy at the University of Minnesota.

Some households, friend groups and workplaces in our region are divided over their feelings about Sunday night's game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Vikings. The Packers won 23-6 and quarterback J.J. McCarthy was sacked five times. McCarthy is in concussion protocol following the game. As the Purple pick up the pieces, sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson joined Minnesota Now guest host Chris Farrell to talk about this and other sports headlines.

Minnesota's first big winter storm system of the season is on its way. The timing isn't great for Thanksgiving travel. AAA predicts that across the Midwest, 5.8 million people will be driving for Thanksgiving. And there could be more winter weather as people travel home from Thanksgiving this weekend. MPR meteorologist Sven Sundgaard spoke to Minnesota Now guest host Chris Farrell about which parts of the state could see the most snow and the best time to hit the roads to avoid bad conditions.

It's a given for many college students that they'll begin their adult lives with student loan debt. For the author of a new memoir, the experience was extreme. At 22 years old, Kristin Collier walked into a bank to apply for a credit card. She walked out with the knowledge that somehow, she already owed more than $200,000. Her mother had taken out the loans in her name, without her consent. Collier confronts that debt — and the way debt shapes life in the United States — in the book, “What Debt Demands: Family, Betrayal and Precarity in a Broken System.” She lives in Minneapolis and joined Minnesota Now guest host Chris Farrell to talk about the book.

A third-party candidate has entered Minnesota's race for governor. We learned about Mike Newcome and the Forward Independence Party platform. We heard from a former independent candidate for governor, Tom Horner, about what it takes to campaign as a third-party. Minnesota-based Essentia Health serves primarily rural areas, which includes several tribal nations. And now Essentia has a tribal liaison who is building trust and bringing Native perspectives to the forefront. We talked to him.Plus, your Thanksgiving turkey could be more expensive this year. Tariffs are a big culprit. Our agriculture reporter joined us from Moorhead to share more.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “West Memphis” by Bob Dylan.

Every week, MPR News host Nina Moini checks in with one of MPR News' regional reporters. On Thursday, Fargo-Moorhead area agriculture reporter Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval chatted with Nina about his latest stories on the ripple effects of the federal government shutdown on the state's farmers, farmers' concerns on the nation's economic outlook and the projected cost of a Thanksgiving turkey this year.

For the last six months, Samuel Moose has been working as the director of tribal government relations with Essentia Health. It's a new role for the health care system that primarily operates in a rural area that includes 19 tribal nations. It's been a busy six months in the world of health care with cuts to Medicaid funding and hospital closures in greater Minnesota. Moose, a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, checked in with MPR News host Nina Moini about how it's going.

Minnesota has two major parties – the Democratic Farmer Labor Party and the Republican Party. That's fewer than in the recent past, when there were four parties with that status. It's important because it provides some built-in advantages come campaign season. The Forward Independence Party has high hopes of getting into the big leagues and showcased some of its candidates Thursday morning at the Capitol. The party introduced Jay Reeves, an Army veteran who is running for state auditor, along with Kelly Doss, the owner of a coaching business, who is running for Republican Rep. Tom Emmer's 6th District seat in Congress. Mike Newcome, a businessman, is running for governor with the Forward Independence Party. Tom Horner has been on a similar journey to the one Newcome just began. In 2010, Horner broke from the Republican party to run for Minnesota governor with the Forward Independence Party.  Horner won nearly 12 percent of the vote that November, and the results for Republican Tom Emmer and Democrat Mark Dayton were so close that they triggered a recount. Ultimately, Dayton won that election. Tom Horner went on to found a PR firm and he writes about politics in Minnesota and beyond. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain this new dynamic of the 2026 race for governor along with MPR news reporter Peter Cox, who spoke with Moini about the Forward Independence Party's origins and goals.

MPR News is continuing to follow the federal law enforcement clash with protesters in St. Paul Tuesday morning. Agents were seen using chemical irritants and less-lethal ammunition. We learned more about federal authority to use force in such situations here and around the country.Lawmakers are getting details about proposed 2026 state construction projects to decide which ones will make the cut. MPR News reporter Dana Ferguson tagged along to hear their pitches.It's mid-November. Are you surprised about our state's lack of snow? MPR chief meteorologist joined the show to talk about that and the weather forecast ahead.Plus, it's the end of a more than 230-year era. A Minnesota coin collector gave the penny a solemn goodbye.