Minnesota Now

White house border czar Tom Homan made his first remarks in Minnesota. He said he's focusing on a drawdown of agents. Plus, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar is running for Governor of Minnesota. We get the latest. Millions have watched videos of the ICE killing of Alex Pretti. One was filmed by a bystander, known to many simply as "the woman in the pink coat." Hear her experience.And school districts are offering a virtual learning option for students who are too afraid to leave their homes right now. We cover that and a changed school grading system with St. Paul School's superintendent.Plus, musicians in the state are taking to the stage with original protest songs to meet this tense moment. We hear some of those.

The TV drama "Heated Rivalry" has become a global sensation. It follows the story of two professional men's hockey players who fall in love and hide their romance from the world.For many fans, the fictional story is a huge step for LGBTQ+ representation in men's professional sports. And it inspired Andover native Jesse Kortuem to publicly come out as gay.MPR News host Emily Bright spoke Kortuem about growing up gay in the Minnesota hockey community and the impact the show has had on his life and the sport of hockey.

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop arresting and detaining lawfully resettled refugees in Minnesota under a program known as Operation PARRIS. The temporary restraining order also requires the immediate release of refugees currently detained in Minnesota, and the release within five days of those transferred to a Texas detention center. The ruling comes in a class-action lawsuit brought by refugee advocacy groups, who argue the arrests are unlawful. Michelle Drake is an attorney based in Minneapolis with Berger Montague, that is helping lead the case. She joined Minnesota Now to talk about the judge's ruling.

After much anticipation she would run, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar is now a candidate for Minnesota governor. The race was thrown up in the air after the sudden exit of Gov. Tim Walz in early January. Klobuchar has a clear shot to the fall ballot on the DFL side, while Republicans sort through a crowded field.MPR News host Emily Bright spoke with MPR reporter Ellie Roth to tell us more about the announcement and its potential effects on the upcoming election season.

White House border czar Tom Homan made his first public remarks Thursday after arriving in Minnesota earlier this week to oversee federal immigration enforcement. Homan is assuming leadership of the surge of federal agents from Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who had been the face of the operation.MPR News host Emily Bright spoke with MPR's Estelle Timar-Wilcox, who was at this morning's news conference, about what she heard.

ICE's actions are hurting the safety and learning of Minnesota students. That was the message of superintendents and elected officials this week, as they called for ICE to leave the state. As students worry about the safety of their loved ones or stay home from school, education leaders warn student education will suffer the same losses documented during the COVID pandemic.Several school districts, including Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools, have created a virtual option for for students who feel safer learning from home. And this week, St. Paul announced changes to its grading system to account for potential disruptions in learning. Joining Minnesota Now to talk about all of this is Stacie Stanley, superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools.

U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar said she is OK after being attacked at a town hall last night. A man sprayed an unknown substance at her after she called for the federal government to abolish ICE. We have the latest on that story. Plus, the Border Patrol's Greg Bovino has left Minneapolis. But has federal immigration activity changed on the ground? We talked with city council members in Minneapolis and St. Paul about what they're hearing. The actions of federal agents have pushed Democratic and Republican politicians to take new stances on ICE. A political scientist explains the shift. And a new shelter and supportive housing program has opened just three blocks from where Border Patrol agents killed Alex Pretti.Our Minnesota Minute was “Alone” by Trampled by Turtles.

The bitter cold of Minnesota is especially dangerous for unhoused people who are living outside. That means the work of supportive housing and outreach is all the more urgent. But federal immigration activities on top of the frigid weather have created challenges for street outreach programs like Agate Housing and Services and Simpson Housing Services. Both are also working in the same neighborhood where Alex Pretti was killed by federal agents. Anvis Aryavong shared the challenges his street team is facing when helping people find shelter. And MPR News host Nina Moini spoke to Wendy Wiegmann, the associate director for Simpson Housing Services about the problems they have been running into.

