Minnesota Now

The federal government is withholding a quarter billion dollars in Medicaid funding to Minnesota — and said the state has 60 days to address fraud before that money returns. One mental health leader shared what the pause will mean for his work.There is a push for Governor Tim Walz to enact an eviction moratorium before March rent is due to ease the impacts from the ICE surge. We looked at what would be required for the governor to make that decision.Plus, some people are getting released from ICE custody without crucial documents. We heard one man's story.Plus, writers gathered to reflect and celebrate Ramadan at an event organized by Mizna, a group that promotes the work of Arab and Southwest Asian and North African artists.And a doctor who trained in Minnesota skied in the Olympics for Mexico. She shared more about her journey.

Olympians from all over the world are heading home and adjusting to life after competing in Italy. For one new Olympian, regular life includes treating patients as an emergency room doctor in Miami. At this year's games, Regina Martinez Lorenzo became the first woman to compete for Mexico in Olympic cross-country skiing. She raced in the 10k freestyle event. She got her start with the sport here in Minnesota while she was going to medical school. Regina Martinez Lorenzo joined Minnesota Now to talk more about her journey from Minnesota to the Olympics.

On Thursday, a community of writers came together to break the Ramadan fast, also known as Iftar, and held a public reading at Baba's Hummus House in Minneapolis. The event was organized by Mizna, which promotes the work of Arab and Southwest Asian and North African artists. Two artists shared more about the gathering on Minnesota Now — Nikki Luna, a Lebanese-American genderqueer poet and organizer of the event, and Nader Helmy, a Cairo-born, Minnesota-raised writer.

Advocates are scrambling to raise money for rent for the families that are still in hiding and losing income due to the Minnesota ICE surge. A coalition of unions in Minnesota is calling for a rent strike in solidarity with those families starting March 1. Others are asking Governor Tim Walz to enact an eviction moratorium and rent relief payments for people unable to work during the surge of federal agents in the state. Advocates said they have crowdsourced hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the people in hiding, but that it is not sustainable for the long term. Gov. Walz said he can't enact a statewide eviction moratorium without declaring a peacetime emergency. So far, he has been unwilling to make that move. Professor Larry Jacobs, the founder and director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, broke down the legal and political considerations facing the governor around an eviction moratorium.

State leaders are responding to a move by the federal government to withhold about a quarter billion dollars in Medicaid funding. The Trump administration says the state has 60 days to share a plan to address fraud or the freeze could be extended. But Governor Tim Walz and members of his administration say they've been taking such steps. State Medicaid Director John Connolly said the state will have to pay the federal government a quarter billion dollars for services already provided, which is a hit to the state budget. Connolly says the Trump Administration has threatened to withhold more money.The funding pause affects 14 categories of services funded through Medicaid. Late in 2025, the state began reviewing providers of those services. It has suspended or delayed some payments. The programs include, in part, treatments for substance use disorder and mental health conditions. Marcus Schmit, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, spoke with host Nina Moini about what the funding threat could mean for mental health care in the state.

At President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, his focus on Minnesota was not about immigration, but rather fraud. We fact check his claims. Plus, Representative Ilhan Omar disrupted the speech. We hear what she said and why she did that. Mutual aid, organizing and other forms of protest have not ended since some ICE agents have left the state. We talk about the next phase of organizing. Plus, we hear from disability rights lawyers on how funding pauses over fraud are impacting access to service. We get an update on the forecast from Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner. And we talk to the curator of a University of Minnesota archive of African American literature that spans 250 years.The Minnesota Music Minute was “My Heart Your Heart” by Bad Bad Hats.

A University of Minnesota literature collection is celebrating more than 40 years of preserving African American heritage and culture. The Givens Collection contains more than 8,000 books, manuscripts, photos and personal papers. It recently wrapped up an exhibit to commemorate its beginnings. Curator Davu Underwood Seru joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the collection.

Several parts of the state government are working to root out fraud from state programs. State lawmakers are considering legislation. And the Department of Human Services is reviewing payments to 14 Medicaid programs for possible fraud. It has delayed or suspended payments to some providers. Advocates for disability rights say people who rely on these programs are caught in the middle. At a senate human services committee meeting this week, several presenters described cases where people never received services that were paid for or abruptly lost services after payments were suspended. A group of legal experts will gather to talk about this issue Wednesday in a panel discussion at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. The event, titled “Disability Rights on Hold: How the fraud allegations and funding freezes are affecting the disability community,” is the opening to an exhibit about disability rights in Minnesota that will travel to three law schools this year. MPR News host Nina Moini talked with two of the panelists, disability lawyer Shamus O'Meara and University of St. Thomas law professor Elizabeth Schiltz, who is also one of the organizers of the panel and the traveling exhibit.

