Political

Oglala Sioux president walks back claims of DHS pressure, member arrests

Oglala Sioux Tribe Flag (AP) – The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe has walked back claims he made in a memo and press release earlier this week that immigration enforcement arrested four tribal members and that the federal government tried to extract an “immigration agreement” out of the tribe in return for information about their members’ whereabouts. The U.S. Department…

Minnesota launches on-line reporting form to share impacts of federal actions

Keith Ellison at news conference announcingMinnesota and Twin Citiesare suing Trump administration over widespread immigration operations ST. PAUL, Min. – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison wants to know how Minnesotans have been impacted by the federal government. He’s looking for, “violations of constitutional rights (racial profiling, excessive force, retaliation against protestors, observers, and media), business closures, reduced healthcare access, reduced…

Trump threatens to use the Insurrection Act to ‘put an end’ to protests in Minneapolis

Law enforcement officers stand amid tear gas at the scene of a reported shooting Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act allowing him to deploy troops as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement persist in Minneapolis. Trump made the threat after a federal officer…

US suspending immigrant visa processing from 75 countries over public assistance

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House before signing an executive order regarding childhood cancer and the use of AI, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Washington. WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department said Wednesday it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries whose nationals are deemed likely to require public…

Trump says anything less than having Greenland in US hands is ‘unacceptable’

A North American Aerospace Defense Command F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft from the South Carolina ANG’s 169th FW takes off at Pituffik Space Force Base, Greenland, Oct. 9, 2025. Operating in the Arctic provides the flexibility and adaptability needed to overcome logistical hurdles in a dynamic and unforgiving environment. NUUK, Greenland (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that NATO…

Oglala Sioux Tribe says three tribal members arrested in Minneapolis are in ICE detention

Oglala Sioux Tribe Flag (AP) – The president of Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota on Tuesday called for the immediate release of tribal members who were detained at a homeless encampment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minnesota last week. Three of the four Oglala Sioux Tribe members who were arrested in Minneapolis on Friday have been transferred…

Wisconsin Gov. Evers questions his lieutenant governor’s immigration enforcement proposal

Governor Tony Evers MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is questioning whether a proposal from his own lieutenant governor to ban federal immigration enforcement actions around courthouses, schools, day cares and other locations can, or should, be done. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, a Democrat, is running for governor this year after Evers decided against seeking a third term. She is…

What to know about the warrants most immigration agents use to make arrests

(AP) – As the Trump administration intensifies immigration enforcement nationwide, a wave of high-profile arrests — many unfolding at private homes and businesses and captured on video — has pushed one legal question into the center of the national debate: When can federal immigration agents lawfully enter private property to make an arrest? That question has taken on new urgency in cities like…

Justice Department sees no basis for civil rights probe in Minnesota ICE shooting, official says

A bullet hole is seen in the windshield as law enforcement officers work at the scene of a shooting involving federal law enforcement agents, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department does not believe there is currently any basis to open a criminal civil rights investigation into the killing of a woman by a U.S….

Prosecutors resigning from U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson describes a sprawling fraud investigation involving state-run programs in Minnesota at a news conference Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Minneapolis. ST PAUL, Min. – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says at least six prosecutors, including former acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, have resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. Governor Walz…

Clintons refuse to testify in House Epstein probe as Republicans threaten contempt proceedings

Bill and Hillary Clinton(CNN) WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that they will refuse to comply with a congressional subpoena to testify in a House committee’s investigation of Jeffrey Epstein even as Republican lawmakers prepare contempt of Congress proceedings against them. The Clintons, in a letter released on social media, slammed the House Oversight probe as “legally invalid”…

Trump is ending protected immigration status for Somalis, long a target of his anti-immigrant barbs

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House before signing an executive order regarding childhood cancer and the use of AI, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Washington. Donald Trump’s administration said Tuesday it will end temporary protected status for immigrants from Somalia, the latest move in the president’s mass deportation agenda. The move affects hundreds of…

Former Superior city councilor Dan Olson announces run for mayor; Mayor Paine slaps back