A growing number of Republicans are pressing for a deeper investigation into tactics of federal immigration agents in Minnesota after the killing of Alex Pretti over the weekend. Top leaders from DHS, ICE and Customs and Border Protection will testify before congress in two weeks after a hearing was called by several congressional Republicans. Democrats are also becoming louder and using stronger language in their opposition to ICE. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Larry Jacobs, founder and director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, for some analysis on this political moment. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.

Border patrol chief Greg Bovino has officially left Minnesota and Border Czar Tom Homan has been put in charge of operations in the state. In an MPR News interview earlier this week, Governor Tim Walz said that in a private conversation, President Trump had pledged to do things differently with ICE in Minnesota. We don't yet know what that will mean for ICE presence— or agent behavior — in the state. St. Paul city council vice president Hwa Jeong Kim and Minneapolis city council member Robin Wonsley joined Minnesota Now to talk about what they've seen in the last 24 hours.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall Tuesday night when a man lunged at her and sprayed a substance. The town hall was about ongoing federal immigration enforcement. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with MPR News reporter Peter Cox to explain the latest on the investigation.

A federal judge in Minneapolis has ordered the head of ICE to appear in court. We find out why and break down two other lawsuits over federal immigration activity in Minnesota. Plus, we hear from Governor Tim Walz about a recent call with the president. This is the seventh week of increasingly heightened ICE presence in the Twin Cities. We talked to St. Paul's new mayor Kaohly Her about how she's responding and how the city is faring now.A Columbia Heights, 5-year-old is still in immigration detention in Texas with his father. We learn about a protest inside the facility.For more than 20 years, a theater company has brought to life stories of housing insecurity. They'll perform on a frozen lake this weekend.

A Twin Cities-based theater company is portraying stories of homelessness and housing insecurity. Many of the performers have lived experience with these issues. For more than two decades, zAmya Theater Project has been putting on productions. They have weekly workshops at the Minneapolis Central Library and they're performing at the Art Shanty Projects on Lake Harriet this weekend. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with troupe member Jada Windom and artistic director Maren Ward about the company.

5-year-old Liam Conejo-Ramos is still in immigration detention, his mother told MPR News. ICE officers detained the boy and his father last Friday in Columbia Heights on their way home from school. The story of Conejo-Ramos' detention has circulated all over the world. And news of protests this weekend in Minnesota apparently reached the detention center in Dilley, Texas where the child and his father are being held. Detainees demonstrated there this weekend. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Attorney Eric Lee, who heard the protest, and Sam Doiron, an attorney with the Texas-based group RAICES.

It's the seventh week of heightened immigration enforcement presence in Minnesota. The presence of federal law enforcement has had an impact on many parts of life, with St. Paul businesses closing or reducing hours, citizens being arrested and schools with virtual options. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her about local and state leader's actions during this time.

There are several federal court cases involving immigration enforcement activity in front of a judge this week. A federal judge in Minneapolis is ordering the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to appear personally in his courtroom on Friday. Judge Patrick Schiltz said ICE has failed to comply with dozens of court orders. And he wants the agency's acting director, Todd Lyons, to answer for why he shouldn't be held in contempt.Over the weekend, the same judge had harsh words for the way the U.S. Justice Department is handling its case against a group of protesters who disrupted a St. Paul church service to protest ICE. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with MPR Reporter Matt Sepic to sort through the various legal filings.Additionally, judges are considering temporary restraining orders in two separate federal cases dealing with the ongoing massive immigration operation in Minnesota. MPR reporters Peter Cox and Jon Collins give the latest on those cases.

Constitutional observers, protestors and others detained by ICE at the Whipple Federal Building are released from the building at all times of the day, every day. And a newly organized group of people, called HavenWatch, spends its days waiting outside the Whipple building. They help newly released people get home, contact their loved ones and stay safe from the cold. Leading the group is Natalie Ehret. She talked to MPR News host Nina Moini by phone outside the Whipple building.

On Monday morning, a federal judge has been hearing arguments on whether to temporarily halt immigration enforcement activity in the state. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with MPR News reporter Estelle Timar-Wilcox, who listened to the hearing.

