4 Things To Know from WCCO

Thursday, February 12th — The Trump administration announces the end of the federal immigration surge in Minnesota after more than two months and more than 4,000 arrests, with a drawdown of agents now underway.

Governor Tim Walz reacts to the “deep damage” left behind and pushes for financial help for businesses, while state leaders testify in a high-stakes Senate hearing on Minnesota’s immigration policies and cooperation with federal authorities. House Democrats also press for accountability, with local police warning ICE operations are straining public safety resources.

Plus, a Fargo disappearance is now a murder investigation, Congress considers new proof-of-citizenship voting requirements, new security measures ahead of the Minnesota legislative session, AI cameras crack down on distracted driving, a rare sexually transmitted fungal infection emerges in the Twin Cities, and Minnesota athletes make headlines at the Olympics.

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Wednesday, February 10th - Fresh concerns are raised about conditions at the Whipple federal building after new court filings describe detainees struggling to access legal help.

Plus, the Attorney General testifies about the ongoing ICE surge in Minnesota, the BCA investigates a deputy-involved shooting in Duluth, and state leaders roll out a new Climate Action Framework.

We also cover a Burnsville homicide investigation, a record prostitution sting, falling traffic deaths, new Mall of America parking options, and what new research says about coffee and dementia.

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Tuesday, February 10th — Federal immigration enforcement is under intense scrutiny today as leaders of ICE, Border Patrol, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services testify on Capitol Hill following deadly shootings and weeks of unrest in Minneapolis. Lawmakers pressed agency heads on protests, agent conduct, training, and the rollout of body cameras, while officials pointed to a recent de-escalation tied to Operation Metro Surge.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says that federal surge is causing “catastrophic” economic damage, citing lost business and declining demand as he signals optimism that the operation could be drawn down within days. We take you to Malcolm Yards, where the governor laid out his case and addressed uncertainty surrounding federal decision-making.

Also today: a 25-year-old Minneapolis man dies in a heartbreaking incident at Welch Village ski area; a St. Cloud homicide leads Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson to suspend his campaign after his daughter is killed and her husband charged with murder; and police investigate a fatal shooting of a 14-year-old boy in Burnsville.

Plus, Minnesota Senator John Hoffman announces his return to the Capitol months after surviving a targeted shooting, a man convicted of straw purchasing dozens of guns is sentenced to prison, Target announces job cuts alongside a plan to boost in-store staffing, and the Senate could soon vote on lifting a decades-old ban on mining near the Boundary Waters.

In sports, Team USA women’s hockey faces Canada, Minnesota goalies take the Olympic ice for Sweden, and we end with a bright spot: the remarkable survival of a tiny dog who endured nearly three weeks of brutal winter cold in North Dakota.

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Monday, February 9th — Minnesota’s governor’s race is shaken by tragedy. Republican candidate Jeff Johnson has suspended his campaign after his daughter was killed in St. Cloud in what police say appears to be a domestic violence homicide. At the same time, another major shift in the race: Dr. Scott Jensen is dropping his bid for governor and instead running for state auditor, focusing his campaign on investigating fraud in state government.

Plus, new internal data obtained by CBS News shows that fewer than 14 percent of people arrested by ICE in President Trump’s first year back in office had violent criminal charges or convictions, while nearly 40 percent had no criminal record at all, offering a clearer picture of who is being targeted under current enforcement.

We also take you inside a Robbinsdale school where students turned plans for a walkout into a positive, student-led “chain of love” supporting families affected by immigration crackdowns, and attorneys conduct a court-approved inspection of the Whipple Federal Building following a lawsuit alleging inadequate conditions for detainees.

Plus: new developments in high-profile Minnesota immigration cases involving detained students and families, upcoming congressional oversight hearings as a funding deadline for the Department of Homeland Security approaches, a new state effort using AI to detect Medicaid fraud, and growing concern over a proposed copper-nickel mine near the Boundary Waters.

In sports and headlines, Lindsey Vonn suffers a serious crash at the Olympics, Team USA earns its first gold, and Budweiser tops the Super Bowl Ad Meter with a milestone anniversary spot.

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Friday, February 6 — Small business leaders across the Twin Cities are sounding the alarm over what they call a dire and accelerating financial crisis tied to Operation Metro Surge. For the first time, they’re sharing numbers: some individual businesses say they’re losing thousands of dollars a day, while they claim the City of Minneapolis is losing millions each week.

Community leaders warn many shops and restaurants don’t have months to survive, saying they only have weeks. Leaders also say even if ICE activity stopped tomorrow, recovery would take months. With no federal relief money on the way, they’re urging the public to spend next week intentionally supporting local businesses, comparing the economic hit to COVID-era losses.

Meanwhile, arrests follow an anti-ICE protest at the University of Minnesota, where demonstrators gathered outside a hotel believed to be housing ICE agents. Eleven people were arrested after repeated dispersal orders, as state officials continue to dispute federal claims about ICE detainers.

WCCO also gets a rare look inside the Crow Wing County Jail, which has been housing ICE detainees since November, raising new questions about who is being held and how local law enforcement is involved in Operation Metro Surge.