A new filing from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security lays out a plan for the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents left in Minnesota to drop to about 400 after Wednesday. The numbers come after border czar Tom Homan's announcement of a drawdown earlier this month. Thousands of Minnesotans have taken part in demonstrations, mutual aid efforts and rapid response networks to support neighbors and fellow Minnesotans during the surge of federal agents. A broad coalition of groups across the Twin Cities looks to continue building on that momentum even in light of the drawdown announcement. Unidos MN organizer José Alvillar Hinojosa joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about a week of action the groups began Wednesday titled “Bring the Heat, Melt the ICE.”

Minnesota was a target in President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech Tuesday night. But he did not talk about the surge in federal immigration agents to the state. Instead, he focused on fraud. Trump said corruption is a problem in the U.S. and specifically called out Minnesota.MPR News reporter Matt Sepic joined Minnesota Now to break down what the President said.

A former ICE lawyer says the agency is allowing hundreds of new agents into the field poorly trained. The whistleblower resigned in February and he told Democrats in Congress that what agents are not learning at the academy poses a danger to the public. Deportations of Hmong and Lao people spiked last year, according to groups working with Southeast Asian communities in Minnesota. We heard more from one of the organizations behind a new effort to help Southeast Asian Minnesotans navigate deportations and detentions.Plus, how boosters of the new "Bear Larp" business district aim to revitalize the greater east side of St. Paul. And two brothers from Minneapolis are out with a new film about a fellow Minnesotan: cross-country skiing icon Jessie Diggins.

A former lawyer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement who helped train new agents said the agency's training academy is deficient and broken. Ryan Schwank became a whistleblower after he resigned earlier this month. He then went public during a forum held by congressional Democrats on Monday. He spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about his experience as a trainer for ICE.

A new film shares an intimate portrait of the country's most decorated cross-country skier, Jessie Diggins. It shows her tough resolve in competition – and her determination to maintain her recovery from an eating disorder. Diggins has been open about going through a relapse in 2023. Brothers Lars and Torsten Brinkema from Minneapolis are behind the new film, "Threshold," streaming now on Peacock. They gave a preview of the story on Minnesota Now.

The city of St. Paul is looking to revitalize the greater east side neighborhood and it's starting with a new name for its business district. The “Bear Larp” district is the new identity for the business corridor at White Bear Avenue and Larpenteur Avenue. The Greater East Side Community Council is spearheading the project and its executive director Lisa Theis joined Minnesota Now to talk more about it.

A new effort has launched to provide support to Southeast Asian communities across the state navigating detainment and deportation. "The Southeast Asian Defense Response Project" is a collaboration of four different organizations: ManForward, Southeast Asian Freedom Network (SEAFN), Immigration Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM), and Transforming Generations. They report that 2025 marked “the highest level of Hmong and Lao deportations in the last 15 years." Minnesota is home to some of the largest concentrations of various Southeast Asian groups, including Hmong, Lao, Karen, Vietnamese and Cambodian, among others. Xay Yang, executive director of Transforming Generations, shared more about the project with host Nina Moini.If you or someone you know is in a dangerous situation with a partner, there is a 24-hour statewide domestic and sexual violence hotline. You can call Minnesota Day One at (866) 223-1111 or text (612) 399-9995. You can also call or text the Hmong Family Strengthening Helpline at (877) 740-4292.For SEAFN's 24/7 immigration assistance available in Hmong, Khmer, Vietnamese and Lao, call 1-(800) 251-1083. ILCM's intake line can also be reached at 1-(800) 223-1368.

A group of parents from Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis are determined to push for change at the Capitol this session. More on their new coalition's mission. And we'll to talk to a state lawmaker introducing a bill to ban assault weapons in Minnesota.The state has presented a roadmap for preventing and addressing fraud. We'll hear more about it.And a 16-year-old asylum seeker is finally back in Minnesota after being apprehended last month by immigration agents and sent to Michigan.Then to Worthington for the latest on how the federal surge of agents affected the small, southern Minnesota city, where almost half of the population is Hispanic or Latino.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Chorado” by Charles Lazarus and our Song of the Day was “Ferdy” by Sleeping Jesus.

Hockey fans may be feeling a little hoarse today. The Olympics wrapped with two wins for Team USA over Canada. Both games kept viewers on their toes, going into overtime with the U.S. beating a top rival 2-1, for both the men and women. Joining Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about this and other sports news are our sports contributors, Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson.