SUPERIOR, Wis. — A well-known former Superior city councilor and council president is running for mayor in 2027. Dan Olson signed the paperwork Monday to declare his candidacy for mayor. Olson was on the city council from 2008 to 2020. Superior mayoral candidate Dan Olson He’s also a longtime labor leader and currently holds the title of International Representative for…

Duluth Police Dept. puts new Armored Rescue Vehicle into service for high-risk calls

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Police Department officially has its new Armored Rescue Vehicle in service for high-risk situations.  As FOX 21’s Dan Hanger reports, the purchase has been decades in the making. “That’s my biggest fear, is that we have to put people in harm’s way for an extended period of time without having proper equipment there to deal…

First Look: The state’s Quality Improvement Plan draft to Community Action Duluth

Community Action Duluth Logo DULUTH, Min. – FOX21 has obtained an initial draft of the Quality Improvement Plan given to Community Action Duluth (CAD) by the Minnesota Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF).  The plan is a roadmap the state believes CAD needs to use to improve operations. The document lists 15 “identified deficiencies” within Community Action Duluth.  These…

Sen. Grant Hauschild announces run for re-election

HERMANTOWN, Minn. — Minnesota State Senator Grant Hauschild announced on Monday that he will be running for re-election. Hauschild’s announcement comes during his 3rd year of his current term, representing Minnesota’s 3rd District. During his announcement, Hauschild, a DFL-er, reflected on his contributions to northeastern Minnesota, from tax relief to supporting trades and union workers. Hauschild says his goals remain…

Minnesota and the Twin Cities sue the federal government to stop the immigration crackdown

Demonstrators protest outside the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are suing the federal government to stop an enforcement surge by Immigration…

Sen. Kelly sues the Pentagon over attempts to punish him, declaring it unconstitutional

FILE – Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., speaks during the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be Defense secretary, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, file) WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly sued the Pentagon on Monday over attempts to punish him for his warnings about…

DHS ‘worst of the worst’ arrests by ICE in Minnesota

Courtesy: Associated Press Tensions between some Minnesotans and the way ICE is using force in the state continue to be very raw for locals and in cities across the country. Over the weekend, people gathered in Duluth to protests ICE. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security said over the weekend it has arrested hundreds of illegal aliens in Minnesota since…

Minnesota braces for what’s next amid immigration arrests and in the wake of Renee Good shooting

Thousands of people marched in Minneapolis Saturday to protest the fatal shooting of a woman by a federal immigration officer there and the shooting of two protesters in Portland, Oregon, as Minnesota leaders urged demonstrators to remain peaceful. (AP video: Mike Householder) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Already shaken by the fatal shooting of a woman by an immigration officer, Minnesota’s Twin…

Duluth Schools take moment of silence as part of Minnesota Day of Unity

Duluth Schools Logo DULUTH, Min. – Secondary Schools in the Duluth School District took a moment of silence at 10am on January 9, 2026. It was part of Governor Tim Walz declaring it to be a “Day of Unity”. In the announcement Governor Walz, “encouraged individuals, businesses, faith institutions, and organizations to observe a moment of silence at 10:00 am,…

Minnesota Department of Human Services pausing provider enrollment for 13 Medicaid services

Minnesota Department of Human Services Logo DULUTH, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Human Services have announced in a press release that it is set begin a freeze on new provider enrollments in 13 categories of Medicaid services which it deems at a high risk for fraud. A start date for the freeze is not yet determined, with the pause…

Federal immigration officers shoot and wound 2 people in Portland, Oregon, authorities say

2 people shot and wounded by federal immigration officers in Portland, Oregon, authorities say PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The FBI’s Portland office says it is investigating a shooting that happened around 2:15 p.m. Thursday “involving Customs and Border Patrol Agents in which 2 individuals were wounded.” The Portland Police Bureau said its officers responded and found a man and woman with…

Trina Swanson announces campaign for congress

Trina Swanson, Congressional District 8 Candidate DULUTH, Minn. — Trina Swanson has announced her campaign for congress in northern Minnesota. The Hermantown native has previously held senior leadership roles in U. S. Citizenship and Immigration services. Swanson says her campaign will focus on affordable healthcar,e including rural access, protecting working families, and education-to-career pathways. “I’m running because too many people…