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Thursday, February 5 — Minneapolis City Council members spar over how to respond to the ongoing ICE surge in the Twin Cities, with sharp debate over whether rental assistance tied to immigration enforcement could help vulnerable residents or invite fraud. The fight comes as a new “Prosecute ICE” ice sculpture appears outside the State Capitol and federal officials confirm thousands of arrests during Operation Metro Surge, even as forces begin to scale back.

We also hear from a government attorney who bluntly criticized the immigration court system after being assigned nearly 90 cases in under a month, highlighting staffing shortages at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, two Minneapolis firefighters are recovering from burns after a morning fire in the Phillips neighborhood leaves several residents displaced.

Plus, President Trump reflects on lessons learned from the Minnesota ICE operation, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan calls the situation a man-made crisis, and we track additional local headlines, from a narrowly avoided healthcare workers strike and Anoka opening the nation’s first city-run cannabis dispensary, to Children’s Minnesota pausing gender-affirming care services and the Timberwolves making a major trade ahead of the NBA deadline.

In our Bright Spot: the Puppy Bowl returns with more adoptable, senior, and special-needs dogs than ever.

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Wednesday, February 4 — Federal authorities are pulling hundreds of agents out of the Twin Cities as Border Czar Tom Homan announces the first major drawdown of Operation Metro Surge, crediting cooperation from local jails while warning that protests could delay a full exit. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz say the move is not enough, calling the operation harmful to residents and businesses and demanding it end altogether.

At the same time, Minnesota educators are suing to block ICE from school grounds, saying the presence of federal agents has created fear and cut attendance in half at some schools. We also hear reaction from state leaders after Children’s Minnesota announces it will pause some gender-affirming care for minors, citing threats and federal pressure, while Attorney General Keith Ellison weighs in.

Plus, investigators search for possible additional victims after an Amber Alert kidnapping case, police arrest a suspected hit-and-run driver in St. Paul, and new details emerge from a historic caucus night as Minnesota’s governor’s race begins to take shape.

At the White House, President Trump pushes to nationalize elections as funding deadlines loom and Democrats press for ICE body-camera mandates.

In sports, the Timberwolves make a cap-clearing trade, the Wild skate into the Olympic break, and we check in with Minnesota’s all-homegrown U.S. Olympic women’s curling team.

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Tuesday, February 3 — Classes resume today in Columbia Heights after a racially and politically motivated bomb threat forced schools to close Monday, as the district’s superintendent says the priority now is safely bringing home four other students currently in federal custody.
At the same time, a new lawsuit is raising serious questions about federal surveillance tactics in Minnesota. A Twin Cities protester alleges Border Patrol agents used facial recognition technology to identify her during ICE demonstrations, and that her Global Entry status was revoked days later without explanation. Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection respond as body cameras are rolled out to federal agents in Minneapolis amid growing scrutiny.
We also hear from Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison on the impact of federal detention of children, preview tonight’s party caucuses as Minnesota’s midterm election season begins and track multiple investigations into recent deadly shootings involving both local police and federal agents.
Plus, Quinn Hughes makes history, and an Olympic update from Lindsey Vonn.
In our Bright Spot today: A St. Paul firefighter is honored for his service.
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Monday, February 2 — Target’s new CEO faces a turbulent first day on the job as protesters rally outside company headquarters following a weekend of demonstrations tied to immigration enforcement and ICE-related concerns. The protests come amid heightened scrutiny of corporate leadership and its perceived role in federal immigration policy.

Meanwhile, relief and emotion in Columbia Heights as five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father return to Minnesota after a judge orders their release from a Texas detention facility. The case has drawn national attention, sparked community protests, and renewed debate over how immigration enforcement impacts children and families, even as officials say deportation proceedings could still lie ahead.

Also today, Columbia Heights Public Schools close after a bomb threat prompts a district-wide shut down, though authorities say no devices were found and classes are expected to resume tomorrow.

Plus, newly released video one year after a Hastings homicide. Police hope you can help them solve the case.

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Friday, January 30 — The Justice Department opens a federal civil rights investigation into the death of Alex Pretti, shifting the case to the FBI and escalating scrutiny of federal agents involved in the fatal encounter. President Trump responds to newly surfaced video from days before Pretti’s death, while the Pretti family pushes back, saying nothing from that incident could justify what happened.

Protests continue to grow nationwide and across Minnesota, with calls for work stoppages, school walkouts, and renewed demonstrations against ICE activity.

Civil rights concerns also intensify after the arrest of journalist Don Lemon in Los Angeles. Federal prosecutors allege Lemon was involved in a church protest connected to an ICE official, while Lemon says he was there solely in his role as a reporter. Those again his arrest, along with others tied to the protest, say it raises new questions about press freedom, protest rights, and the role of journalists covering demonstrations.

Plus, major upheaval in Minnesota sports as the Vikings fire general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah less than a year after extending his contract. The move follows apparent internal disagreements over roster decisions, lingering criticism of draft results, and continued uncertainty at quarterback, all as the franchise faces mounting pressure from fans.

Join Johnny Kahner for this episode of 4 Things to Know.

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