A federal judge is hearing arguments in a lawsuit over the presence of 3,000 federal immigration agents in Minnesota. We have updates on the case. Also, we heard from health care workers about the killing of V.A. nurse Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent. A Republican state representative is calling for an end to what the federal government has called an immigration operation. He said it's not worth the chaos.A group of volunteers are waiting outside the Whipple federal building with coats, warm cars and cellphones. Their goal is to help people detained by immigration officers and then released from holding cells. Plus, we visit a church one block from Alex Pretti's memorial.

A Republican state representative has joined calls from Democrats for an end to the heightened presence of federal immigration officers in Minnesota.In a statement, Rep. Nolan West placed some of the blame for the situation with Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. But he wrote on social media "It's clear that Operation Metro Surge is causing more harm than good. It puts law enforcement officers' lives at risk, and it feeds the chaos destroying our state.”MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Rep. West, who represents an area of the northern Twin Cities suburbs.

We hear the latest on the arrest of two Minnesotans, including civil rights lawyer and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, after she took part in an ICE protest at a church. Plus, we learn about Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to Minnesota on Thursday.We learn from one historian about how the current flood of ICE agents in Minnesota connects to other historic events. ICE is telling agents to enter private property without a warrant. We talk more on the legality of that.And we hear the voice of one central Minnesota organizer whose brother was detained by ICE.Plus, thousands of Minnesotans are gearing up for an economic blackout tomorrow to protest the presence of ICE in the state. We learn how businesses are responding.

Critics — and supporters — of President Donald Trump have compared his administration's actions to those of Nazi Germany. In May, Gov. Tim Walz compared ICE operations to the Gestapo. Joe Rogan, an influential podcaster and a Trump supporter, brought up the Gestapo comparison on his podcast last week.The comparison to Nazi Germany and World War II is a striking parallel to a dark time in history. Holocaust educator Kristin Thompson said history often plays an important role in understanding our society today.Thompson was a classroom history teacher in Redwood Falls for 20 years. She also was the education program coordinator at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. Thompson now runs her own Holocaust and human rights consulting firm. She spoke to MPR News producer Aleesa Kuznetsov about the several examples of similarities between the two governments.

Thousands of Minnesotans across the state are gearing up for what union organizers and faith leaders are calling A Day of Truth and Freedom this Friday. It's meant to cause an economic blackout to protest the influx of ICE agents in the state. That means no going to work, school or spending money. While the U.S. has seen its share of labor-related general strikes, it's far less common to see a widespread action about a social issue like this one. Some businesses have gotten on board with the protest — including many of the 2,000 businesses that call Minneapolis' Lake Street home. Theresa Swaney is the director of operations at the Lake Street Council. She talked with MPR News host Nina Moini about what to expect on that business corridor.

Minnesota Now has been hearing from people affected by federal immigration activity in the state. Ma Elena Gutierrez is a Bush Fellow and founder of an immigrant rights nonprofit in central Minnesota. She has been working with volunteers to get food to people who are afraid to be in public. She's also been communicating with observers. Recently, those communications hit very close to home, when her brother was arrested by ICE and sent to Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas.

The FBI has arrested two activists, Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Allen, who were part of an anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul church on Sunday. Border Patrol Commander at large Greg Bovino spoke to reporters Thursday morning with J.D. Vance expected to visit Minneapolis later that afternoon. MPR News host Nina Moini talked with MPR News reporter Jon Collins to explain what's happening.

The Department of Justice has served subpoenas to the office of the Governor, Attorney General and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul. We learn more about the investigation into whether Minnesota leaders obstructed law enforcement during the immigration operation. We talked to a Native physician about the health impacts for Native Americans experiencing the ICE operation. Plus, a Venezuelan man in Minnesota was detained by ICE, even though he had legal status. We hear from his family.Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner shared details of a frigid forecast. And in our latest Out to Lunch, we talked to a local private chef and musician, who is combining those passions to make culinary harmony.

