Political

Trump’s racist post about Obamas is deleted after backlash despite White House earlier defending it

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s social media post featuring a video about election conspiracy theories and a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle has been deleted. The Republican president’s Thursday night post was deleted Friday and blamed on a staffer after widespread backlash, from civil rights leaders to…

Q & A with the lead attorney suing Homeland Security for Duluth Schools

June Hoidal DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth School District filed a lawsuit against Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, plus other people and agencies.  The lawsuit is trying to stop immigration enforcement actions near schools.  The suit was also in partnership with the Fridley School District and the Education Minnesota teachers’ union. Just hours after the…

Duluth City Council to consider resolution on federal immigration efforts in city

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth City Council is slated to discuss a “resolution clarifying the communication and enforcement relationship between the city and the federal government with respect to enforcement of federal civil immigration laws within the city of Duluth.” The resolution is now on the agenda for the February 9, 2026 City Council Meeting.  It is co-sponsored by city…

Man who tried to shoot Trump at a Florida golf course gets life in prison

Ryan Routh (CNN) FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump on a Florida golf course in 2024 was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon pronounced Ryan Routh’s fate in the same Fort Pierce courtroom that erupted into chaos in September when he tried to stab himself shortly after jurors found…

Inside the lawsuit: Duluth School District sues Kristi Noem

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, center, speaks during a press conference Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Minneapolis. DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth School District has sued Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, plus other people and agencies, in an effort to stop most immigration enforcement actions near schools. John Magas The 33-page lawsuit filed on February…

Duluth Public Schools sues Department of Homeland Security over immigration actions

Courtesy: Associated Press (file) DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Public Schools is suing the Department of Homeland Security over immigration operations. In a letter sent to parents on Wednesday, the district said it had filed the lawsuit. Superintendent John Magas says they are taking this action in partnership with the teachers union, Education Minnesota, to make schools safe places for…

Trump’s border czar announces 700 immigration officers to be immediately removed from Minnesota

  White House border czar Tom Homan holds a news conference at the Bishop Whipple Federal building on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Trump administration is reducing the number of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota after state and local officials agreed to cooperate by turning over arrested immigrants, border czar Tom…

Renee Good’s brothers remember their sister at Congressional hearing

Luke Ganger, left, and Brent Ganger, right, brothers of Renee Good, appear during a Bicameral Public Forum on the Disproportionate Use of Force by DHS Agents, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Washington. WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Two brothers of Renee Good spoke lovingly of their sister during a hearing put on by Congressional Democrats. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three,…

House passes bill to end the partial government shutdown, sending the measure to Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Tuesday passed a roughly $1.2 trillion spending package to end the partial government shutdown, sending the measure to President Donald Trump and setting the stage for a debate in Congress over Homeland Security funding. The vote was 217-214, and wraps up congressional work on 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, funding the vast…

US shoots down Iranian drone that approached aircraft carrier, military says

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Central Command says a U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. In an emailed statement Tuesday, U.S. Central Command said the drone “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier with “unclear intent” and it “continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures…

Clintons finalize agreement to testify in House Epstein probe, bowing to threat of contempt vote

FILE – Former President Bill Clinton, left, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listen as Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a eulogy for U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Aug. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finalized an agreement with House Republicans Tuesday to…

Minnesota to inspect 5,800 Medicaid providers; asking for state workers from other departments to help

Minnesota Department of Human Services Logo ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Human Services announced they will begin a “massive statewide push to ensure Medicaid providers in 13 high-risk services have the qualifications required by law.” The Minnesota Department of Human Services is putting out a call across all state agencies asking them to transfer 168 qualified workers…

Every Homeland Security officer in Minneapolis is now being issued a body-worn camera, Noem says

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, center, speaks during a press conference Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Minneapolis. WASHINGTON (AP) — Every officer on the ground, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, will be immediately issued body-worn cameras, Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday. Noem made the announcement on the social media platform X. She said the body-worn camera program is being expanded…