One Minnesota city now also looking towards recovery from the ICE surge is Worthington, in southern Minnesota. According to census data, 45 percent of the city's population is Hispanic or Latino and 28 percent are foreign born. And the city has several immigrant-owned businesses. Jaime Salinas is the CEO of Forward Worthington, which is the city's chamber of commerce. He spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about the impact of ICE on the community and on local business.

A 16-year-old asylum seeker was apprehended by immigration agents in north Minneapolis last month. And unlike the thousands of people who were sent to the Whipple building, the Department of Homeland Security ended up sending him to a Christian youth shelter in Michigan. Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Susan Du followed his story and spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about her reporting on the young asylum seeker.

As the legislative session kicks off this month, a group of Minneapolis parents are determined to drive change around gun violence in Minnesota.Their children attend Annunciation Catholic School and were present during the mass shooting on August 27th. Two children were killed and 28 others injured.As their community takes steps to heal, the parents also want to ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.Meanwhile, lawmakers are set to introduce a slate of legislation aimed at gun violence prevention, school safety and mental health resources. DFL State Rep. Emma Greenman will introduce an assault weapon ban on Tuesday. Rep. Greenman joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the legislation.

A coalition of more than 20 mayors across Minnesota is calling on the state for help with recovery from the surge of federal agents in the last two months. We'll hear from the mayor of Brooklyn Center about the group's number one ask to state lawmakers.It's been a week since border czar Tom Homan announced a plan to significantly reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota. But has that been the case on the ground? What data on flights out of MSP carrying detainees indicates.Homan also claimed federal agents had located more than 3,000 supposedly missing unaccompanied children during the surge. A local expert breaks down what that might mean.And we'll meet a Minnesota ER doctor consulting for the hit TV show “The Pitt.“Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Minneapolis Madness” by room3, Alex Brown, David Feily and LA Buckner. Our Song of the Day was “Human” by Brandi Carlile.

The number of ICE detainees flown out of state has dropped significantly since border czar Tom Homan announced a major drawdown of federal agents from Minnesota last Thursday — an indication that federal enforcement activity could be easing.Nick Benson is an activist with MN50501 who has been tracking flights leaving Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport chartered by the federal government. He said more than 3,600 people have been flown out of the state on these flights since early November when he began documenting.

The hit HBO medical drama “The Pitt,” follows a fictional emergency room in Pittsburgh, Penn. for one day. Each episode, is an hour of their shift. The show has been complimented for its accuracy in portraying a real emergency room. That's thanks in part to a Minnesota doctor. Dr. Jacob Lentz is an emergency room doctor at MHealth Fairview Lakes Medical Center in Wyoming, Minn. and he served as a medical consultant for the show. Season two is airing now on HBO. Dr. Lentz spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about his role on the show and how he helped contribute to its medical accuracy.

If you follow women's hockey, you know this rivalry well. The United States women's Olympic hockey team and the Canada women's Olympic hockey team have defined Olympic gold medal games for nearly three decades. Since 1998, they've met in the Olympic finals seven out of eight times. The U.S. has taken gold twice. They're trying for a third gold Thursday afternoon. And Minnesota fans have plenty of reasons to watch. Six players representing the U.S. also play for the Minnesota Frost. Frost General Manager Melissa Caruso is watching her players compete on the sport's biggest stage — and she joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the game.

A group of mayors in Minnesota are asking the legislature for economic relief from the impacts of the surge of federal immigration agents to the state. The Cities for Safe and Stable Communities Coalition now includes more than 20 communities, mainly suburbs in the Twin Cities metro area.Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon said getting aid to city governments is the group's number one ask to state lawmakers.“We won't be asking for handouts,” said Hanlon, “We are asking for fairness, for justice and resources to fix a crisis we didn't create in order.”Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves was part of the creation of this group of mayors and she spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk more about their priorities.

When border czar Tom Homan announced a drawdown of federal agents in Minnesota, he said something else that stood out: “ICE, here, in this state, have located 3,364 missing unaccompanied alien children. Children that the last administration lost and weren't even looking for.”Unaccompanied minors is a term the federal government uses to describe children under 18 who don't have lawful status in the U.S. and who don't have parents or legal guardians in the country who can care for them. Many live with other family members or connections who are known to the government as their sponsors. The Trump Administration has pledged to step up tracking of 450,000 unaccompanied minors nationwide. The goal, it says, is to protect them from abuse and child labor. Joining Minnesota Now to talk more about this is Kim Boche from The Advocates for Human Rights. They lead a team of attorneys focused on unaccompanied minors.