Twin Cities chef Ed Porter's work is difficult to categorize. He has worked for high-end restaurants like Marcus Samuelsson's Aquavit. He was on the Netflix cooking competition show, "Pressure Cooker." Today, he's a private chef who blends his culinary talents with musical ones. He released an album under the name Chef Porter and paired it with a 12-course menu. He also has a podcast called “Taste Music Hear Food” where he talks with guests about both artistic pursuits. In Minnesota Now's series, Out to Lunch, we meet up with guests in their communities to get to know them better over a meal. This time, Ed Porter let us into his home on a frigid December day and cooked.

During the surge of federal agents in Minneapolis this month, MPR News has received several reports of Native Americans that were approached — and in a few cases, detained — by immigration agents. Tribal leaders from Oglala Sioux have not been able to verify those claims. But the situation has created fear in the community. MPR News Native News reporter Melissa Olson spoke with Dr. Mary Owen, a physician at the Center for American Indian Resources in Duluth, about the health impacts of this moment in Minnesota for Native Americans.

The Trump administration is vowing to continue with what it's calling a major immigration enforcement effort in Minnesota. The Department of Homeland Security said agents have arrested 3,000 people since last month — a claim that MPR News has not been able to verify. Now, the Trump administration is asking state and local governments to hand over records that relate to federal immigration activity in Minnesota. That includes the offices of Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Hennepin County and Ramsey County. Frey will appear before a U.S. District Court in a hearing on Feb. 3. MPR News host Nina Moini also spoke with Mark Osler, a law professor at the University of St. Thomas, to make sense of it all.

This weekend, ICE agents broke through the front door of a U.S. citizen and detained him at gunpoint. Photos spread online of the man being led from his home with little clothing to protect from the freezing cold. We have details on that story.Protesters interrupted a church service Sunday at a church where one pastor leads the St. Paul ICE Field Office. The U.S. Department of Justice is now investigating for potential violations of two laws. We talked with an expert about the FACE Act and the KKK Act. We learned about Camp East Montana, the ICE detention center where a Minnesota man died last week.And State Senator John Hoffman sat down with politics editor Brian Bakst for his first interview since being attacked in June.

Immigrant and legal rights groups are calling for the federal government to close the nation's largest immigration detention center. Three people have died in custody at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas. That includes Victor Manuel Diaz, who was arrested in Minneapolis and died at the detention center on Jan. 14. ICE officials believe his death was a suicide, according to a press release, but it's under investigation.Attorneys in Minnesota said many of their clients who have been taken into ICE custody recently have been sent to Camp East Montana, sometimes within hours of arrest. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Washington Post reporter Douglas MacMillan, who has been covering the detention center since before it opened in August.

The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul on Sunday.Dozens of protesters entered Cities Church. One of the church's pastors, David Easterwood, leads the St. Paul ICE field office. Leading the protest was civil rights lawyer and prominent local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong. The Department of Justice said it is looking at violations of what's called the FACE Act. It's also looking to at the possibility of charging journalist Don Lemon, who was reporting on the protest, with the KKK Act. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Jane Kirtley, a professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota, to explain these two federal laws.

Federal immigration agents forced open a door and detained a U.S. citizen in his Minnesota home at gunpoint without a warrant, then led him out onto the streets in his underwear in subfreezing conditions, according to his family and videos reviewed by The Associated Press.ChongLy “Scott” Thao told the AP that his daughter-in-law woke him up from a nap Sunday afternoon and said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were banging at the door of his residence in St. Paul. He told her not to open it. Masked agents then forced their way in and pointed guns at the family, yelling at themMPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Sahan Journal reporter Katelyn Vue, who had a chance to talk to Scott.

We're following a second shooting by a federal agent in Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security said the man who was shot and wounded in the leg was fleeing agents. It led to protests with chemicals deployed by law enforcement last night. President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to what he said would put an end to protests in the state. We learn the legal ins and outs of the Insurrection Act.And the family of Renee Macklin Good, the woman who was killed by an ICE officer last week, has hired a lawyer for an independent civil investigation of her death. Plus, we learn about how businesses and a church are responding to the flood of ICE agents to Minnesota.