Tina Smith endorses Peggy Flanagan to replace her in Senate

Tina Smith and Peggy Flanagan endorsement on YouTube MINNESOTA – Senator Tina Smith has endorsed Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan to replace her in the United States Senate. Lt. Gov. Flanagan is in a battle for the Democratic nomination for the seat against Congresswoman Angie Craig. The primary election will be on August 11, 2026. They made the announcement in a…

5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and father return to Minnesota from ICE facility in Texas

Courtesy: Associated Press Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas, have been released following a judge’s order. They have returned to Minnesota, according to Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro. The boy and his dad, Adrian Conejo Arias, who is originally from Ecuador, were detained in…

Fearing ICE, Native Americans rush to prove their right to belong in the US

Courtesy: Associated Press (file) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement flooded Minneapolis, Shane Mantz dug his Choctaw Nation citizenship card out of a box on his dresser and slid it into his wallet. Some strangers mistake the pest-control company manager for Latino, he said, and he fears getting caught up in ICE raids. Like Mantz, many Native Americans are carrying…

DOJ has opened a federal civil rights probe into the death of Alex Pretti, deputy AG says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights probe into the death of Alex Pretti, according to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “We’re looking at everything that would shed light on that day,” Blanche said on Friday. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI is now leading…

FBI takes over investigation of Minnesota shooting as Trump calls Alex Pretti an ‘insurrectionist’

A photo of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, is displayed at the shooting scene Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Minneapolis. WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI is now leading the probe into the shooting of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis resident killed Saturday by Border Patrol officers, the Department of Homeland Security…

Justice Department releases 3 million pages from its Jeffrey Epstein files

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday released many more records from its investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein, resuming disclosures under a law intended to reveal what the government knew about the millionaire financier’s sexual abuse of young girls and his interactions with the rich and powerful. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing more than…

Trump names former Federal Reserve official Warsh as the next Fed chair to replace Powell

FILE – Kevin Warsh speaks to the media about his report on transparency at the Bank of England, in London, Dec., 11, 2014. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that he will nominate former Federal Reserve official Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Fed, a decision likely to result in…

Journalist Don Lemon arrested after protest that disrupted Minnesota church service

Don Lemon (CNN) WASHINGTON (AP) — Journalist Don Lemon was arrested in connection with an anti-immigration protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church and increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration, his lawyer said Friday. Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney Abbe Lowell said. It is…

Rep. Stauber ducks out of Teamsters meeting, dodging blocked media and protesters

FOX 21 confirmed two Duluth police officers were contracted by U.S. Capitol Police to be at the union hall; Non-local law enforcement were also there

DULUTH, Minn. – U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber’s office responded to FOX 21’s request for more information Thursday involving a Wednesday night protest outside the Teamsters Local 346 building in Duluth involving the congressman. The spokesperson said Stauber was invited to the private gathering inside the union hall with the Teamsters to give an update on the Faster Labor Contracts Act….

Justice Department charges man who squirted vinegar on Rep. Ilhan Omar

  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Justice Department has charged a man who squirted apple cider vinegar on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at an event in Minneapolis, according to court papers made public Thursday. The man arrested for Tuesday’s attack, Anthony Kazmierczak, faces a charge of forcibly assaulting, opposing, impeding and intimidating Omar, according to a complaint filed in federal court. Authorities…

Trump’s border czar suggests a possible drawdown in Minnesota but only after ‘cooperation’

  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Trump’s border czar Tom Homan says immigration enforcement will reduce the number of officers in Minnesota but suggested during a news conference Thursday that it would happen only after ‘cooperation’ from state officials. Trump sent Homan to Minnesota in the wake of the Saturday fatal shooting of a protester at the hands of a federal…

Democratic Sen. Klobuchar says she’s running for Minnesota governor after Gov. Walz dropped out

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Thursday she is running for governor of Minnesota, promising to take on President Donald Trump while unifying a state that has endured a series of challenges even before the federal government’s immigration crackdown. Sen. Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar’s decision gives Democrats a high-profile candidate and proven statewide winner as their party tries to…

Trump endorses Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin’s open governor’s race, leading GOP rival to drop out