Minnesota investigators barred from taking part in probe into woman’s killing by an ICE officer

Federal law enforcement officers stand near a roadblock at Portland Avenue and East 32nd Street, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, after reports of a shooting involving federal agents in Minneapolis, where immigration enforcement has been conducting a major crackdown. (AP Photo/Tim Sullivan) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The head of Minnesota’s state investigations agency said Thursday that the U.S. attorney’s office has barred…

What federal policy says about shooting at vehicles

A bullet hole is seen in the windshield as law enforcement officers work at the scene of a shooting involving federal law enforcement agents, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP) – The Department of Justice says in its Justice Manual that firearms should not be used simply to disable a moving vehicle. The policy allows deadly force only in…

Driver shot in Minneapolis is at least the fifth person killed in US immigration crackdown

A bullet hole is seen in the windshield as law enforcement officers work at the scene of a shooting involving federal law enforcement agents, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP) – The fatal shooting Wednesday of a woman by an immigration officer in Minneapolis was at least the fifth death to result from the aggressive U.S. immigration crackdown the Trump…

Governor Walz notifies National Guard to prepare to protect public safety in Minneapolis

TIm Walz News Conference follow ICE shooting of woman in Minneapolis (AP) – An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a Minneapolis motorist on Wednesday during the Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown in a major U.S. city — a shooting that federal officials claimed was an act of self-defense but that the city’s mayor described as “reckless” and unnecessary….

Trump says the US ‘needs’ Greenland for Arctic security. Here’s why.

A North American Aerospace Defense Command F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft from the South Carolina ANG’s 169th FW takes off at Pituffik Space Force Base, Greenland, Oct. 9, 2025. Operating in the Arctic provides the flexibility and adaptability needed to overcome logistical hurdles in a dynamic and unforgiving environment. (AP) – Location, location, location: Greenland’s position above the Arctic Circle makes…

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears in Minneapolis ICE raid video

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on ICE raid in Minneapolis WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has launched what officials describe as the largest immigration enforcement operation ever carried out, preparing to deploy as many as 2,000 federal agents and officers to the Minneapolis area for a sweeping crackdown tied in part to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents. Homeland Security…

Trump administration says it’s withholding social safety net money from 5 states over fraud concerns

U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services (HHS) Logo (AP) – President Donald Trump’s administration said Tuesday that it is withholding funding for programs that support needy families with children in five Democratic-led states over concerns about fraud. “For too long, Democrat-led states and Governors have been complicit in allowing massive amounts of fraud to occur under their watch,” U.S….

Man accused of stalking a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice gets probation in a plea deal

Jill Karofsky MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man accused of sending the state Supreme Court’s chief justice intimidating emails has been sentenced to probation after prosecutors dropped a felony stalking charge. Ryan Thornton, 37, of Racine, was initially charged in October in Dane County with stalking and misdemeanor counts of intimidating a victim and disorderly conduct. Prosecutors dismissed the stalking count…

Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California dies, reducing GOP’s narrow control of the House to 218-213

  Doug LaMalfa WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Doug LaMalfa, a seven-term U.S. representative from California and a reliable vote on President Donald Trump’s agenda, has died, reducing the GOP’s narrow control of the House. He was 65. His death, confirmed by Majority Whip Tom Emmer and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson, trims the Republicans’ margin of control of…

Hilton, Minnesota hotel apologize for email canceling immigration agents’ rooms

FILE – In this June 28, 2019, file photo the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seal is seen during a news conference in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) A Minnesota hotel that wouldn’t allow federal immigration agents to stay there this month is apologizing and saying the refusal violated its own policies. The Department of Homeland Security had accused the…

Gov. Walz says he will not run for a third term as Minnesota governor

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in St. Paul, denounces President Donald Trump for calling Minnesota’s Somali community “garbage” and dismissing the state as a “hellhole.” ST PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Democrats’ 2024 candidate for vice president, is ending his bid for a third term as governor amid…

Investigators say Minnesota childcare centers featured in viral video are operating normally

