Vol 92 / Edition 25 - Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

AG Ellison says feds persecuting Minnesota for its politics

He and others petition court to restrain ICE

By Clint Combs Contributing Writer

immigration agents into Minnesota, arguing the action overstepped federal authority.

surge

shot and killed Renee Nicole Good near Portland Avenue and 34th Street in Minneapolis.

To counter injustice, Dr. Alveda King urges prayer, nonviolence

he state of Minnesota, along with the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, filed federal lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security, alleging that a large-scale deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents violated the U.S. Constitution and the states’ rights.

“We allege that the surge has had a reckless impact on our schools and on our local law enforcement,” Ellison said. “It is a violation of the Tenth Amendment and the sovereign powers granted to states

Ellison said the state is challenging what he described as “excessive and lethal force” by federal agents, including warrantless arrests and targeting of courts, houses of worship, and schools.

a lawsuit against

enforcement

under the Constitution.”

Attorney General Keith Ellison asked a federal judge to block the federal government from deploying thousands of

The lawsuit follows reports that ICE agents detained a special education assistant at Roosevelt High School and used chemical irritants against teachers and students, hours after ICE agent Jonathan Ross

PBS Frontline reporter AC Thompson told Ellison that his reporting crew was peppersprayed by federal agents while covering enforcement activity. “Is this litigation aimed at restraining the use of

Lives lost, communities harmed: The human cost of ICE

By Lizzy Nyoike Contributing Writer

he death of Keith Porter Jr. did not make national headlines, but for his family and community, it remains a painful reminder of the often-unacknowledged human cost of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Porter, a 43-year-old father and U.S. citizen, was fatally shot outside his home by an off-duty ICE agent on Dec.

31, 2025, in Los Angeles. His cousin, Jsané Tyler, described him as loving and joyful.

“When he walked in, he brought joy. He always had a laugh, a joke, a smile,” Tyler said. Porter’s mother, Franceola Armstrong, spoke at a vigil following his death, describing her son as her greatest joy.

“He was a joy to be around,” she said. “My son had the biggest heart… sympathetic, appreciative, full of gratitude.” Authorities have not publicly released details about

the status of the investigation into Porter’s death. It remains unclear whether the ICE agent involved has been placed on administrative leave or referred for independent review.

Porter’s death is one of several in recent months tied to ICE operations. While some cases have drawn national attention, others have received little public scrutiny. Across the country, activists are calling for greater transparency, accountability and justice.

In Los Angeles, civic leader and Black Lives Matter Los Angeles co-founder Melina Abdullah has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts surrounding Porter’s death.

Abdullah said, citing family members, that Porter had been celebrating New Year’s Eve inside his home when he stepped outside and fired a celebratory shot into the air.

According to Abdullah, an ICE agent who lived in the same apartment complex put on tactical gear, returned outside and shot Porter in front of his home.

Abdullah said local authorities have remained largely silent, offering Porter’s family “nothing” in terms of answers or action.

“The community is going to have to mobilize,” Abdullah said, emphasizing the need to

See PORTER on page 5

By Jasmine McBride Editor

s Minnesota marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day amid renewed civil unrest and heightened federal immigration enforcement, Dr. Alveda King, civil rights activist and niece of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is calling for prayer, nonviolence, and moral clarity in a moment she says echoes the turbulence of the Civil Rights era.

Speaking with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, King reflected on her family’s legacy and the lessons she believes remain urgently relevant as communities confront fear, anger and division.

“My prayers go out to all of the families and all of the people involved in any cases of civil unrest,” King said.

“There has to be a point where people of prayer can begin to break through to the hearts of everyone involved.”

King, 75, grew up at the epicenter of the Civil Rights

Movement, surrounded by faith leaders who believed justice could not be separated from spiritual grounding. She emphasized that both her uncle, Dr. King, and her father, the Rev. A.D. King, rooted their activism in Christian faith and nonviolent resistance, even when facing direct violence.

“I remember as a little girl when there were threats of violence against us,” she said.

“We prayed first, and then we tried to reach the hearts of all

By Alaysia Lane Contributing Writer

arrison Gibson, a 38-year-old Liberian immigrant and father, was released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for a second time after being re-arrested hours after a federal judge ruled his initial arrest unconstitutional.

The second release followed a series of events that began with a warrantless raid on Gibson’s north Minneapolis home: an entry a U.S. District Court judge later ruled violated the Fourth Amendment.

“This is not just a mistake. This is a constitutional violation,” said immigration attorney Marc Prokosch.

Gibson’s attorney confirmed Friday afternoon that he is home with his family and required to wear an ankle monitor while remaining under immigration supervision.

According to Gibson and his family, federal agents arrived at their home around 9 a.m. Jan. 11, knocking before announcing themselves. Gibson said he asked whether they had a warrant and was told they did not. Minutes later, multiple ICE vehicles arrived, parking in the alley, on the street and in neighbors’ yards as more officers gathered. Gibson said about a dozen agents and vehicles were present, drawing neighbors outside. Family members said agents later returned to the door claiming they had a warrant but did not show it before breaching the home. They said agents used a battering ram multiple times, damaging the front door and an interior wall.

Man released from ICE custody a second time after warrantless arrest ■ See GIBSON on page 5

MN City Council urges Walz to pause evictions during ICE invasion

By Clint Combs Contributing Writer

All members of the Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution calling on Governor Tim Walz to impose an eviction moratorium during ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that have shuttered businesses, closed schools, and strained city budgets.

The resolution, sponsored by Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley, urges Walz to issue an executive order that would prevent evictions for the duration of the federal immigration enforcement operations.

“ICE is creating a statewide crisis that requires our governor to step up and step in and ensure that nobody is evicted without an eviction moratorium,” Wonsley said. “Thousands of vulnerable families and residents are facing eviction as soon as February 1.”

Wonsley also criticized Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Walz for deploying police and National Guard, respectively, to respond to protesters and immigrant communities. “Governor Walz and Mayor Frey have been very clear that they are unable or

unwilling to use law enforcement to protect residents at this time,” she said.

Council Member Jamal Osman emphasized that only the governor can issue an eviction moratorium. “That’s why we need leadership that stands with families, not leadership that leaves them on their own,” Osman said.

Council Member Jason Chavez praised community members assisting immigrants during the raids. “These are heroes that are literally in our communities, and they’re doing it because they love immi-

grants,” he said. “So while the federal government wants to demonize immigrant communities, folks in Minneapolis are saying, ‘We love our neighbors.’”

Chavez highlighted the fear facing residents. “The sad reality is that we do not know when this occupation in Minneapolis and in this state is going to end,” he said. “Our neighbors are actually not sheltering in place because they’re scared of being evicted from their rental units.”

Chavez urged Governor Walz to act. “We are calling on

Family gassed in North Mpls ICE melee

Children hospitalized for decontamination

By Izzy Canizares Contributing Writer

A family of six, including a six-month-old baby, was hospitalized after ICE agents used chemical irritants and stun grenades during a protest in North Minneapolis on Jan. 14, witnesses said.