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s endorsement of U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin’s open race for governor led the congressman’s top Republican rival to drop out of the race less than a day later. Tom Tiffany Tiffany now faces only nominal opposition for the Republican nomination in the battleground state after Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann announced his decision to drop out Wednesday. Schoemann…

Two federal agents involved in shooting of Alex Pretti have been on administrative leave since Saturday, DHS says

(AP) – The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that two federal agents involved in Pretti’s shooting have been on leave since Saturday. A photo of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, is displayed at the shooting scene Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Minneapolis. The announcement came as Trump seemed…

Lawsuit claim: Duluth illegally charging millions in building permit-related fees

DULUTH, Min. – A lawsuit is claiming Duluth has illegally high building permit-related fees.  The Duluth lawsuits is similar to others filled against Minneapolis and St. Paul. The man suing is in Duluth is Joe Kovich.  His lawyer Shawn M. Raiter tells FOX 21,. “Certain cities in Minnesota—including Duluth—have unlawfully overcharged property owners well over $100 million for building permit…

President Trump endorses Rep. Tom Tiffany for Wisconsin governor

President Donald Trump has officially endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, (R) Wisconsin, for governor of Wisconsin. Trump called Tiffany a “Proven Leader who has dedicated his life to serving his Community.” In a news release late Tuesday, Tiffany said: “I’m grateful for the overwhelming support we have received since launching this campaign, and I’m especially honored to earn President Trump’s…

Man sprays unknown substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar and is tackled at Minneapolis town hall

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man wearing a black jacket was tackled to the ground after spraying an unknown substance on U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis on Tuesday.  Click here to watch the encounter. The audience cheered as he was pinned down and his arms were tied behind his back. In video of…

Two federal officers fired shots during encounter that killed Alex Pretti

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two federal officers fired shots during an encounter that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a Customs and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice sent Tuesday. A photo of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, is displayed at the shooting scene Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in…

Judge issues temporary order barring removal of boy, 5, and father who were detained in Minnesota

(CNN) SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A federal judge has issued a temporary order prohibiting removal of a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father whose arrest last week in Minnesota quickly become another lightning rod for America’s divisions on immigration under the Trump administration. U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled Monday that any removal or transfer of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and…

ICE agents to have security role at Milan Cortina Olympics

Olympic rings MILAN (AP) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will have a security role during the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Games, according to information shared with local media by sources at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. The Associated Press independently confirmed the information with two officials at the embassy. The officials who confirmed ICE participation on Tuesday said that…

Trump’s immigration crackdown led to drop in US growth rate last year as population hit 342 million

(AP) ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration contributed to a year-to-year drop in the nation’s growth rate as the U.S. population reached nearly 342 million people in 2025, according to population estimates released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. The 0.5% growth rate for 2025 was a sharp drop from 2024’s almost 1% growth rate, which…

Judge orders ICE chief to appear in court to explain why detainees have been denied due process

Courtesy: Associated Press (file) MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — The chief federal judge in Minnesota says the Trump administration has failed to comply with orders to hold hearings for detained immigrants and ordered the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to appear before him Friday to explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt. In an order dated Monday, Chief Judge…

Walz and Frey both talk to President Trump today; Say positive conversations

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he spoke to President Donald Trump about the immigration crackdown in his city and some federal officers will begin leaving. A photo of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, is displayed at the shooting scene Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Minneapolis. Frey…

Border Patrol commander Bovino and some agents expected to leave Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A senior Border Patrol commander and some agents are expected to leave Minneapolis as early as Tuesday, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino walks with Federal agents outside a convenience store on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis) The departure of Border Patrol commander…

Case dismissed for man arrested in Virginia ICE operation

Jose Espinoza-Espinoza DULUTH, Minn. – The criminal case against Jose Espinoza-Espinoza, accusing him of “assaulting, resisting, or impeding a Federal Officer,” has been dismissed. Espinoza-Espinoza was arrested on January 16, 2026, by federal agents near the Cazadores Mexican restaurant in Virginia. Agents said Espinoza-Espinoza was in a car they suspected was “transporting illegal aliens”. On the morning of January 26,…

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’ office says call with President Trump was ‘productive’

