On today's episode, Leo Dickenson and Josh Christianson join Josiah to discuss Operation Metro Surge and the fraud crisis that the Trump regime has used to justify the occupation of the Twin Cities. 

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References

• Thumbnail was taken by photojournalist Jeff Wheeler for the Minnesota Star Tribune
• "How Minnesota became a hub for Somali immigrants in the U.S.," Joe Hernandez, NPR, https://www.npr.org/2025/12/03/nx-s1-5631809/somali-immigrants-minnesota-twin-cities-trump-ilhan-omar
• "Key figures in the long-running controversy over alleged fraudulent safety net programs in Minnesota," Ray Sanchez and Cheri Mossburg, CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/02/us/fraud-minnesota-programs-scandal-trump
• "Everything we know about Minnesota's massive fraud schemes," Jonah Kaplan and Joe Walsh, CBS News, https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/minnesota-fraud-schemes-what-we-know/
• "Minnesota investigators say child care centers accused of fraud are operating normally as governor drops reelection bid," Zoe Sottile and Andy Rose, CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/05/us/minnesota-child-care-fraud-investigation
• "Federal agents probe fraud allegations targeting Somali child care providers in Minnesota," Nick Schifrin and Jonah Anderson, PBS, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/federal-agents-probe-fraud-allegations-targeting-somali-child-care-providers-in-minnesota
• "School districts could face funding gaps due to virtual learning, missing students during Operation Metro Surge," Gordon Severson, KARE 11, https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/ice-in-minnesota/school-districts-could-face-funding-gaps-due-to-virtual-learning-missing-students-during-operation-metro-surge/89-11755d76-3b77-4fed-a2d3-f766e332131b
• "Death raises new fraud allegations in Minnesota’s Medicaid-funded ICS program," A.J. Lagoe, Kelly Dietz, Steven Eckert, Gary Knox, KARE 11, https://www.kare11.com/article/news/investigations/kare-11-investigates-unattended-death-raises-new-fraud-allegations-minnesota-medicaid-funded-ics-program/89-61240443-b8c1-4a60-969b-0b601c5fbd5d
• “The Largest Funder of Al-Shabaab Is the Minnesota Taxpayer,” Ryan Thorpe and Christopher Rufo, City Journal, https://www.city-journal.org/article/minnesota-welfare-fraud-somalia-al-shabaab
• "Key source says story that prompted Trump tirade against Somalis is erroneous," Deena Winter, The Minnesota Star Tribune, https://www.startribune.com/city-journal-fraud-story-seattle-detective/601537870
• "Who is Nick Shirley, the 23-year-old MAGA journalist whose Minnesota fraud story went viral?," Hadas Gold, CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/30/media/nick-shirley-minnesota-somali-video
• "Fact check: What’s really happening with child care fraud in Minnesota," Chabeli Carrazana, The 19th, https://19thnews.org/2026/01/child-care-fraud-minnesota-fact-check/
• "ICE Reportedly Stole a 10th Grader’s Phone, Then Seemingly Sold It for Cash," Frank Landymore, https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ice-reportedly-stole-10th-grader-230138675.html
• "Immigration officers assert sweeping power to enter homes without a judge’s warrant, memo says," Rebecca Santana, Associated Press, https://apnews.com/article/ice-arrests-warrants-minneapolis-trump-00d0ab0338e82341fd91b160758aeb2d
• "ICE plans $100 million 'wartime recruitment' push targeting gun shows, military fans for hires," Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/12/31/ice-wartime-recruitment-push/
• NSPM-7, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/countering-domestic-terrorism-and-organized-political-violence/
• Timeline on Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Metro_Surge#Timeline_of_operation
• "Minneapolis Pastor Says He Was Detained by ICE After Joining Protest, Told 'You're White' and 'Wouldn’t Be Any Fun Anyway' on Release," Ashley Vega, People, https://people.com/minneapolis-pastor-says-ice-detained-him-after-joining-protest-told-he-wouldnt-be-any-fun-because-youre-white-11884703
• "ICE entered Minneapolis hospital without warrant, handcuffed patient to bed, community organizers say," Jason Rantala, CBS News, https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/hcmc-hennepin-healthcare-ice-patient-handcuffed/
• "Ecuador says ICE tried to enter its Minneapolis consulate — here's what happened," BBC, https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cvgpdx1yr15o
• "Walz: ICE may leave MN soon," Fox 9 KMSP, https://www.fox9.com/video/fmc-ch876hzml20j4brm

Audio credits

• Opening audio is from several videos of community members at the scene of Alex Pretti's murder a few hours later; videos shared by Left Voice on Bluesky:  https://bsky.app/profile/leftvoice.bsky.social/post/3md6zzb4mzk2r
• Yesterday – bloom.
• Day Without End - Protomartyr
• "ICE operations u...