Minnesota
Minnesota farm communities say ICE surge
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, members of Minnesota’s agricultural communities say they too are feeling the effects of the federal immigration crackdown.
Tense scenes unfolding in the metro have been shown in national and international media. But a similar scene unfolded earlier this month in Willmar, 100 miles west of Minneapolis. Willmar is the summer home to some of Minnesota’s best farmland. The Minnesota Farmers Union has 18,000 Minnesota members and says ICE raids have had a profound impact on their bottom line.
“There is no disagreement that hardened criminals need to be prosecuted. But the way this is happening its just hitting everyone indiscriminately,” Gary Wertish, president of the Minnesota Farmers Union, said.
In one raid that made headlines, ICE agents ate at a Willmar Mexican restaurant this month, then followed the workers home and arrested them afterward.
COPA, a group that helps immigrants and their families, say their have been hundreds of ICE raids in recent months outside of the Twin Cities Metro. Now, Minnesota farmers are having trouble hiring their usual workers for spring and summer.
“This is going to be very damaging. There are other places in the world that people can go and do short-term work,” said Wertish.
Wertish says workers are scared to come to Minnesota and even scared to come to other states. He predicts lower crop yields and ultimately higher prices at the grocery store.
“Ultimately, this all reflects. It will hit the consumer. The consumer will be paying, you know brunt of this and obviously the farmers,” said Wertish.
Many of the workers are legally working here in Minnesota. They apply for and get an H2A visa, which allows them come and work here for a short time legally. There has been concern among immigration hardliners that too many workers are overstaying their visas and that their status is not legal.
(FOX 9) – Minnesota is joining a legal challenge targeting the largest media merger in history, arguing that it would ultimately be a bad deal for customers.
AG Ellison joins lawsuit to block Warner Bros.-Paramount merger
What we know:
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has joined a coalition of 11 other attorneys general, filing a lawsuit to stop the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance Corporation.
The suit alleges the merger would violate antitrust laws by creating a media conglomerate that would control nearly one-third of all U.S.-based theatrical movies.
The combined company would control about 27% of the market for wide-release theatrical films and basic cable channels. Only three distributors would control 75% of wide-release films, and four — including Disney, Universal, and Sony — would control 86%, the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit also points out that Warner Bros. is currently the second largest and Paramount the third largest in licensing basic cable channels, and together they would control 27% of that market. The merger would combine two of Hollywood’s five major film distributors and two of the five major basic cable companies, eliminating competition and harming movie theaters, cable distributors and consumers.
What they’re saying:
“Minnesotans deserve a fair and competitive marketplace, not one where a handful of giant corporations control what we watch, what we pay, and what choices we have,” AG Ellison said in a statement. “This would be the largest merger in media and entertainment history. It will raise prices, limit innovation, and reduce the variety of voices in media and entertainment. I’m taking action because this goes too far in consolidating power with a few at the expense of the public.”
What’s next:
The coalition has asked Warner Bros. and Paramount not to close the merger until after the judicial process concludes. If the companies refuse, the attorneys general plan to file a temporary restraining order to halt the deal.
The Source: Information provided in a statement from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
WASHINGTON (7News) — The debate over the National Guard presence in the nation’s capital is intensifying after the Pentagon told 7News the Guard mission connected to President Donald Trump’s crime initiative could continue through Inauguration Day 2029 unless it is ended sooner by the president.
The development comes as one governor has decided to withdraw troops from Washington, while D.C. leaders are urging other states to do the same.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is pulling his state’s National Guard members out of the District earlier than originally planned.
Walz’s office says its mission to support America 250 celebrations has concluded. The decision follows concerns about whether some Guard members were being used beyond the security mission tied to those events.
RELATED | Pentagon to keep National Guard activated in D.C. through Inauguration Day 2029
The D.C. Council is also pressing other states to reconsider their deployments.
All 13 councilmembers signed letters to the governors of Michigan and the U.S. Virgin Islands asking them to withdraw their National Guard troops from the District. Council leaders argue those service members were deployed to support the nation’s 250th anniversary events—not a broader federal public safety mission.
“They’re just doing their job, but it still hurts the city. It hurts our image. It creates resentment,” D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.
SEE ALSO | 13-year-old boy shot and killed in Northeast DC home
“The letters were sent to two states that we were surprised when they decided to send the guard. Now, they sent the guard, as I understand it, to support the America 250 events. So it would be nice if they just kind of go back home,” Mendelson added.
According to the Joint Task Force overseeing the deployment, more than 5,100 National Guard members are currently assigned to the District, including troops supporting Freedom 250 events and other summer activities.
While Minnesota is ending its deployment, governors in states including Georgia and Mississippi have said their Guard members will remain in Washington to support the president’s mission.
A road rage-related shooting caused a southern Twin Cities metro highway to shut down for several hours Saturday evening.
The Minnesota State Patrol and the Eagan Police Department responded to a report of a road rage incident on northbound Interstate 35E near Deerwood Drive around 5:16 p.m., according to Eagan police.
Police say one of the drivers fired multiple rounds at another vehicle. While no one was injured, the victim’s vehicle was struck by gunfire and sustained damage.
The Eagan Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect vehicle and driver involved. Investigators are looking for a white 2010-2014 Ford F-150. The truck is described as having four doors, black door handles, gray rocker panels, a black tonneau cover and visible rust around the driver’s side rear wheel well/fender. The suspect is described as a White man with long, dark hair.
Anyone with information about the incident or the driver is asked to contact the Eagan Police Department tip line at 651-675-5799 or email the department at eaganpd@eaganmn.gov.
I-35E reopened to traffic around 8:10 p.m. Saturday.
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