Hennepin County attorney Mary Moriarty is filing a request to get evidence from the federal government on a pair of shootings in Minneapolis during the surge of ICE agents.More than a foot of snow has piled on the North Shore with up to 10 more inches on the way as blizzard conditions continue. MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner has been keeping an eye on the storm.Plus, tenants advocates were at the state capitol Wednesday morning calling for an eviction moratorium and rent relief funding for those economically affected by the presence of thousands of federal agents. Plus, a new exhibition is showcasing 3,000 years of Chinese artwork that features the horse.

The year of the horse has officially begun after Tuesday's Lunar New Year marked the end of the year of the snake. Lunar New Year is a holiday celebrated by many Asian cultures across the world. Each year is tied to a specific zodiac animal as well as one of five elements. 2026 is the first time in 60 years that we are welcoming the year of the fire horse. To usher in this new era, a new exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art showcases the significance of the horse across 3,000 years of Chinese art. The exhibition, “Year of the Horse: Hoofbeats Through Time” opened Wednesday and will be open through Aug. 30. Curator Liu Yang joined Minnesota Now to talk about the exhibition.

In a new series, Minnesota Now is airing the voices of people who have been hiding in their homes due to fear of arrest, detention or deportation during Minnesota's federal ICE surge. We asked them to send us voice memos for three days in a row, describing how they are spending their days.L is a Mexican mother of two. We are not using her full name for her safety. She has not left her home in Northfield for several weeks. She told MPR News she is still in hiding, despite federal officials saying the ICE surge in Minnesota is ending. L still receives ICE watch messages with pictures of federal vehicles in Northfield nearly every day. She said even if the drawdown happens, she thinks she will feel afraid leaving her house forever.Hear more voices from the series in our podcast feed or on our show page.

Wednesday morning, tenants advocates gathered at the state capitol to call for an eviction moratorium and rent relief funding statewide for people who are behind on rent as a result of amped-up ICE presence in. The authority to enact an eviction moratorium for the state lies with Governor Tim Walz, who has said he can't do it without declaring a peacetime emergency. He has so far been unwilling to make that move. Amanda Otero, an executive director for the nonprofit Take Action Minnesota, said workers and families are absorbing the economic impact of the ICE surge in the state. “Housing stability is not separate from recovery,” Otero said. “It is the foundation of it.”One of the groups pushing for the moratorium and even greater measures to support renters is the newly-formed Twin Cities Tenants Union. It's a combination of already-existing unions across Minneapolis and St. Paul that came together over the past two months to advocate for renters who have lost income during the ICE surge. The group is pushing for a rent strike beginning March 1. Lucid Thomas has been organizing with the tenants union and he joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain. The Minnesota Multi Housing Association is a group that advocates for landlords and building managers. CEO Cecil Smith said in a statement to MPR News that rent collections overall were stable in January and February and on par with the previous year, according to the group's members. He said the association will “continue to help those seeking rental assistance.”

State investigators are taking a new step to get evidence related to the federal law enforcement shootings that took place in Minneapolis during the ICE surge. The Hennepin County Attorney's office announced Wednesday morning that it is filing a formal request for evidence from the federal government in the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti and the shooting in north Minneapolis that injured Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis.Estelle Timar-Wilcox was at the press conference and joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about what this means for the investigations.

As the Trump Administration has focused federal immigration activity on different cities around the United States, it has publicized the names and photos of immigrants it calls “the Worst of the Worst.” A Minnesota family is speaking out about their loved one who was given that label. At “Ricky” Chandee came to the U.S. as a refugee from Laos as a child. He was convicted of assault at age 18 and served a prison sentence more than thirty years ago. Back then, Laos refused to accept his deportation. He has since built a life in Minnesota. Minnesota Now producer Alanna Elder reports Chandee is now detained in El Paso, Texas and facing possible deportation.

Lawmakers are gaveling in a new legislative session Tuesday after a series of heavy events since the end of the last session, including the Annunciation shooting and the killing of former House speaker Melissa Hortman. We learned about how they're grieving and being called to action.Among the items on the agenda for day one of the session: honoring Mark and Melissa Hortman. We heard from their son Colin Hortman in his first sit-down interview since their killing.As the Trump Administration continues its campaign against people they say are threats to public safety, a Minnesota family is speaking out about their loved one who was given that label and has been detained for weeks.An effort to support small businesses affected by the federal surge is underway.Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Hold On” by Joe Davis and our Song of the Day was “French Fry Marlene” by Texas Toast.

