Minnesota Now

On Minnesota Now this week, we're checking in with our journalists on the ground who are trying to get a handle on immigration operations. On Tuesday morning, ICE agents took two people into custody and used chemical irritants on a crowd in south Minneapolis. The incident occurred a block from where an agent killed Renee Macklin Good. MPR News photojournalist Ben Hovland was at the scene, and he joined host Nina Moini with more.

Minnesota Now is continuing to follow reports of ICE and Border Patrol agents stopping and detaining people in the Twin Cities region. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem more agents are being deployed to join at least two thousand who are already in Minnesota.

MPR News photojournalist Ben Hovland shared what he saw as he reported in the field. Reporter Matt Sepic broke down a case where agents entered a home without a warrant signed by a judge.

We talked to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. And we checked in with an attorney defending people who have been detained. Plus, an investigative journalist explained how ICE is using technology to track people.

We also heard excerpts from Monday’s 9 a.m. show, MPR News with Angela Davis. A therapist shared insight for living through intense emotions and listeners called in with their experiences.

Immigration enforcement has ramped up in Minnesota. The Department of Homeland Security says at least 2,000 ICE agents are in the state. In addition, Customs and Border Patrol agents are here arresting people. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said over the weekend that hundreds more agents would join them.

As these agencies ramp up their activity in Minnesota, reports of detainments are almost too much to keep up with.

David Wilson is an immigration attorney with Wilson Law Group. He joined Minnesota Now with Nina Moini to talk about what he’s seeing with immigration cases.

The Department of Homeland Security said Monday that federal agents have arrested more than 2,000 people in Minnesota since the start of December. MPR News has received many reports of encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents, along with questions about who will hold federal agents accountable for illegal activity, racial profiling and use-of-force incidents.

After an ICE officer killed Renee Macklin Good last week, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Tim Walz have told the agencies to leave. To find out what actions state and local leaders may take to limit ICE and Border Patrol activity in the region, MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

What acting ICE Director Todd Lyons called the “largest immigration enforcement operation ever” continues to unfold in Minnesota. And we are learning about the tools federal law enforcement agents use to track the people they're trying to arrest, as well as protesters.

ICE recently purchased two programs called Tangles and Webloc, which are used to track the cell phone activity of entire neighborhoods and monitor people over social media and through internet data, according to reporting by 404 Media. 404 Media journalist Joseph Cox joined MPR News host Nina Moini with insight on those tools and how they’re used to track people.

We are following the developing story of the ICE shooting in south Minneapolis. We'll take you to a vigil that is memorializing Renee Good, the woman who died in the shooting. And we'll have the latest from the scene of the shooting, which has now been barricaded and blocked to traffic by the public.

The state of Minnesota has now been sidelined from the investigation by the federal government. We'll have the latest.

And we'll talk to the Mayor of the city of Chicago, where ICE has also surged. And where nearby there have also been incidents of people being shot by ICE.

Plus, we'll look at the legal precedent for an investigation into this shooting.

Minnesota Now followed breaking news of a woman who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in south Minneapolis.

Hear a press conference from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

And hear the latest from reporters on the scene of the shooting.

The Trump administration reportedly kicked off another massive deployment of federal agents in the Twin Cities. They're expected to look into alleged cases of fraud, and a Minneapolis City Council member weighs in.

A state law is now in effect to protect vulnerable adults from financial exploitation. Courts can now help prevent stealing or scamming older or disabled adults.

Plus, Minnesota colleges are teaching students about how to become professionals in the state's new cannabis industry and cannabis education.

And one Minnesotan who is skiing — and shooting — her way to the Winter Olympics as part of Team USA's group of biathletes.

Our Minnesota Music Minute was "Gigawaabamin" by Bizhiki. Our Song of the Day was “Morning” by Chutes.

In one month, the Olympic torch will be lit in Milano-Cortina, Italy for the 2026 Winter Games. Minnesotans always have a strong showing at the Winter Olympics, and another athlete has just been added to the roster.

Margie Freed is an Apple Valley native. She's making her Olympic debut in biathlon.

Freed spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about getting ready for her first Olympic games.

As the cannabis industry grows in Minnesota, there is a need for more skilled workers.

Two Minnesota colleges are expanding their programs to help teach people the ropes of the cannabis industry. Starting next week, St. Cloud State University will have their first cohort of students enrolled in a new cannabis certificate program.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College — or M State, which has schools across northwest Minnesota — will expand their offerings. M State was the first two-year college in greater Minnesota to offer cannabis education. Both schools are partnering with the company Green Flower to offer the courses.

Max Simon the CEO of Green Flower, and Sean Collins, director of workforce development solutions at M State, joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the programs and the budding industry.