MPR News Update

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified today that close to 650 DHS agents remain in Minnesota.And a federal judge heard arguments today on a federal demand for Minnesota to turn over voter registration data.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A second person has pleaded guilty in connection with a scheme to defraud a Minnesota Medicaid program for children with autism. So far the feds have charged 15 people in the Medicaid cases that prompted President Donald Trump's administration to block $260 million in funding to Minnesota.Minnesota is suing the Trump Administration in an attempt to stop it from withholding $243 million of that Medicaid spending. The lawsuit filed Monday asks a U.S. court in Minneapolis to issue a temporary restraining order to block the withholding.

As the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran continue, more than 250 Minnesota National Guard personnel are in or near the Middle East on regularly scheduled deployments.And Hennepin County prosecutors are investigating 17 alleged incidents of excessive force by federal agents during immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office says 38 people demonstrating outside the Whipple building Sunday were cited and released, and one person was jailed and faces a riot charge. Demonstrators gathered at the building as part of a week-long effort to oppose ICE action in the state. The sheriff's office Facebook page announced that the arrests occurred after deputies declared an illegal assembly and issued orders for the crowd to disperse.

Minnesota's budget picture has improved since November - with a larger surplus than was expected just a few months ago.And tenant organizers could hold a vote tomorrow to authorize a Twin Cities-wide rent strike. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minneapolis police think a man who fatally shot two of his cousins Monday afternoon on the city's northside was later killed in a confrontation with police in Brooklyn Center.Researchers at the University of Minnesota estimate that rent debt across the state has surged by an additional 30 to 50 million dollars since December.

A proposal to tie up Medicaid funds to Minnesota could force tough budget choices.Gov. Tim Walz says the announced halt in Medicaid funding continues a campaign of retribution from the Trump administration.That story and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minneapolis police think a man who fatally shot two of his cousins Monday afternoon on the city's northside was later killed in a confrontation with police in Brooklyn Center.Researchers at the University of Minnesota estimate that rent debt across the state has surged by an additional 30 to 50 million dollars since December.

Minneapolis police think a man who fatally shot two of his cousins Monday afternoon on the city's northside was later killed in a confrontation with police in Brooklyn Center.Researchers at the University of Minnesota estimate that rent debt across the state has surged by an additional 30 to 50 million dollars since December.

A whistleblower says Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent poorly trained cadets to Minnesota. Ryan Schwank was a lawyer for ICE who helped train cadets until he resigned eleven days ago. He says ICE has cut training hours by nearly half and removed all legal instruction about use of force. And Pine Island says Google is behind a massive data center project, and the big tech company is promising to bring in new jobs and tax revenue.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minneapolis police think a man who fatally shot two of his cousins Monday afternoon on the city's northside was later killed in a confrontation with police in Brooklyn Center.Researchers at the University of Minnesota estimate that rent debt across the state has surged by an additional 30 to 50 million dollars since December.

A state review released Monday says that state agencies need better oversight and training to prevent fraud. The state's Director of Program Integrity Tim O'Malley said the state government has failed to prevent fraud despite years of warnings. A group of Minnesota religious leaders has sued the Department of Homeland Security for blocking them from visiting immigration detainees at the Whipple Federal Building.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The White House official overseeing the federal immigration operation in Minnesota said today that about 2,000 federal agents have left the state.And Minnesota Democratic U.S. Senator Tina Smith says negotiations with Republicans over funding for the Department of Homeland Security don't appear to be making much progress.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Winter storm warnings continue across northern Minnesota through Thursday morning with blizzard warnings for Duluth and the North Shore. Winds have been gusting to more than 60 mph at the Duluth airport and utilities are reporting thousands of homes and businesses without power. There's even been some lightning amid the heavy snow.To the south, rain will change over to snow Wednesday. The Twin Cities may get an inch or two by Thursday, with 2 to 4 inches for Willmar and St. Cloud.