Destiny Jackson, a mother of six, said she and her family were trying to drive home from her eldest child’s basketball game when they became trapped in the growing protest.

“Our car just went boom, and we went up in the air a little bit and came back down. All of our airbags deployed. Tear gas started pouring in, and I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t see,” Jackson said, describing what she said was a flashbang thrown under her vehicle.

Jackson said her mother, who had been protesting, was able to reach them, but ICE agents continued to demand they leave. According to Jackson, agents deployed a flashbang and chemical irritants, and witnesses brought the family inside a nearby home to safety. She said her six-month-old baby required three minutes of CPR before regaining responsiveness.

you, Governor, for an eviction moratorium,” he said. “I am not sure how many more people need to get shot in the leg for you to do your job. I’m not sure how many people need to get killed for you to call a state of emergency. I’m not sure how many homes need to get tear-gassed for you to call for a state of emergency.”

Council Member Lane Brown said, “We know there are solutions embedded in our community, and we know how to plant, grow and share them. But we need Governor Walz to step up and help us.”

Jess Zarik, co-executive director of Homeline, reported a surge in tenant concerns over ICE activity. “Over the last 45 days, we’ve seen a massive increase in calls from tenants specifically regarding the presence of ICE in our communities,” she said. “It’s not limited to Minneapolis or St. Paul. We’re hearing from renters across the state. The fear is widespread and growing.”

Tenants have reported that ICE agents show up in apartment complexes, and landlords allegedly assist them to grant access. “Agents are pulling fire alarms to force people out of

cause short-term effects including difficulty breathing, vision problems, and chest pain. Repeated exposure can lead to longer-term health risks such as chemical burns and respiratory failure.

their homes, and tenants are being threatened with deportation for asserting basic housing rights,” Zarik said.

Council Member Pearll Warren called ICE’s presence “toxic.” “This does not sustain our families in the long term,” she said. “Are we bailing out property owners? This is a band-aid on a bullet wound.”

Patrick Berry, a formerly unhoused resident now living in Stevens Square, responded to Warren, “‘Band-aid on a bullet wound’ is a poor choice of words considering that a woman is dead.”

Cecil Smith, president of the Minnesota Multi-Housing Association, supported Warren’s argument that the housing market is still recovering from Covid-era rent pauses.

“Even this discussion is distracting our ability to attract resources for future development,” Smith said.

rified right now,” he said. “This is not the story of one person. This is reality for hundreds and hundreds of our neighbors.”

Warren added, “What we’re seeing is economic harm pushed onto our people through this racist immigration enforcement while housing courts and eviction processes operate like nothing has changed.”

Dex Anderson, a disability advocate and Ward 10 resident, criticized Council Member Linea Palmisano for leaving during public comment.

“Good Linea came back in time to hear this because apparently she didn’t want to hear public comment today,” he said. Anderson emphasized the role of immigrant workers in disability care. “It’s BIPOC people helping people with disabilities with their care tasks, going to the doctor with their needs,” he said. He added that immigrant residents with disabilities are reluctant to seek medical care due to ICE activity.

Clyde Warren, a member of the IPG Tenant Union, and fellow union members attended the rally before the Jan. 15 vote.

“Whether or not people have status, a work permit, or citizenship, all immigrants are ter-

Anderson described an incident involving Aliya Rahman, who was on her way to a traumatic brain injury center when she was pulled from her car by ICE agents. She ended up unconscious and was denied medical treatment while in ICE custody.

Clint Combs welcomes reader responses at combs0284@ gmail.com.

The Department of Homeland Security contradicted the family’s account. In a statement, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said DHS law enforcement did not target the family or their children during the protest. She described federal agents as responding to a volatile crowd situation after “three criminal illegal aliens violently beating a law enforcement officer with weapons.”

included contact information for federal personnel, detainee transport maps, and tokens marked “ICE” in the shape of a skull wearing a crown.

Authorities confirmed the Department of Homeland Security is offering up to $100,000 for information regarding vandalized vehicles.

“ICE is causing so much danger. I have school-aged kids, and they come home with questions,” Jackson said.

“They’re wondering why their friends aren’t at school. My son is wondering why his bas-

McLaughlin said when “hundreds of rioters and agitators surrounded law enforcement, agents “followed their training and reasonably deployed crowd control measures.” She blamed local leaders for encouraging resistance to federal officers.

“My kids were just crying. All five of my older children were crying. They didn’t know what was going on or why we were targeted,” she said. “All they kept saying was ‘my baby brother, my baby brother,’ and they were gasping for air. People were pouring milk all over their faces.”

The protest followed an incident in which an ICE agent shot a man in the leg as he ran back into his home, according to city officials. He and his family, including a child and a pregnant wife, were taken into ICE custody, according to witnesses.

Residents who confronted agents said ICE vehicles were abandoned in the street after officers retreated. Community members reported taking documents and items from the vehicles, which they said

ketball games are canceled.

I’m telling them ICE is scaring everyone. It’s just so crazy because we never thought we would be a target.”

Jackson and her family were treated at a hospital, decontaminated, and given asthma medication before returning home. She said hospital staff were helpful but the process was emotionally difficult.

“It felt dehumanizing,” she said. “Having to strip naked in front of staff to scrub off chemicals, and watching my children, including my infant, go through the same process was heartbreaking.”

Jackson’s experience highlights what residents say is the increasing use of chemical irritants by ICE in residential areas. While considered “non-lethal,” exposure to such irritants can

“We’re just asking for the community’s help in supporting our family and our kids,” Jackson said. “Right now, we can only stay home and reassure them that they are going to be okay.

Izzy Canizares is a freelance journalist and contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

“My daughter woke up this morning and said, ‘I don’t want to go outside.’ She can’t. They can’t get to school because we don’t have a vehicle anymore.” The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover expenses while their car is out of commission and while both parents care for their children at home.

With Walz not running, who will lead Minnesota?

By Damenica Ellis Contributing Writer

Many Minnesota residents say they were not surprised after Gov. Tim Walz officially dropped out of his reelection bid earlier this month. Some expressed disappointment, while others said they welcomed the decision. Walz had initially announced plans to run for a third term as Minnesota’s governor in September.

“As I reflect over this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all,” Walz said during a Jan. 5 press conference. “Every minute that I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who want to prey on our differences.”

Walz said he is confident someone within the Democratic Party will retain the governor’s seat next term and

that he will find other ways to contribute to the state. His governorship is set to end Jan. 4, 2027. Residents said they understood Walz’s decision, attributing it to factors including fatigue and what they described as sustained political attacks from President Donald Trump, as well as a perceived lack of support within the Democratic Party.

fiscally responsible.

Some residents, including Alton, said they want stronger leadership from the next governor. Alton said the state needs someone with a bold vision and clear policy direction, particularly following the killing of Renee Good by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the subsequent influx of federal agents.

“I think you have to have someone with a really clear policy, platform and vision,” Alton said. “It’s not enough to just say, ‘I’m going to fight Donald Trump’ or ‘stand up to Trump.’ What does that actually look like?”

done the best he can, but he hopes the next governor will focus more on job creation and youth programs.