ST. PAUL, Minn. — An investigation by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families(DCYF) has found that nine childcare centers featured in a viral video claiming fraud are operating normally. Investigators said they conducted on-site compliance checks at nine child care centers referenced in a recently circulated video by YouTuber Nick Shirley. The video accuses several Somali-run centers of…

Man who broke windows at Vance’s Ohio home is detained, the Secret Service says

(CNN) A man who broke windows at Vice President JD Vance’s Ohio home and caused other property damage was detained early Monday, the U.S. Secret Service said. The man was detained shortly after midnight by Secret Service agents assigned to Vance’s home, east of downtown Cincinnati, agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. He has not…

Minnesota must provide documents to US government in child care fraud probe by Jan. 9

People gather for a news conference at the state capitol in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Giovanna Dell’Orto) Minnesota officials have until the end of this week to hand over information on providers and parents who receive federal child care funds that the Trump administration contends have been used fraudulently or risk losing federal funding. State…

Wisconsin judge convicted of obstructing arrest of immigrant resigns as GOP threatens impeachment

Courtesy: AP Embattled Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, who was convicted of obstruction last month for helping an immigrant evade federal officers, has sent her resignation letter to the governor. The letter was sent Saturday. Republicans had been making plans to impeach her ever since her Dec. 19 conviction. A spokesperson for Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, said his office received…

Maduro’s case will revive a legal debate over immunity for foreign leaders tested in Noriega trial

Courtesy: Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — When deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro makes his first appearance in a New York courtroom Monday to face U.S. drug charges, he will likely follow the path taken by another Latin American strongman toppled by U.S. forces: Panama’s Manuel Noriega. Maduro was captured Saturday, 36 years to the day after Noriega was removed by…

Zohran Mamdani begins his term as NYC mayor with an historic swearing in

New York Attorney General Letitia James, left, administers the oath of office to mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, center, as his wife Rama Duwaji looks on, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) NEW YORK (AP) — Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City on Thursday, taking over one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics as one of the country’s…

Bois Forte Band of Chippewa explains what’s next after signing cannabis compact with Minnesota

Shane Drift DULUTH, Min. & NETT LAKE, Min. – The day after making it official and signing a Tribal-State cannabis compact with Minnesota, we’re learning more about what is next for the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and cannabis. The agreement signed on December 30, 2025 provides a blueprint for a shared goal of safeguarding the health of Minnesotans regarding…

Trump administration says it’s freezing child care funds to Minnesota after series of fraud schemes

Jim O’Neill WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration announced on Tuesday that it’s freezing child care funds to Minnesota after a series of fraud schemes in recent years. Acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Jim O’Neill announced on the social platform X that the step is in response to “blatant fraud that appears to be…

Bois Forte Band of Chippewa signs cannabis compact with Minnesota

Bois Forte Band Of Chippewa Seal ST. PAUL, Min. – The Bois Forte Band of Chippewa has signed a Tribal-State cannabis compact with Minnesota. In a news release Secretary/Treasurer of the Bois Forte Band Tara Geshick said, “The Bois Forte Band of Chippewa has done great things – one is entering the cannabis market…  Unlocking opportunities and seeking strategic alliances will…

Surge in federal officers in Minnesota focuses on alleged fraud at day care centers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A surge of federal officers in Minnesota follows new allegations of fraud by day care centers run by Somali residents. President Donald Trump has previously linked his administration’s immigration crackdown against Minnesota’s large Somali community to a series of fraud cases involving government programs in which most of the defendants have roots in the east African country. Surge in federal officers Department of Homeland Security…

DOJ says it may need a ‘few more weeks’ to finish release of Epstein files despite Dec. 19 deadline

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department said Wednesday that finishing the release of all of the Jeffrey Epstein files could take a “few more weeks,” further delaying compliance with a Dec. 19 deadline set by Congress. The department said the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, as well as the FBI, found more than a million…

Staff safety concerns forced temporary closure of two Duluth library branches

DULUTH, Minn. — FOX 21 has learned safety concerns by Duluth public library staff forced the closure of the downtown and West Duluth branches Friday and Saturday. On Monday, the city placed a Duluth police officer at the downtown branch out of an “abundance of caution,” according to a city spokesperson. The concerns focused around a man who was outside…