The Minneapolis City Council approved $7 million in funding today for small businesses that have lost money during the ongoing federal immigration operation. And at the state level, Minnesota legislators are discussing the potential economic impact of the recent immigration enforcement surge. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Parts of the North Shore will be digging out from close to 3 feet of snow Thursday in the wake of Wednesday's blizzard. A weather spotter in Hovland in Cook County reported 34 inches of snow as of Wednesday night.And for the Twin Cities, that band of snow that swept into the metro Wednesday afternoon and evening stuck around all night. There's more than a half-foot of snow in parts of the south metro.A federal judge is considering whether to temporarily restrict immigration enforcement practices in Minnesota after a lawsuit accused federal agents of racial profiling and unlawful arrests during the enforcement surge.

As a new legislative session begins Tuesday, lawmakers will be carrying the weight of an incredibly difficult eight months since they last met.The time off has been marked by the assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, a deadly school shooting and the shooting deaths of two Minnesotans by federal agents during a large-scale immigration operation.The son of the late Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman says her memory will inspire lawmakers to act more kindly toward each other.

Former colleagues of Melissa Hortman paid tribute to the slain lawmaker today in a somber opening to the 2026 session. And winter storm warnings are posted across northern Minnesota — with blizzard warnings along the North Shore.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

As a new legislative session begins Tuesday, lawmakers will be carrying the weight of an incredibly difficult eight months since they last met.The time off has been marked by the assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, a deadly school shooting and the shooting deaths of two Minnesotans by federal agents during a large-scale immigration operation.The son of the late Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman says her memory will inspire lawmakers to act more kindly toward each other.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says he's feeling cautious relief following yesterday's announcement by the Trump administration that it's ending the surge of federal immigration agents to Minnesota.And a federal judge is ordering the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that immigration detainees held at the Whipple Federal Building near Minneapolis have access to lawyers. Those stories and more in today's evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Federal officials say they're ending a major immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota and beginning to draw down ICE agents after months of intensified activity. But lawyers and advocates say the consequences of that operation are still unfolding.Minnesota U.S. Attorney Dan Rosen on Thursday dropped charges against two men accused of assaulting an immigration officer. A judge Thursday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from cancelling $42 million in public health funding from the Minnesota Department of Health.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says he's cautiously optimistic about today's announcement that the Trump administration is ending the surge of immigration agents to the state.St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her is also optimistic about the announcement that the ICE surge is drawing down.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A hearing on Capitol Hill is yielding few answers about why the U.S. Department of Justice has excluded Minnesota investigators from probes into the Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti fatal shootings in Minneapolis.Attorney General Pam Bondi sidestepped the topic when pressed by Democrats during today's House Judiciary Committee hearing.And St. Paul police say federal agents were pursuing a person in a vehicle in St. Paul today -- leading to a multi-car crash. The person who was pursued had non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital.

Two former assistant U.S. attorneys who prosecuted fraud cases in Minnesota are now defending two independent Black journalists charged in connection with a demonstration at a St. Paul church. Activists disrupted services at Cities Church last month after learning that an ICE official is on the ministry team.Bloomington police say a human trafficking sting operation has resulted in the arrest of 30 men. Police Chief Booker Hodges says law enforcement talked to over 330 people over two days in what they are calling “Operation Looking for Love… In All the Wrong Places.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is predicting the surge in federal immigration agents is nearing its conclusion. At an event this morning to highlight business hardships, Walz said he believes a bigger drawdown could be just days away. And Minnesota business owners say even after ICE operations eventually end, recovery will take a long time.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A kidney transplant recipient arrested by immigration agents in Rochester last week finally is getting the medication he needs to keep his body from rejecting the organ. But his attorney says his client is not getting the correct dosages at the right times.The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is proposing new catch limits for native rough fish. For more than a century, native rough fish like redhorse, bowfin and buffalo were lumped in with invasive species like common carp — and not considered worthy of protection or management. If approved, the new rules would take effect for the 2027 fishing season.

Minnesota's legislative session starts next week, and Minneapolis representatives say they're looking to introduce legislation to push back against the federal immigration operation. And students at Minneapolis Public Schools will have the option to take classes from home for another two months, amid the ongoing federal immigration operation.

Immigration agents arrested 38-year old Javier Abreu-Vasquez in Rochester Thursday, and he was flown to a Texas detention center Friday. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Friday that ICE was aware of the kidney transplant, the family gave authorities the medications and that ICE was working to ensure he gets them.But the wife tells MPR News she spoke with Abreu-Vasquez by phone Sunday and he told her he still hasn't received the meds, and without them, he could eventually die.A Minneapolis-based media company that makes podcasts about video games raised almost 280,000 dollars for Minnesotans scared to leave their homes due to the activities of ICE.