Blenda Smith, another Minneapolis resident, agreed. Following Walz’s announcement, Smith said she would like to see Sen. Amy Klobuchar, DMinn., run for governor because of her experience.

Alton disagreed. “I don’t think people are excited about her,” Alton said. “The push for her feels rooted in fear, fear that she’s the only one who can beat a Republican, rather than excitement about her policy ideas.”

By Lizzy Nyoike Contributing Writer

The City of Minneapolis Fire Department has appointed Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Rucker, a 27-year department veteran, as interim chief, making her the first Black woman to lead the department.

Her appointment follows the retirement of former Chief Bryan Tyner. Rucker brings decades of experience to the role, having served as a firefighter, captain, and assistant fire chief.

Becoming a firefighter was not Rucker’s initial career goal. She earned a scholarship for chemical engineering before later switching her studies to nursing at the University of Minnesota. At the time, she balanced work, school, and caring for her young child while searching for a stable career path.

Rucker said she first learned about an opening with the Minneapolis Fire Department through a KMOJ radio message aimed at increasing diversity in the department. “I was on my way home to pick up my child when I heard they were hiring, looking for women and diversity, and talking about the medical and physical parts,” Rucker said. “I thought maybe I could do that.”

At the time, Rucker had no prior connection to fire service and did not personally know any firefighters. She drove around North Minneapolis looking for fire stations where applications were available.

“I didn’t know anything about being a firefighter, and it’s not a profession known for African Americans, Black people, or women either,” she said.

Rucker described walking into a station as the only young Black woman in the room, surrounded by longtime firefighters. The hiring process was competitive, involving written and physical exams.

“Muscles hurt that I didn’t even know existed. I was discouraged,” she said. “I saw several people in volunteer uniforms saying it was their third or fourth attempt in the process.”

She did not pass the physi-

Amber Alton, a Minneapolis resident with a doctorate in sociology, said stepping out of the race was the right decision. They said the election would have been difficult amid ongoing fraud investigations and smear campaigns. The federal fraud investigation was a central concern for Robert Westbury of Forest Lake, who said he would like to see a governor who is more

“I think we’re seeing right now that Tim Walz is doing a lot of work rhetorically to say he’s fighting Trump,” Alton added. “But in practice, I don’t think he’s doing much beyond hoping public pressure forces a response.”

Other residents, such as Lillian Fikes of Brooklyn Center, said they have supported Walz and would like to see someone similar succeed him.

“I think he stood for Minnesota,” Fikes said. “Being a coach and a teacher, he’s very honest and someone who’s going to fight for us.” Fikes said Walz’s decision not to run again may signal interest in higher office. “I think he wants to do more,” she said.

“You could see how his face lit up when he was running with Kamala [Harris].”

Alton said recent legislative wins and the 2024 presidential election have built goodwill toward Walz. “Things like Paid Family and Medical Leave or universal school lunches often get attributed to Walz,” Alton said, adding that she believes those achievements are sometimes credited unfairly.

Arthur Simmons of North Minneapolis said Walz has

Alton said the focus should not be on replacing Walz but on preparing for a competitive primary. “You have to give people a choice,” Alton said. “There needs to be a robust primary where candidates lay out their vision for the state and say, ‘Here are my ideas.’”

Damenica Ellis is a freelance journalist and contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

cal exam on her first attempt. Despite discouragement and doubts from others, Rucker persevered. “If I looked at the naysayers, I was like, ‘I’m never going to get this job,’ but I kept pursuing it,” she said.

Rucker returned the following year, successfully completing the testing process.

She later received a call asking if she was still interested in joining the department. “They called me out of the blue asking, ‘Do you still want to be a firefighter?’ I said yes.”

Women were not allowed to join the department until the early 1980s, and people of color historically faced barriers entering the profession.

“Being a Black woman, and a woman in the fire department, it wasn’t easy, but I didn’t let that stop me,” she said.

As interim chief, Rucker said her focus is on maintaining the level of service the community expects while ensuring firefighters’ safety. She emphasized teamwork within the department.

Once on the job, Rucker found herself motivated by serving the community, especially during emergencies.

“When you’re going into a situation at someone’s home during some of the worst moments of their life, and they see you, that can set them at ease,” she said. “I’m able to give back to my people.”

Rucker acknowledged that being a Black woman in fire service comes with challenges.

She also highlighted the importance of representation, mentorship, and community outreach. Rucker said she makes it a priority to be visible in the community and to support programs that introduce young people to careers in fire and emergency medical services.

“You see it, you can be it,” she said. “I want young people to look at me and think, ‘If she did it, I can do it.’”

Rucker remains committed to the department during the transition period, ensuring it continues to operate as a unified team while the city searches for a permanent chief.

Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student.

ICE hospital presence alarms Hennepin staff, patients

Officials urged to limit collaboration

By Clint Combs Contributing Writer

Workers at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) raised concerns that federal immigration agents are violating patients’ privacy and urged county officials to

“On Jan. 8, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a subpoena to inspect our organization’s I-9 forms,” the email read, according to documents obtained by MSR. Staff suggested that sensitive data, including immigration status and home

asked ICE agents to leave, and county commissioners who successfully convinced agents to depart during a prior encounter on Jan. 1 said they had exhausted legal options.

Staff also reported that ICE brought a detainee into a four-bed stabilization room

unit or ICU can see everything going on around them, and ICE refused to leave the bedside during care.”

Brian Muthayala added, “Our staff are afraid for their safety and the safety of patients. It’s causing incredible disruption to the work happening at Hennepin Healthcare.”

At a Jan. 13 county commissioners meeting, hospital staff called on the Sheriff’s Office to remove ICE agents who lack valid judicial warrants. The public comments followed an email sent to workers by newly appointed CEOs Kevin Croston and David Hough, titled “Important notice regarding DHS inspection of I-9 forms.”

rants, disrupting hospital operations. “They’re there without a valid warrant, without legal authorization, without permission,” said Kathleen Wilcox.

“Our security has asked them to leave. They refused, saying they have guns. We need to do everything we can to ensure patient safety.”

HCMC’s general counsel

1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.)

An inpatient psychiatric nurse commented:

“Here is a complete lack of privacy. HIPAA is completely violated. ICE detainees have been brought into the stabilization room, which is a large, four-bed space. People who are critically trying to stabilize before transfer to a medical

Elizabeth Songalia emphasized the importance of immigrant patients and staff. “We cannot run the hospital without our immigrant staff, and health care for immigrant patients is a human right,” she said.

HCMC Communications Director Christine Hill told MSR that immigration agents would need a judicial warrant to access private areas. She also warned that misleading social media posts “could increase unnecessary fear within our community” and declined to detail how ICE operates inside the hospital.

Pregnant patients, staff reported, are avoiding care out of fear. “I’m very concerned about ICE’s presence in our hospital,” said Gina Braun.

