Minnesota
Minnesota officials warn federal agents that swapping license plates ‘will not be tolerated’
State officials sent a formal warning to the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday in response to reports of federal agents illegally meddling with Minnesota-issued license plates on unmarked vehicles.
The cease-and-desist letter from Driver and Vehicle Services Director Pong Xiong describes allegations of DHS agents swapping license plates between vehicles and placing identical license plates on two separate vehicles.
Video: ICE agents in Twin Cities stop US citizen, demand proof of citizenship
“The above-described conduct violates Minnesota law and will not be tolerated,” Xiong wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “To be clear, Minnesota law prohibits anyone, including the driver of an unmarked law enforcement vehicle, from displaying a Minnesota license plate other than the license plate assigned to that vehicle by DVS.”
If federal agents don’t abide by Minnesota law, DVS could reconsider federal agents’ access to Minnesota’s undercover license plate program.
“Historically, DHS has used this program to protect the anonymity of law enforcement personnel
performing sensitive work in Minnesota while adhering to state law and providing a mechanism for
accountability in the event an unmarked vehicle is misused,” Xiong wrote.
Further violations could result in DVS revoking their vehicle registrations and seizing their license plates, the DVS director warned.
Read the full letter from DVS below.
Gov. Tim Walz also addressed the alleged conduct by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during a news conference on Tuesday.
“These guys are doing what criminals do: They’re putting license plates on vehicles they’re not registered to. They’re renting vehicles and putting on fake plates,” Walz said, adding that such a practice makes it more difficult for local and state law enforcement to know whether a vehicle is involved in official duties.
‘It’s putting people at risk’: Walz, Twin Cities leaders denounce ICE immigration operations
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has reached out to DHS and ICE for comment and is awaiting a response.
This isn’t the first time federal immigration agents have gotten in hot water with state officials over alleged license plate violations.
Earlier this month, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced that his office had revoked a rental car’s license plate when investigators found ICE agents swapped its plates. He also issued a warning to all rental car companies that they can be held liable if federal agents are caught tampering with the license plates assigned to their vehicles.
Minnesota
Over 840,000 Minnesotans Assist Aging Loved Ones, Shaping Their Daily Lives
UNDATED (WJON News) — A new report says hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans are caring for a loved one.
The AARP says its report indicates 840,000 Minnesotans are caregivers for adults, providing care for older parents, spouses, neighbors, and other loved ones.
They spend about 480 million hours of care each year, work that would be valued at $11.1 billion per year if it were paid in the marketplace, based on a value of about $23 per hour.
AARP says family caregivers are averaging about 27 hours each week.
More than half, 57 percent, are providing high-intensity care, meaning they spend more hours helping with daily tasks like bathing and dressing, as well as complex medical and nursing tasks like wound care and administering injections.
AARP says these numbers are why it advocated to help secure Paid Family Leave and Medical Leave in Minnesota, giving family caregivers the ability to be there for their loved ones without sacrificing their jobs.
AARP also helps families navigate caregiving challenges by connecting them to resources.
Thanks For The Memories In MN Adam, SKOL Vikings
With the Minnesota Vikings waiving Detroit Lakes-native, former Minnesota State Mankato Maverick, Adam Thielen today, it’s only natural to go back and revisit his time with the hometown team. Here are some pictures of Adam in purple from his two stints with the Vikings, and his stats during his time with the Vikings.
Gallery Credit: Getty Images
Minnesota
Politics Friday: Mike Lindell ‘all in’ for Minnesota’s governor’s race with Trump backing or not
Minnesota
‘No King’s’ Flagship Protest Features Star-Studded Lineup Of Performers
Millions of people around the country will take to the streets this Saturday in the latest round of “No Kings” protests that aim to denounce President Donald Trump’s subversion of the rule of law and attacks on democracy.
“Masked secret police terrorizing our communities. An illegal, catastrophic war putting us in danger and driving up our costs. Attacks on our freedom of speech, our civil rights, our freedom to vote. Costs pushing families to the brink. Trump wants to rule over us as a tyrant. But this is America, and power belongs to the people – not to wannabe kings or their billionaire cronies,” the NoKings website states.
The flagship event in St. Paul is expected to draw over 80,000 people to the Minnesota capital, including Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda, legendary folk singer Joan Baez, rock icon Bruce Springsteen, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
It is one of 3,000 events planned nationwide, according to organizers.
“Our goal is to continue to build a peaceful and nonviolent movement that gets us to the place where we have a healthy, functioning democracy, and communities and state and country where we can all thrive,” Indivisible Twin Cities event organizer Rebecca Larson told Minnesota Public Radio.
The rally comes in the wake of Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, which drew widespread national attention and resulted in the deaths of Americans Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents.
Springsteen, who is scheduled to perform at Target Center in Minneapolis later this month, penned a protest song in honor of Good and Pretti titled “Streets of Minneapolis.” He also plans to perform at the rally on Saturday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
“When you have the opportunity to sing something where the timing is essential and if you have something powerful to sing, it elevates the moment, it elevates your job to another level. And I’m always in search of that,” Springsteen told the publication.
Saturday’s gatherings are the third such mass protests under the “No Kings” banner, the first of which was held last June as a counter-event to Trump’s military parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, which also fell on the president’s 79th birthday. The second “No Kings” protest occurred in October of last year.
Since then, a litany of events has captured the nation’s attention, including immigration crackdowns, government shutdowns, the fight over the release of the Epstein files and the ongoing war in Iran. “No Kings” organizers plan to hone in on Americans’ frustrations with these issues to increase turnout and attention for Saturday’s demonstrations.
“Now, President Trump has doubled down. His administration is sending masked agents into our streets, terrorizing our communities. They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting, and detaining people without warrants. Threatening to overtake elections. Gutting healthcare, environmental protections, and education when families need them most,” the organization states on its website. “The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings – and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.”
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