Some greater Minnesota counties that work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement say they have no plans to change course. The Department of Homeland Security has requested expedited deportation proceedings against the family of Liam Conejo Ramos.This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister.  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS. 

The federal government has filed a motion seeking to end asylum claims for the family of Liam Conejo Ramos, according to their lawyer.Minneapolis is allocating $1 million dollars in funding for emergency rental assistance as some families struggle to pay their bills amid the ongoing federal immigration operation.An ice sculpture commissioned by Minnesota veterans was destroyed by a man pardoned for participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Minneapolis will allocate a million dollars in funding for emergency rental assistance, as some residents say they need help amid the ongoing federal immigration operation. Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt says she is considering a change in policy at the county jail that would allow staff to notify federal immigration officials when someone they're seeking to detain is being released from custody.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

If the drawdown happened as announced Wednesday, there should be nearly a third fewer federal agents working in Minnesota Thursday. White House official Tom Homan announced a reduction of 700 agents from the federal immigration operation, saying it's possible because of cooperation from state and local officials.That still leaves about 2,000 federal agents in Minnesota, far above the usual number. Homan said further drawdowns will depend in part on less interference from protesters. Greater Minnesota cities are saying they need more funding for water infrastructure projects and replacing lead service lines. Those are some of the issues they'll be lobbying lawmakers about once the state's legislative session starts in two weeks.Attorneys representing refugees detained by ICE say the Department of Homeland Security is ignoring a court order and is asking the court to hold the agency in contempt. The City of Anoka is opening its cannabis dispensary Thursday, making it the first municipal cannabis store to open in Minnesota.

700 federal agents will leave Minnesota today. That's according to Tom Homan -- the White House official in charge of the federal immigration enforcement surge here.But critics say it's not enough.

A federal judge today ordered two men charged with assaulting an ICE officer last month be released from custody pre-trial. And the City of Minneapolis anticipates that Operation Metro Surge has led local businesses to lose as much as $20 million in revenue a week. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Tens of thousands of Minnesota voters are expected to participate in precinct caucuses Tuesday night. They will take straw polls to give their preferences in the race for Minnesota governor and weigh in on issues they think are important.There is no U.S. Senate straw ballot. But Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan — who's running for senate — says she expects the federal immigration enforcement operation will draw turnout. The Department of Homeland Security says it is rolling out new oversight measures for federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. In a statement posted to social media platform X, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced that body cameras are being deployed immediately to every officer in the field in Minneapolis.Meanwhile, a court order requiring federal investigators to preserve evidence in Alex Pretti's fatal shooting has been lifted. The judge says there is no indication that authorities have failed to properly maintain evidence. The FBI is now taking the investigative lead. A separate state probe is ongoing.The Minnesota Court of appeals has ruled that the state cannot criminalize a tribal member for possessing cannabis on tribal land.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner on Monday issued an initial report on the death of Alex Pretti, classifying his death as a homicide. Advocates rallied outside Target headquarters in Minneapolis Monday, calling on the company to speak out against immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota.Live updates on ICE in Minnesota.This is an MPR News Evening update, hosted by Emily Reese. Theme music is by Gary Meister.  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or RSS. 

An investigative report from ProPublica has identified the two federal immigration agents shot at Alex Pretti January 24 in Minneapolis. A federal judge in Minnesota has ordered that elementary-aged children who were taken into custody by ICE last week be kept in or returned to the state. The second grader and fifth grader were taken into custody with their mother on Thursday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. They attended the same school as 5-year-old Liam Ramos. Two Minnesota immigrant advocacy groups are committing new funding to support families impacted by increased immigration enforcement.

For a second straight Friday, protesters filled the streets of downtown Minneapolis this afternoon to speak out against the ongoing surge of federal immigration agents to Minnesota.And hundreds of protesters gathered at the Whipple federal building near the Twin Cities airport this morning. They say they don't trust new leaders overseeing the ongoing surge of federal immigration agents. Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.