“We have patients who are terrified to come in. They’re scared to have family support during labor, one of the most vulnerable times for a woman. Our OB clinic has seen an

Workers packed the Hennepin County Board meeting on Jan. 13 in Minneapolis calling for a separation ordinance.

85% no-show rate.”

Suzanna Taylor added, “Some patients are declining to come in with symptoms of severe preeclampsia and fetal health concerns. We cannot guarantee their safety if they do come to the hospital.”

Staff shortages have worsened since the federal presence. “Nurses are not showing up for work. There’s a need for two nurses on night shift and one per day shift, and we’re already short-staffed,” said Grace Baltich.

“Rightnow, the Sheriff’s collaboration withICEistearing communities apart and will leave lasting damage.”

Maja Smedberg criticized the hospital’s lack of a specific ICE policy. “HCMC directs us to follow general law enforcement protocols, which are problematic when applied to ICE. I even faced an event re-

port after asking about a prior ICE encounter with a patient in custody on Dec. 31.”

Workers urged county commissioners to pass a separation ordinance limiting cooperation between Hennepin County and ICE. Minneapolis updated its separation ordinance last fall.

“I’m advocating for a separation ordinance for the Sheriff’s Department from ICE, similar to what Minneapolis did,” said Richard Vandendolder. “Right now, the Sheriff’s collaboration with ICE is tearing communities apart and will leave lasting damage.”

Legal activist Michelle Gross called for even stronger measures. “We need a full separation ordinance,” she said. “This ordinance would prohibit county services and resources from being used for civil immigration enforcement while allowing the county to meet its mandatory legal obligations with the federal government.”

Clint Combs welcomes reader responses at combs0284@ gmail.com.

Service providers double down on mutual support during ICE surge

By Noah Riccardi Contributing Writer

Since the beginning of Operation Metro Surge in December 2025, thousands of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have entered the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. The agents have carried out raids and arrests that community organizers say have disproportionately impacted immigrant and other marginalized communities.

The operations have fueled fear and tension across the metro, disrupting access to food, harm reduction services, and other forms of communitybased care, and complicating the work of organizations that serve vulnerable populations.

For local organizers, Operation Metro Surge has heightened the need for outreach while simultaneously making that work more difficult. Abdulrahman Wako, an organizer with the Elliot Park Neighborhood in Minneapolis, described the challenges his organization has faced since the surge began.

One of Elliot Park Neighborhood’s primary efforts is delivering meals to food-insecure neighbors. Wako said the influx of ICE agents has diverted staff and volunteers toward protecting vulnerable community members and has complicated food delivery itself.

“It’s all hands on deck,” Wako said. Sharon Day, executive director of the Indigenous Peoples’ Task Force (IPTF), echoed those concerns, noting that fear surrounding ICE activity has created additional logistical challenges for her organi-

zation’s food distribution and outreach efforts.

Emanuel Roberts, executive director of Anything Helps MN, an organization that supports underrepresented communities affected by the opioid epidemic, said fear has directly impacted participation in essential services.

“Attendance has dropped significantly,” Roberts wrote in an email to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. “Not because the need has gone away, but because fear has taken its place. People are afraid to leave their homes. Afraid to come to the center. Afraid to go to school, work, appointments, or anywhere that could put them in the path of enforcement.”

“For many of our partici-

pants,” he added, “walking through our doors now feels like a risk they can’t afford to take.”

Wako and Day both said that fear of contact with ICE has significantly reduced turnout for community aid programs, even as need continues to grow.

munity outreach organizations, primarily groups serving communities of color, to coordinate efforts and share information. Day said nearly every organization in attendance spoke during the meeting and described the atmosphere as focused and determined. She compared the moment

“Collaboration has always been coretowhoweare.That commitmentisnotchanging, it’s strengthening.”

In response, organizations have increasingly leaned on one another. Hennepin County convened a Zoom meeting among publicly funded com-

to the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when community organizations were deemed essential workers. Despite uncertainty and strain,

she said, the responsibility to continue showing up remains.

Roberts said Anything Helps has long relied on collaboration with partner organizations, but the presence of ICE has intensified that cooperation. “Collaboration has always been core to who we are,” Roberts wrote. “That commitment is not changing, it’s strengthening. What is changing is our intention to connect even more deeply with the community.”

“We see neighbors stepping up, mutual aid networks forming, and people caring for one another in real, human ways,” he continued. “That response is a powerful reminder of what harm reduction and grassroots recovery organizations are truly about.”

IPTF and other Native American outreach organizations have also coordinated to maintain services during a period of uncertainty. The Metro Urban Indian Directors (MUID), an umbrella organization of 30 Twin Cities American Indian service groups, typically meets monthly. In recent weeks, member organizations have met multiple times to coordinate outreach amid ICE activity. MUID has also collectively hired an outside coordinator to help sustain food delivery operations.

Elliot Park sits near the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, home to a large Somali community. On Saturday, Jan. 17, pro-ICE demonstrators marched through the area, further heightening fear during an already tense period. Wako said the event intensified anxiety among residents but stressed the importance of staying focused on community care rather than reacting.

“We all do better when we all do better,” Wako said, quoting the late Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone. Roberts emphasized a similar message, underscoring the importance of mutual support as a form of collective health.

“In these uncertain times, Anything Helps wants to extend our resources, our relationships, and our support outward,” he wrote. “We are here to reinforce the network of care already in place, not replace it, and to keep showing up together.”

Noah

from page 1

crowd-control and less-lethal weapons?” Thompson asked.

“Our crew was pepper-sprayed today by federal agents. Are you taking action on that?”

Ellison said the state believes the actions are part of a broader pattern of retaliation by the federal government.

“We believe that the federal government is persecuting the state of Minnesota because of our political views,” Ellison said.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the surge, which began in December, is expected to cost the city millions of dollars in police overtime.

Continued from page 1

“We have normal core functions that we are tasked with daily,” Frey said. “We respond to 911 calls, work to prevent murders and carjackings, and continue community policing efforts that have driven crime rates down.”

Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Minneapolis police established a dedicated dispatch operation to handle 911 calls related to encounters with federal agents.

“We had a dramatic increase in calls related to this activity,”

O’Hara said. “There is a designated supervisor on duty 24/7 to field those calls and prioritize response as policies continue to evolve.”

Frey said residents reported incidents of agents in unmarked uniforms and cars

detaining American citizens.

not immigrants.”

On Jan. 8, U.S. Border Patrol agents detained two workers at a Target store in Richfield, including 17-year-old Jonathan Aguilar Garcia, who was later released at a Walmart parking lot after agents confirmed he was a U.S. citizen.

“To prevail, Minnesota must persuade a court that the federal government is acting outside the powers granted by the Constitution and depriving the state of its sovereignty,”

“Some of you saw the videos from Target and Roosevelt High School,” Ellison said. “I have received countless calls from people saying they are afraid to go to work, and they’re citizens,

Retailers including Target, Home Depot, and Walmart have faced criticism for allowing ICE to use parking lots as staging areas. Separately, security staff at Hennepin County Medical Center reportedly asked federal agents to leave a stabilization room after an injured person was brought in during an arrest. The agents allegedly refused.

