Minnesota Today

Some Minnesota lawmakers are responding to the firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. After news broke of Noem’s firing, Minnesota House Democratic Leader Zack Stephenson praised Minnesotans who he says showed the incompetence of immigration enforcement in the state. Republican Rep. Isaac Schultz says he believes President Donald Trump made a sound decision.

Another federal judge is threatening to hold government officials in contempt of court for failing to return critical items including work permits and driver’s licenses to former immigration detainees. For the second time this week, Minnesota U.S. Attorney Dan Rosen promised a judge that ICE would replace missing personal items or pay compensation.

The husband of a Minnesota soldier killed in Kuwait says the family is grieving and planning a memorial.

The standing of a key state agency commissioner has become another political flashpoint in the Minnesota Senate.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Flags are at half-staff in White Bear Lake in honor of Army Reserve Sergeant Nicole Amor.

And there were moments of constructive dialogue during an otherwise rancorous congressional hearing today on fraud in Minnesota.

Those stories and more in this evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified today that close to 650 DHS agents remain in Minnesota.

And a federal judge heard arguments today on a federal demand for Minnesota to turn over voter registration data.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A second person has pleaded guilty in connection with a scheme to defraud a Minnesota Medicaid program for children with autism. So far the feds have charged 15 people in the Medicaid cases that prompted President Donald Trump’s administration to block $260 million in funding to Minnesota.

Minnesota is suing the Trump Administration in an attempt to stop it from withholding $243 million of that Medicaid spending. The lawsuit filed Monday asks a U.S. court in Minneapolis to issue a temporary restraining order to block the withholding.

As the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran continue, more than 250 Minnesota National Guard personnel are in or near the Middle East on regularly scheduled deployments.

And Hennepin County prosecutors are investigating 17 alleged incidents of excessive force by federal agents during immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office says 38 people demonstrating outside the Whipple building Sunday were cited and released, and one person was jailed and faces a riot charge. Demonstrators gathered at the building as part of a week-long effort to oppose ICE action in the state. The sheriff's office Facebook page announced that the arrests occurred after deputies declared an illegal assembly and issued orders for the crowd to disperse.

Minnesota's budget picture has improved since November - with a larger surplus than was expected just a few months ago.

And tenant organizers could hold a vote tomorrow to authorize a Twin Cities-wide rent strike.

Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.