  ST. PAUL, Min — A Monday morning call between President Donald Trump and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz about fatal shootings by immigration officers appears to have been well-received by both sides. Walz’ office said the call was “productive.” “The Governor made the case that we need impartial investigations of the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents, and that we need…

Minnesota GOP gubernatorial candidate drops out, citing opposition to federal ‘retribution’

Chris Madel (CNN) MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel, a Minneapolis attorney who provided legal support to the ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good, ended his GOP campaign in a surprise video announcement Monday. Madel called the recent immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities an “unmitigated disaster.” “I cannot support the national Republican’s stated retribution…

Congressman Stauber calls on Gov. Walz, Minnesota elected leaders to ‘seek cooperation’

U.S. Representative Pete Stauber, a Republican representing Minnesota’s 8th congressional district, released a statement Sunday, one day after a second fatal shooting of a Minneapolis resident by federal agents.  Stauber is calling on Gov. Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Frey to “seek cooperation” and avoid interfering with “legitimate law enforcement operations.” Below is Stauber’s full statement: “As a former law enforcement…

Sixty CEOs of Minneapolis-based companies call for ‘immediate deescalation of tensions’

Logos of Minneapolis-bases companies who signed letter The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce released a letter Sunday on behalf of more than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies after the second death of a Minneapolis resident involving federal agents. The full text of the letter: The business community in Minnesota prides itself in providing leadership and solving problems to ensure a strong…

Federal and state officials both claim moral high ground in immigration crackdown after shooting

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — In dueling news conferences, federal and state officials offered starkly different messages Sunday about the immigration crackdown that has swept across Minneapolis and surrounding cities, with both claiming the moral high ground after another shooting death by federal agents. Courtesy: Associated Press “Which side do you want to be on?” Gov. Tim Walz asked the public. “The…

Federal immigration enforcement focusing on Iron Range Mexican restaurant again

Cazadores Mexican Restaurant Logo VIRGINIA, Minn. –  Federal court records show Homeland Security were “conducting surveillance near the Cazadores Mexican restaurant” in Virginia. In October 2025, agents from Border Patrol and Enforcement Removal Operations raided El Charro Mexican Bar and Grill and La Tequila Taco Shop.  Both of those restaurants are in Hibbing. The new revelation comes from federal court…

The man killed by a US Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis was an ICU nurse, family says

Alex Jeffrey Pretti MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Family members say the man killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Saturday was an intensive care nurse at a VA hospital who cared deeply about people and was upset by President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in his city. Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed getting in adventures with Joule, his…

READ IT: Gov. Walz statement following Border Patrol killing Minnesota man

Gov. Tim Walz news conference following January 24, 2026 deadly shooting by federal officials ST. PAUL, Min – Governor Tim Walz today issued the following statement in response to a third shooting involving federal law enforcement agents in Minnesota. “The federal occupation of Minnesota long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. It is a campaign of organized brutality…

Saturday developments in deadly fed shooting

A person holds a Minnesota state flag as federal immigration officers deploy tear gas Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP) – Federal officers shot and killed a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, according to a hospital record obtained by the Associated Press. Minneapolis Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said in a social media post that…

READ IT: Initial statement from the Department of Homeland Security following deadly shooting

Picture released from Department of Homeland Security follow January 26, 2026 deadly shooting Below is the initial statement from the Department of Homeland Security following a deadly shooting on January 24, 2026: At 9:05 AM CT, as DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault, an individual approached US…

Judge rules Trump administration must keep funding child care subsidies in 5 states for now

A federal judge ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must keep federal funds flowing to child care subsidies and other social service programs in five Democratic-controlled states — at least for now. The ruling Friday from U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick extends by two weeks a temporary one issued earlier this month that blocked the federal government from holding…

Longstanding Downtown Duluth businesses to close for ‘ICE Out of Minnesota’ day

DULUTH, Minn. – At least two longtime downtown Duluth businesses, Sir Benedicts Tavern and Carmody Irish Pub, are closing Friday in support of the “ICE Out of Minnesota” day. The owners of both establishments released videos on social media Thursday evening with personal messages to their customers and the community. “Both my wife and I have worn the uniform of…