State and local officials argue the incidents reflect what

they describe as an ICE “invasion” of Minneapolis and other cities under a pretext of fraud enforcement.

David Super, a Georgetown University law professor, said Minnesota’s lawsuit is distinct from similar challenges in other states because the civil rights claims are being brought by the state itself.

“To prevail, Minnesota must persuade a court that the federal government is acting outside the powers granted by the Constitution and depriving the state of its sovereignty,” Super said.

“While DHS has primary authority over immigration, these actions appear to extend against Minnesotans who are neither immigrants nor directly involved with immigration enforcement.”

Super said the court could

issue emergency relief, such as a temporary restraining order, though such orders are limited in duration and subject to appeal by DHS. He also noted the case could reach the U.S. Supreme Court, where a conservative majority has previously ruled in favor of the Trump administration in immigration-related cases.

“Surrounding Ms. Good’s car, ordering her out, and shooting her for noncompliance goes far beyond federal authority to control immigration,” Super said. “A court could determine that such interactions with citizens are a core power of the state under the Tenth Amendment.”

Clint Combs welcomes reader responses at conbs0284@ gmail.com. involved.”

One of her earliest memories of unrest came in 1963, when the family’s home in Birmingham, Alabama, also a church parsonage, was bombed. King recalled her father standing atop a car as chaos unfolded around him, urging residents to return home peacefully.

“My family and I are okay,” she remembered him saying.

“If you have to hit someone, hit me, but go home and pray.”

She said the moment exposed a distinction that remains relevant today: the difference between community members reacting in fear and what she described as “outside agitators” who enter

Continued from page 1

pressure elected officials and law enforcement agencies to demand accountability.

Porter’s death comes amid heightened national scrutiny of ICE’s use of force. One week later, Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7 during mass federal immigration operations in the Twin Cities.

In Minnesota, Good’s death intensified debates about federal enforcement in residential neighborhoods and community safety. Her killing sparked pro-

Continued from page 1

Gibson’s wife, Teyona Brown, said she stood in front of him as agents entered, attempting to shield him and their daughter.

“I had to make sure my daughter had a father,” Brown said. “And I had to make sure that we had a record, not just for us, but for everyone to see how they’re doing things.”

The family said agents entered with weapons drawn, issued commands to sweep the home and did not show a warrant until Gibson was nearly inside a patrol vehicle.

A federal judge later ruled that ICE violated Gibson’s constitutional rights by entering his home without a judicially signed warrant. The judge ordered his immediate release, noting that Gibson had been complying with immigration supervision requirements, including attending a

neighborhoods to sow chaos. “That’s my first experience with people brought in from other places to create terror and violence,” King said. King also reflected on another formative moment in

tests in Minneapolis and across the country, with thousands gathering downtown in the days following the shooting. Minneapolis continues to grapple with the trauma of the 2020 police murder of George Floyd. Good was killed just a few blocks from the site where Floyd died, reopening wounds in a city still confronting the legacy of police violence and systemic injustice. Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong said the deaths of Porter, Good and others reflect a broader pattern tied to ICE operations nationwide. She described ICE’s tactics as aggressive and said the lack of accountability has left many communities fearful.

check-in just weeks before his arrest.

“He was following every rule,” Prokosch said. “There was no reason for this.” Gibson has lived in the United States since childhood after fleeing the civil war in Liberia. He has a longstanding deportation order but has been allowed to remain in the country under supervision for years.

After the arrest, Gibson was transferred to the Whipple Federal Building, where he described overcrowded and degrading conditions. He said about 40 people were held in a single cell with no beds, cold temperatures and metal surfaces.

Detainees, he said, were forced to use the bathroom in front of one another while shackled, and one man in the cell had scabies.

“It felt like humiliation,” Gibson said.

Gibson said he was later placed on a plane to Texas without being told where he was going and remained con-

1974, when her grandmother, Alberta Williams King, was shot and killed inside Ebenezer Baptist Church by a disturbed gunman. Rather than seeking vengeance, King said her grandfather, the Rev. Martin Luther King Sr., chose forgiveness, visiting the shooter in jail and advocating against the death penalty.

“We want to pick an enemy,” King said. “But the real enemy is fear, rage and violence.”

As Minnesota grapples with tensions surrounding federal immigration enforcement and law enforcement presence, King cautioned against framing institutions or groups as singular enemies. She drew parallels to the 1960s, when the National Guard was deployed during periods of unrest — moves that were controversial even then.

“I don’t believe the answer

“Individuals whose lives have been taken by ICE represent a pattern of lawlessness,” Armstrong said. She noted that ICE agents often operate with militarystyle equipment, including flashbang grenades, tear gas and other chemical agents, which can make neighborhoods feel unsafe.

Armstrong also pointed to deaths that occur out of public view, particularly inside detention facilities. During an unofficial congressional hearing held by U.S. House Democrats in St. Paul on Jan. 16, U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington said ICE reported 35 deaths in detention facilities. The highest number in two decades.

fused about what was happening. In Texas, he said conditions were somewhat different but still restrictive, with detainees sleeping on metal bunk beds in crowded units.

Following the judge’s ruling, Gibson was released Thursday evening and returned home.

The next morning, Gibson, Brown and Prokosch returned to the Whipple Federal Building for what they believed would be routine paperwork to finalize his release.

“The officer said, ‘This looks good. I’ll be right back,’” Prokosch said.

Minutes later, several unfamiliar officers entered the room and informed them Gibson was being taken back into custody.

According to Prokosch, the lead officer said the decision came from a higher authority and was “above my pay grade.”

Prokosch said the officer told them the order came from the White House and became emotional during the exchange.

Gibson was taken into custody for the second time but

is pitting ourselves against each other,” she said. “Some people want ICE to be the enemy. Some people just want violence. But we must seek higher answers.”

“Wewantto pickanenemy, but the real enemyis fear,rage and violence.”

King clarified that she was not absolving institutions of accountability, but urging a different response, one grounded in faith rather than retaliation. “I did not say that ICE is not the enemy,” she said.

“I said we must pray.”

When asked how prayer and faith could alter the cur-

Beyond physical harm, Armstrong emphasized the emotional and psychological toll ICE operations take on families and communities.

“This isn’t just an immigration issue,” she said. “It’s a law enforcement issue. It’s an issue of constitutional law, and it’s a community safety issue.”

“This

rent trajectory, King pointed to modern examples of collective spiritual action: flash prayer gatherings, singing, worship, moments she says have a tangible calming effect during volatile situations.

“When people begin to pray together, to sing together, to worship, things do calm down,” she said. “We need more of that.”

This year marks 40 years since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was formally recognized as a federal holiday, a milestone King says should prompt reflection, not just celebration. “I ask the people of Minnesota to continue to pray, continue to trust God,” she said. “Let us move forward together in faith and in prayer, to avert violence and tragedy.”