Minneapolis poet, musician and activist Joe Davis and his band, The Poetic Diaspora, is preparing a long lineup of musicians to celebrate Black music and poetry. Their show, “Diaspora: On the Rise” is set for Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis. Davis joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about showing up for his community as an artist in hard times, expression through poetry and the musicians he's working with to celebrate the work he's done with his band.

In a new series, Minnesota Now is airing the voices of people who have been hiding in their homes due to fear of arrest, detention or deportation during Minnesota's federal ICE surge. We asked them to send us voice memos for three days in a row, describing how they are spending their days.N is a Mexican immigrant. MPR News is only using her first initial, due to fears of safety. N hasn't left her home in weeks. She said she doesn't trust what federal officials have recently said about a drawdown of ICE agents in Minnesota. She worries things may get worse before they get better, and said that ICE watchers continue to spot federal vehicles and agents in her town almost daily.This series will continue on Minnesota Now this week. Listen at noon to hear more voices or check back on our show page.

The ACLU of Minnesota shared the stories of 80 Minnesotans in its lawsuit against the federal government over alleged civil rights violations by ICE and Border Patrol agents in the state. We'll talk to a lawyer with the group about its next steps. The Trump Administration said it's pulled at least one thousand federal agents from the state. We'll check in with a neighborhood group in Minneapolis to learn if conditions have improved for small businesses.We'll hear the latest in our series about Minnesotans in hiding due to fears of detention and deportation. And we'll find out how the federal surge has impacted the lead-up to Ramadan, which begins this week. Plus, we'll talk with our sports contributors about the Winter Olympics and more. Our Minnesota Music Minute was “See You See” by Gully Boys and our Song of the Day was “I Don't Care About You” by Jeremy Jewell.

The U.S. women's hockey team beat Sweden 5-0 at the Winter Olympics. Team USA is stacked with Minnesotans, while Sweden has multiple current players and alumni of the University of Minnesota-Duluth on its roster. Going into the game, both teams were undefeated. Joining Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about what happened, and other sports news, are sports contributors Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson.

As the federal surge winds down, businesses are figuring out what's next. Minneapolis officials released preliminary estimates last Friday showing in one month alone, restaurants and small businesses across the city saw $81 million in lost revenue as a result of the operation. Businesses on Eat Street in Minneapolis were among the many impacted in recent weeks. The business corridor became a site of confrontations and protests in the wake of the killing of Alex Pretti. The Whittier Alliance has been working to support places on Eat Street and in the wider neighborhood during the surge. Anna Schmitz heads the organization and joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk more about what lies ahead.

In a new series, Minnesota Now is airing the voices of people who have been hiding in their homes due to fear of arrest, detention, or deportation during Minnesota's ICE surge. We asked them to send us voice memos for three days in a row, describing how they are spending their days.P is an immigrant from Mexico. MPR News is not using his full name for his safety. He and his wife have barely left their home for weeks. Since the announcement of federal agents leaving Minnesota, P said he and his wife feel slightly calmer, but they are still in hiding until they see evidence of that for themselves.This series will continue on Minnesota Now this week. Listen at noon to hear more voices or check back on our show page.

The holy month of Ramadan begins this week. It's a time of fasting, prayer and reflection for Muslims around the world. And even as federal immigration agents reportedly leave Minnesota, the past two months of heightened ICE activity has impacted preparations for this holy time.Imam Hassan Jama leads Alhikma Islamic Center in south Minneapolis. He joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about what he's seeing in his community ahead of Ramadan.

The White House border czar Tom Homan announced that at least 1,000 federal officers have left Minnesota as their ICE surge operation in the state comes to a close. That's according to an interview with CBS News Sunday. Homan said several hundred more will leave today and tomorrow. In the weeks that ICE agents were here at peak numbers, hundreds of reports of civil rights violations from protestors, legal observers, and other Minnesotans piled up at the office of the ACLU of Minnesota. They are still busy collecting and sorting accounts, and this past Friday the organization added the stories of more than 80 Minnesotans in a lawsuit against the federal government. John Boehler is policy counsel at the ACLU of Minnesota and he joined Minnesota Now to talk about what's next.

Thursday morning top immigration official Tom Homan announced the surge of federal agents in the state is coming to a close. We have more on what he said, plus reaction from Governor Tim Walz on what recovery is needed.St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her shares her reaction to today's announcement and next steps for the city. Plus, we hear from a Minnesotan who has been in hiding as a result of the surge in the second installment of our new series. Some asylum seekers are seeing their cases get fast-tracked. We check in with a local immigration attorney representing some of these individuals on what this could mean for them. Plus, we hear from a Duluth curler who just won silver at the Winter Olympics.The Minnesota Music Minute was “Little Girl Blue” by Tina Schlieske.