Renee Macklin Good's parents, siblings and widow have hired the same law firm that represented the family of George Floyd. Their civil attorney Antonio Romanucci said his firm is launching a civil investigation into Good's death after she was shot and killed by an ICE agent in south Minneapolis last week. Lauren Bonds is the executive director of the National Police Accountability Project. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about what the family's legal path could look like.

President Donald Trump threatened on social media Thursday to invoke the Insurrection Act to stop resistance to ICE activity in Minnesota. United States presidents have used the act about 30 times in the past, according to NPR. The most recent was in 1992. That year, President George H.W. Bush invoked the law to quell riots in Los Angeles after four police officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King. Trump has talked before about using the law to support immigration enforcement. For perspective on the law, MPR News host Nina Moini talked with University of Minnesota law professor Ilan Wurman, who specializes in Constitutional law and presidential power.

Since federal immigration enforcement began in December, mutual aid networks have popped up across the state to support immigrant families. A church in south Minneapolis has been a hub for delivering groceries. DHH church serves primarily Hispanic families. But their community has grown. In total, they've delivered 12,000 boxes of groceries over about six weeks. They have more than 20,000 families registered to receive food. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke to Senior Pastor Sergio Amezcua.

On Wednesday a federal agent shot and wounded a man who the Department of Homeland Security said was fleeing federal officers in north Minneapolis. DHS said the officer fired a defensive shot because he was "ambushed and attacked" and feared for his life. That happened exactly a week after the deadly shooting of Renee Macklin Good by an ICE agent in south Minneapolis. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with MPR's Estelle Timar-Wilcox to cover what is known about the shooting, and Dymanh Chhoun, a multimedia journalist at Sahan Journal, who spent the evening in north Minneapolis as protests erupted following the shooting. Also hear from Democrat State Sen. Bobby Joe Champion was also on the scene last night and live streaming what he saw.

Wednesday morning, people gathered at a vigil for Renee Macklin Good, a week after she was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. And the U.S. Department of Justice response to her death led six federal prosecutors in the state to resign. Owners of child care centers said they've faced safety concerns since the release of a viral video alleging daycare fraud. We talked with two in St. Paul who are asking the city for help.Plus, we talked to a Minneapolis city council member who is calling for an eviction moratorium during the ICE and Border Patrol operations. Social media feeds are full of videos of ICE encounters. Some are real and some are AI generated. We hear expert advice on how to tell the difference.

Childcare leaders in St. Paul said childcare centers are facing escalating safety threats. And now, they're calling on the city to provide clarity on what officials and police can do to keep childcare settings safe. The escalation follows the release of a video in December by content creator Nick Shirley, making yet-proven claims about fraud at childcare centers. And now, the immigration operation is having an impact too. A spokesperson for St. Paul Police told MPR News in a statement that here have been no threats or incidents occurring at child care centers in Saint Paul.“The safety of our children is of the upmost importance to us. We encourage community members to contact us immediately if they suspect suspicious activity.”MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Maria Snider, the vice president of the Minnesota Child Care Association and a director of a child care center in St. Paul as well as Dawn Uribe, CEO and owner of Mis Amigos Preschool, which has four Twin Cities locations, including one in St. Paul.

With federal agents in the streets, some Minneapolis council members said residents are reporting they can't safely go to work and pay rent. With increased federal law enforcement presence in the Twin Cities since December first, city leaders say the bills are piling up for people. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Minneapolis council member Robin Wonsley, who represents the eastern part of the city, to discuss this and other ripple effects of the immigration operation.

It's been one week since an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Macklin Good in south Minneapolis. Community members are keeping up a growing memorial at the intersection of 34th Street and Portland Avenue South. Local activists and faith leaders met there Wednesday morning for a three-hour vigil. MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with MPR News reporter Estelle Timar-Wilcox, who was present at the vigil.