King firmly rejected the idea that “an eye for an eye”

why lethal force was used and why the ICE agent involved has not been publicly identified. Currently, the family is pushing for an investigation.

Tyler said her cousin should not be remembered only for how he died, but for how he lived.

isn’t just an immigration issue, it’s a law enforcement issue. It’s an issue of constitutional law, and it’s a community safety issue.”

For Porter’s family, national conversations offer little comfort. Loved ones say they are still waiting for answers about

released again approximately two to three hours later.

“It was chaos,” Brown said.

“Nobody knew what was going on.”

Brown said the raid and re-arrest deeply affected the couple’s children, particularly their daughter, who now reacts with fear when someone knocks on the door.

Brown, a certified nursing assistant and pediatric health coordinator, said the family had to block their damaged front door with dumbbells for several days after the raid because it would not close properly.

“He brought people together,” she said. “His presence filled rooms and made people feel seen.”

Since Porter’s death, fam-

ability to find work.

“It’s hard to go into an interview with this big ankle monitor,” he said. “People think you did something.”

Prokosch said his legal team is pursuing two parallel strategies: seeking habeas protections in federal court and moving to vacate Gibson’s 2009 deportation order in immigration court.

“The most important thing right now is to keep him with his family,” Prokosch said.

“Then we will work to permanently resolve his immigration status.”

“I’m not a violent person. If I was, I wouldn’t have been out for the past 17 years, checking in.”

“We couldn’t even turn the heat on,” she said. “We had to use weights to keep the door shut.”

Gibson said wearing an ankle monitor has affected his

leads to justice, invoking her uncle’s teachings and Christian doctrine. “He who lives by the sword will die by the sword,” she said. “There is a more excellent way: faith, hope, love, repentance, forgiveness.”

Now in what she describes as a quieter chapter of life, King says her focus remains on encouragement, especially of young people. “I’m inspired by the youth,” she said. “That’s where my life is these days.”

As Minnesota reflects on Dr. King’s legacy amid unrest, Alveda King’s message remains consistent with the movement that shaped her life: progress rooted not in fear or force, but in faith, discipline, and moral resolve.

Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@ spokesman-recorder.com.

ily members and community advocates have gathered at vigils and memorials calling for accountability. Advocates say the case raises serious questions about how ICE agents operate while off duty and the scope of authority they are granted.

As national conversations about ICE operations continue, advocates argue that meaningful oversight must follow. Without transparency and accountability, families, particularly in Black and marginalized communities, remain left with fear and unanswered questions.

Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student.

“This case is a powerful reminder that community vigilance matters,” the organization said.

Gibson said he plans to remain home as much as possible while his case continues.

“I’m not a violent person,” he said. “If I was, I wouldn’t have been out for the past 17 years, checking in.”

Despite the trauma, the family expressed gratitude for community support.

“The love has been overwhelming,” Brown said. “People brought food. They stayed in the cold for hours. These people are angels on earth.”

For now, Gibson remains under supervision, wearing an ankle monitor, while attorneys fight to keep him in the United States.

“I just want to stay with my family,” he said. “That’s all.”

Alaysia Lane is a multimedia journalist and commerce writer based in Minneapolis.

The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota condemned ICE’s actions in a statement, calling the raid “terrifying” and warning of a pattern of transferring detainees out of state to obstruct access to legal counsel.

By MSR News Online

MN Black Chamber of Commerce names new president/CEO

Yolanda Pierson, owner of Pierson & Sons Trucking, has been named president and CEO of the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce, bringing more than 25 years of executive leadership experience to the role.

“It’s about building relationships,” Pierson said. “People forget that every step you take has been taken before. I’m just a bridge and connector here in the Twin Cities.”

Pierson, who holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in business administration, has helped run her familyowned, Minneapolis-based trucking company for years.

“Yolanda brings a powerful combination of enthusiasm, experience, and vision,” said MBCC Board Chair Drinal Foster. “Her leadership will be instrumental as we expand opportunities for entrepreneurs

and business owners across Minnesota and drive sustainable, long-term economic success for our community.”

Founded in 2004, the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce works to empower Black-owned businesses in the state through education, advocacy, and economic development. The organization provides resources, networking, business accelerators, and micro-grants aimed at creating equitable growth opportunities.

“We are more than a membership organization,” Pierson said. “We’re a hub where Black business owners, community leaders, and partners can find trusted information.

Right now, we’re focused on being a stabilizing force: listening, connecting, and sharing resources to help businesses navigate.”

Pierson said the need for support has become espe-

ship experience and leads initiatives to support Black-owned businesses in Minnesota. Courtesy

cially evident following recent unrest in Minneapolis, including the ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7.

“There is concern, grief, uncertainty and fatigue across our communities,” she said.

“That’s where the chamber

needs to act as stewards of our community, ensuring we show up when people need us.”

Pierson has led by example.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2025, she partnered with fellow Black business owner

“This was about meeting an immediate need in our community.”

Sheletta Brundidge of ShelettaMakesADifference.org (SheMAD) to organize the Black Women’s Day of Service. The effort delivered $13,000 in cash and 700 pieces of bedding to Tubman Center East, a Minneapolis shelter for victims of domestic abuse, using a dump truck from Pierson & Sons Trucking.

Fear exacts a toll on public life

As ICE activity goes up, commerce goes down

By Jasmine McBride Editor

In neighborhoods across Minneapolis, business owners are noticing a new challenge: fear. Following an increase in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in recent months, community members — including many immigrant residents — are avoiding public spaces, and that shift is reverberating through local businesses.

“We’re seeing people hesitant to leave their homes,” said Mary Niedermeyer, CEO of the Community Action Partnership of Minneapolis (CAPI). “Our communities are experiencing elevated fear, and it’s retraumatizing for immigrant and refugee neighbors. Even routine errands can feel unsafe, which affects not just daily life, but the vitality of local commerce.”

“We’re seeing peoplehesitant toleavetheir homes.”

spiked, but many residents hesitate to seek help due to fear of exposure. “This hesitancy mirrors what we see in commerce: people are avoiding public spaces, which affects both access to legal resources and economic engagement,” he said.

families, creating staffing challenges for businesses reliant on these workers.

Despite the challenges, community leaders are taking steps to mitigate the impact.

Legal aid organizations are hosting “Know Your Rights” sessions, while groups like

“This was about meeting an immediate need in our community,” Pierson said. She also plans to focus on mentorship, representation, and connecting young people to entrepreneurship and business ownership.

“You see it, you can be it,” she said. “We want young people to look at the chamber and know that if someone like me did it, they can do it too.” She encouraged Black business owners, both new and experienced, to learn more about the chamber and get involved.

“We’re reimagining the Black Chamber,” Pierson said. “Whether you’re thinking of starting a business or have been a business owner for years, we’re going to be the hub for you.”

For more information, visit https://minnesotablackchamber.org.

Business owners, too, are adapting. Some are coordinating with local nonprofits, creating safer customer experiences, and using online platforms to maintain engagement with clients who are wary of public spaces. Experts say these strategies can help stabilize economic activity and maintain community cohesion.

