Minnesota Politics

DHS and Border Patrol publicized arrests in "Operation Metro Surge," releasing a curated list of detainees — including convicted sex offenders and other prior offenders — and framing the sweep as taking the "worst of the worst" off the streets, a narrative Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin tied to local non‑cooperation with ICE detainers and that has been echoed by the White House and GOP surrogates; Minnesota Democrats and local officials have denounced the raids as politically toxic and say they have terrified communities, with Hmong businesses reporting 60–70% revenue losses and residents saying children are being kept home. The enforcement wave has been marked by violent incidents and contested law‑enforcement accounts: DHS alleges a protester bit off an HSI officer’s finger and officials described assaults on officers, while CBP told Congress two officers fired in the fatal Alex Pretti encounter even as internal reports do not allege Pretti fired his weapon and note irregular handling of his handgun.

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar has formally filed paperwork to run for governor, entering the 2026 race after Gov. Tim Walz announced he will not seek reelection. The move would open a U.S. Senate seat if she ultimately leaves Washington, giving both parties a high‑stakes Senate and gubernatorial contest in a state that has been central to national fights over immigration enforcement and social‑services fraud. CBS reports the filing as official and brings on political strategists to parse how Klobuchar’s statewide profile, past presidential bid and centrist brand could shape both the Democratic primary and the general election. Her decision immediately resets Minnesota’s political map and will factor into national calculations about Senate control and potential 2028 presidential contenders.

Former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya has filed to run for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota as a Republican. Tafoya, who has no prior government experience, served as co‑chair of Kendall Qualls’s unsuccessful 2022 GOP gubernatorial campaign and is the latest entrant in an expanding Republican primary for the seat.

In a Fox & Friends appearance, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey reaffirmed his refusal to broadly cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement even when pressed about the 2024 drunk‑driving death of Victoria Eileen Harwell, allegedly caused by Ecuadorian national Llangari Inga. The article recounts that Inga was twice released from Hennepin County custody in May 2025 despite ICE detainers, before federal agents finally arrested him after his blood‑alcohol level tested at roughly twice the legal limit. DHS now claims that since President Trump took office, Gov. Tim Walz and Frey’s policies have led to nearly 470 criminal non‑citizens being released back onto Minnesota streets, a figure the mayor counters by arguing that many ICE targets are "not a problem" for city safety. Frey insisted he supports investigating and jailing people who commit serious crimes but said his administration will not help sweep up long‑time immigrant residents, while DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin framed sanctuary politicians as "fighting for criminal illegal aliens" and Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as standing with victims like Harwell.