Minnesota Now

Week two of an unusual Minnesota legislative session is underway with the struggle over power still gripping the Capitol. Republicans in the House continue to hold floor sessions while Democrats continue to boycott as court decisions late last week pushed a House special election into March.

Last legislative session, a unique bipartisan coalition formed to combat housing affordability. Chaired by DFLers Rep. Mike Howard and Sen. Lindsey Port, the committee had strong bipartisan support, including from House Republican Whip Rep. Jim Nash, who has been working on housing legislation for more than 10 years.

Two of the bills that received very strong bipartisan support had to do with city zoning reform, but lobbying by city governments, especially in the suburbs, tanked the bills.

With so much left unfinished last session and with this session’s power balance still in limbo, how will that committee work together in the House?

Rep. Nash serves on the Housing and Finance Committee. He was one of the co-authors of the zoning bill in the House last session. Rep. Howard is another co-author of the zoning bill and the top-ranking Democrat on the Housing Finance and Policy Committee. They both joined MPR News guest host Emily Bright to explain what’s to come.

Among the flurry of executive orders from President Donald Trump on day one, was an order to temporarily suspend all refugee resettlement. Minnesota has seen a surge of refugees in recent years. The latest state data from 2023 shows Minnesota welcomed an estimated 2,000 refugees. And another 1,000 humanitarian arrivals from Afghanistan and Ukraine.

We’re already seeing the first impacts of the executive order. Nearly 1,600 Afghans cleared by the U.S. government to resettle in the U.S. had their flights canceled.

Jane Graupman is the executive director of International Institute of Minnesota, which is one of five resettlement agencies in Minnesota. Nasreen Sajady is the executive director of the Afghan Cultural Society, a nonprofit supporting Afghan refugees in Minnesota.

Graupman and Sajady joined Minnesota Now to talk about what’s next.

President Donald Trump has made many promises about what he’ll do on his very first day in office: that he’ll end the war in Ukraine, pardon the January 6th riot defendants, implement a tariff on products imported from Mexico and Canada, and close the U.S. border. But the promise he has mentioned most often, and rested much of his presidential campaign on, is to start a mass deportation program. Monday he declared a national emergency at the U.S. southern border and in his inaugural remarks said he will begin deporting millions of immigrants without citizenship status and bring troops to help close the border.

To help explain these policies, Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke to Hanne Sandison. She is the refugee and immigrant program director at The Advocates for Human Rights.

Editor’s note: The audio incorrectly states the name of the law firm. This story has been updated to reflect the correct name.

Today’s program included special coverage of the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

We’ll hear from a local expert about the ceremony along with the actions he’s proposing for his first day on the job.

Plus, Trump said he's declaring a national emergency at the southern border. He said he'll take serious action on immigration and the border on day one. We'll learn more about those.

And we’ll listen to journalist Michele Norris’ keynote remarks at the 35th annual Martin Luther King Day Jr. Breakfast in Minneapolis.

In President Donald Trump’s inaugural speech he outlined some of the executive orders he plans to sign, including a crackdown on illegal immigration, a promise to eliminate certain diversity and gender policies, a declaration of a national energy emergency and more.

To put some of Trump’s promises into context and understand how that impacts Minnesota, Kathryn Pearson, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota, joined the program.

Gov. Tim Walz unveils his proposal for the state’s two year budget amid a Capitol power struggle. An ugly opening to Minnesota’s legislative session and a campaign season that won’t end is fueling lawsuit after lawsuit.

The City of St. Paul is clearing a large homeless encampment near the Mississippi River. We learn what’s next for those being displaced.

And with many people spending this month sober, a doctor talks about the mental and physical benefits of Dry January and taking a break from alcohol.

Plus, a Double Dutch team from the Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul is spreading joy through jump rope. We hear about their efforts to share the tradition with a new generation.

The Minnesota Music Minute was “Deserving” by AUTUMN and “Pride (In the Name of Love)” by U2 was the Song of the Day.

St. Paul officials began closing a homeless encampment Thursday. The camp near the entrance of Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary has been running for about two years. At least 40 people lived there as of last week, when the city posted notices to vacate.

City workers were on the scene Thursday morning to clear the camp. MPR News reporter Estelle Timar-Wilcox was there and joined MPR News host Nina Moini with details on the story.

On Sunday, TikTok could be gone for good in the U.S. Users have been spiraling over the possibility and savoring their last days.

The video app gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and quickly became a means of entertainment, information and even income.

A federal appeals court upheld a ruling that gave TikTok an ultimatum: sell off its U.S. operation to a company not owned by China or shut down. That deadline is on Sunday. The platform asked the U.S. Supreme Court to put a halt on the ban, but justices have yet to make a decision.

Professor of law Alan Rozenshtein has been following this case closely. He joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain the legal limbo and its implications.

“Strawberry shortcake, blueberry pie. Rondo Double Dutch got a team, and we know why,” a group of young voices chant on a track the St. Paul organization made with artist Bionik.

Rondo Double Dutch is the brainchild of Mercedes Yarbrough, an educator who wanted to bring Double Dutch to a new generation in her community. She joined up with Jelahn Prentiss, who goes by Coach Twist, to expand her vision for the program.

Rondo Double Dutch now includes a class at 825 Arts in St. Paul as well as a team that participates in events around the metro. They are booked Monday for Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration in south Minneapolis.

Mizz Mercedez and Jelahn Prentiss joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the event and their passion for getting people of all ages on their feet.

The first month of the year is a time for new goals and beginnings. For many, that includes resetting their relationship with alcohol. You or someone you know may be participating in Dry January, a month-long effort to be sober.

The health trend has been popular in many countries for at least a decade, but its roots extend as far back as 1942, when the Finnish government created a campaign called “Sober January” as a propaganda blitz to raise readiness during World War II.

Dr. Christopher Wall, a psychiatrist who is chief medical officer at Prairie Care, joins MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about the health benefits of Dry January.