Still, the broader concern remains: Sustained enforcement activity, coupled with ongoing fear, may have longterm consequences for both people and businesses. “The system is creating a climate of anxiety,” Eromobor said. “This doesn’t just affect mental health, it affects how communities function and how businesses survive.”

“People feel like it’s not even safe to exist,” Eromobor said. “Some avoid going into the community, which creates isolation and disconnection. Over time, this constant threat can contribute to generational trauma and even desensitize people to violence, which affects the social fabric that supports local businesses.”

Other mental health organizations, including Creative Kuponya, indicated they are currently unable to provide

Niedermeyer said CAPI has been working with Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center organizations to build networks of support, host civic engagement meetings, and encourage community resilience. The goal, she said, is to ensure people feel empowered to participate in public life despite the presence of federal immigration agents. But the fear is real. Mental health experts warn that such sustained anxiety can have long-term consequences. Ebony Eromobor, a local therapist and founder of Village Support Therapy, said clients have described high levels of stress, isolation, and feelings of hopelessness.

statements due to overwhelming demand for support in the community. In a message to local media, the group said they are “fielding a high volume of requests from the community and are unavailable to craft a statement at this time,” and suggested reaching out to other local practices for guidance.

Businesses rely on foot traffic, regular customers, and active participation from the surrounding community. When fear prevents people from leaving home, the economic effects are immediate. Restaurants, retail stores, and service providers report declines in sales and engagement, particularly in neighborhoods with high concentrations of immigrant residents.

Legal advocates confirm the economic ripple effects. Milo Mumgaard, executive director of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, said the surge in enforcement has created both operational challenges for legal service providers and economic anxiety for communities.

“We see it both from the impacts on immigrant communities and on low-income and vulnerable populations more broadly,” Mumgaard said.

“When ICE activity increases, people worry about their rights and the safety of their families, and that can reduce their participation in daily activities, including patronizing local businesses.”

Mumgaard noted that demand for legal aid services has

The consequences extend beyond individual businesses. Neighborhoods with reduced activity face declines in sales tax revenue and slower economic growth. Labor participation is affected as immigrant employees stay home to protect themselves and their

CAPI are offering civic engagement opportunities to empower residents. Mental health practitioners encourage practices such as boundary-setting with technology, internal reflection, and leaning on natural community supports to reduce stress.

Niedermeyer emphasized the importance of collective action. “We want people to show up peacefully, learn their rights, and prioritize humanity over harm. A strong, connected community is essential for both social and economic well-being.”

As the state, especially in diverse cities like Minneapolis, navigates this tense period, local businesses and organizations continue to balance safety, advocacy, and service provision — working to ensure that the economic pulse of immigrant and vulnerable communities does not falter under the weight of fear.

Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Arts

For Renee Nicole Good: A life extinguished too soon

By Sharon M. Holder

In Minneapolis, the air held its breath the morning Renee Good’s name slipped into the streets like a wound reopening.

Chants rose, hungry and fractured, each shot a mind unraveling.

Fear moved through the neighborhood like a sudden cold front — sharp, unsettling.

We wept for the erosion of humanity by man-made alchemy.

Justice walked with blistered feet.

ICE vehicles moved like shadows, turning communities into battlegrounds where laws slept and justice bled.

Citizenship became a question.

Belonging felt conditional.

Renee’s death cracked something open — a reminder that even home can become a place you fear to stand, freedom’s promise worn thin, patriotism used as a mask.

Civil rights felt fragile that day, hazed by nostalgia and denial.

People of color walked with shoulders tight, eyes scanning for danger, whistle blasts warning neighbors.

ICE agents flooded the streets, wrapped in too many uniforms to reveal the human beneath.

In grief, we mourned Renee Good —

a life extinguished too soon.

Some carried signs.

Some carried sorrow.

All carried the weight of policy, the burden of being named a threat before being seen as human.

The streets answered first.

Voices rose — trembling, refusing silence. Strangers stood shoulder to shoulder, fear braided with defiance, dignity carved from freedom’s fragile edge.

They marched not from bravery, but from exhaustion — tired of being told their eyes deceive them, their truth weaponized, their pain imagined.

Leaders spoke in rehearsed tones, empathy thin as frost on glass. They spoke of order, never of loss, never of Renee Good, never of the hearts left aching, never of another life undone.

But the people remembered.

They raised their voices — because silence is complicity.

They held Renee’s name like a candle in the wind, fragile, flickering, refusing erasure.

Truth may drown in diplomacy, but memory resists.

The people insist on presence — raising voices in grief, in empathy, in truth.

They marched for their neighbors,

their communities, for freedom itself. They mourned for every life undone, for humanity, compassion, love — for all touched by ICE’s gaslighting, its quiet undoing.

This poem is for Renee Good — a whisper against forgetting, an echo for justice and humanity, buried beneath the silence of power.

January 2026

Dr. Sharon M. Holder lives in South Carolina. She holds a PhD/ MPhil in Gerontology from the Center for Research on Aging at the University of Southampton, UK; a Master of Science in Gerontology from the Institute of Gerontology at King’s College London, UK; and a Master of Social Work from the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston, Texas. Dr. Holder discovered her love of poetry at the University of Houston–Downtown, where she published in The Bayou Review and the Anthology of Poetry. Today, she writes poetry as a practice of gratitude alongside her academic research.

Creative writing circles at George Perry Floyd Square offer community healing

By Lizzy Nyoike

Contributing Writer

Every other Tuesday, just steps away from George Perry Floyd Square at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, a group of people gathers around tables with notebooks and pens. Some arrive unsure of what they will write, but by the end of the evening, many leave with lighter thoughts.

The creative writing workshop, hosted by the Agape Movement, was created three years ago as a space for community members to come together, heal, and unpack their emotions.

“Right now, there’s so much fear and anxiety in the world,” said David O’Fallon, a community member who has attended the writing circles since their first meeting. “There are so many forces that are tearing people apart.”

Unlike many public spaces, O’Fallon said, the writing circle feels rare because no one is trying to sell something or persuade participants toward a particular viewpoint. “Nobody’s trying to convince anybody of anything,” he said. “What we share establishes something genuine. It’s real.”

The writing circle is facilitated by Marquise Bowie, who does street outreach with the Agape Movement and ensures the sessions run consistently. Bowie said he does not receive payment for facilitating the gatherings but instead views the space as an act of service and collective care.

“For me, writing is therapeutic,” Bowie said. “A lot of us are walking around holding onto things we shouldn’t be holding onto.”

Bowie said writing became a way for him to process trauma, even as someone who once considered himself a “hardcore type guy.” If writing helped him work through what he carried, he believes it could do the same for others.

The location itself carries deep meaning. Bowie pointed to the lasting impact of George Floyd’s murder and the energy that still surrounds the intersection. While memorials and remembrances remain important, he said he wanted to create something focused on building people.

“When you find somethingthat feels comfortable, all you can do isshowupas

“I don’t really see a lot of people building for the community,” Bowie said. “This is one way we can come together and build with each other.” For many participants, the openness of the group is what makes the space feel safe. John Barlee III said he keeps coming back because of the relief that comes from being seen without judgment.

“We all walk around with that constant anxiety,” Barlee said. “Someone’s going to perceive me. Someone’s going to see me. But here, you’re

meant to be seen.”

He described sharing in the circle as a physical experience, not just an emotional one. “I can feel in my body and psyche a sense of relief,” Barlee said. “You get to share something that comes straight from your heart, with zero judgment.”

In a society where criticism often outweighs kindness, Bar lee said spaces like the writing circle are rare. “Everyone’s a critic nowadays,” he said. “So coming to a place with no critics, only collaborators and friends, really means a lot.”

O’Fallon echoed how often people arrive believing they have nothing to say. “People come in saying, ‘I don’t write. I don’t have anything to say,’” he said. “Then they write something that surprises them with its honesty.”

He also emphasized the importance of physically writ ing by hand, saying something shifts when people slow down enough to put pen to paper.

The circle has become a space where young adults, in particular, are finding alterna tives to anxiety. Barlee, an old er member of Gen Z, said many people his age recognize that the way society has operated for years isn’t working.

“We know it’s bad for us,” he said. “That realization is happening more and more.” While there may not be a perfect solution, Barlee be-

show up as yourself,” he said. “There’s no vibe to ruin.” In a city still grieving and facing uncertainty, the Agape Movement’s writing circle a notebook and a pen, shared in community. For more information, visit www.theagapemovement.com.

Opinion

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By Senator Bobby Joe Champion

Across Minneapolis, and particularly in North Minneapolis and Senate District 59, fear has become a daily reality. Parents are questioning whether it is safe to send their children to school. Workers are weighing whether it is worth the risk to show up to their jobs.

This fear not only affects undocumented residents. It is impacting U.S. citizens, naturalized Americans, and longtime Minnesotans who have done everything right, yet still find themselves anxious about simply moving through their own communities.

Public Utilities Commission (PUC)

By Zero Burn Coalition

On January 15 the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved a motion asserting that electricity generated by burning woody biomass or municipal solid waste can be classified as “carbonfree” under Minnesota’s 100% Carbon-Free Law. That decision represents a dangerous departure from science, statutory language, and environmental justice. In response to the vote, the Zero Burn Coalition issued the following statement condemning the PUC’s action:

“The PUC’s vote today is shameful and directly contradicts both science and common sense.

“Minnesota’s 100% carbon-free law clearly defines carbon-free generation as ‘a technology that generates electricity without emitting carbon dioxide’ (Minn. Stat. §216B.1691, subd. 1(b)). Every day, the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC) emits massive amounts of carbon dioxide and toxic pollution in an uncontrolled man-

ner that endangers the health of Hennepin County residents, particularly communities already overburdened by environmental harm.

“Carbon-free means carbon-free. That definition simply does not apply to trash incineration or wood-burning facilities.

“The PUC chose instead to adopt a so-called ‘life-cycle analysis’ approach, one that runs counter to legislative intent, is vulnerable to industry manipulation masquerading as science, and opens the door for incineration to be falsely labeled as clean energy.

mantics.

“By passing this motion, the PUC enables facilities like HERC, one of the largest polluters in Hennepin County, to qualify for clean-energy subsidies intended for truly clean sources like wind and solar. This defies logic and directly undermines Minnesota’s 100% carbon-free mandate.

The recent surge of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Minnesota is unprecedented. We have been told that more than 2,000 ICE agents were initially deployed here, more than in any other state, with additional agents arriving afterward.

This is not about fraud prevention, nor is it about public safety. What we are witnessing is aggressive, unlawful behavior that appears designed to intimidate and provoke.

Journalists doing their jobs have been targeted. These are not isolated incidents but reflect a broader pattern of disregard for constitutional rights.

ing federal agencies that these actions violate the law.

I am encouraged by the recent announcement from Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter that the state and local governments are pursuing legal action, including an injunction, to either remove ICE from Minnesota or force them to operate within the bounds of the law.

This same approach has already undermined clean energy transitions in parts of Europe. Minnesota should not repeat those mistakes.”

The coalition warned that the consequences of the decision extend far beyond se-

Allowing HERC to claim carbon-free credits could tip the balance toward extending its operation well beyond 2040. While commissioners suggested during today’s meeting that HERC would not qualify as carbon-free, the written decision contradicts those assurances.”

The coalition made clear that incineration should not be preserved under the guise of climate action. “HERC is dangerous and needs to be closed promptly, not handed a lifeline.”

The statement also sharply criticized Hennepin County’s role in advocating for the motion.

“The PUC and polluting industries, including, apparently, Hennepin County, are betting that the public stopped paying attention after the law passed in 2023. They are hoping this law can be quietly corrupted without accountability.

“We showed up today to make one thing clear: That is not happening.

“It is outrageous that Hennepin County is lobbying through the Partnership on Waste and Energy and investing public time and resources to advance the interests of polluting industries. These actions are precisely what have pushed our community to escalate, including the consideration of a hunger strike.”

Zero Burn Coalition is a Twin Cities-based environmental advocacy group. They are committed to fulfilling the closure of the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC).

Reports from the community include racial profiling, warrantless searches, and detentions that violate the Fourth Amendment. People exercising their First Amendment right to protest have been met with pepper spray.

I want to be clear: Our response must not be chaos. I believe the goal of the Trump administration is to provoke unrest, then use that unrest as justification for further unlawful actions. We cannot give them that narrative. Remaining calm is not weakness. It is strategy. It is discipline. And it is how we protect one another. Behind the scenes, we are working aggressively. I am coordinating with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, local law enforcement, and the Attorney General’s Office to determine what additional laws ICE agents may be violating and what authority the state has to intervene. We are documenting cases involving invalid or unsigned warrants, incorrect names, and unlawful searches, and formally notify-

At the Legislature, we are preparing further action. While the legislative session does not begin until Feb. 17, we are already drafting policy solutions, including addressing ICE agents concealing their identities by wearing masks and ensuring there are real legal consequences for unlawful conduct. Our goal is to give prosecutors and law enforcement the tools they need to protect Minnesotans.

I am deeply concerned about recent raids in my district and about the impact on our schools, our neighborhoods, and our families. Let me say this clearly: We are doing everything within our power to keep our communities safe. We will continue to fight lawfully, strategically and relentlessly, because no one should have to live in fear simply for existing.

Bobby Joe Champion is an attorney and politician serving as a member of the Minnesota Senate, District 59.

By Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier

As the nation marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the real question is not how loudly we celebrate, but whether we are willing to live by the values Dr. King demanded.

Each January, the rituals are familiar. Speeches are replayed. Quotes are shared. Music fills the air. Tributes roll across social media and television. For a moment, it can feel as if remembrance is enough. It is not.

We live in a country that knows how to enjoy Black culture without fully reckoning with Black reality. That tension shapes how Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed, and too often misunderstood.

Dr. King was opposed not because he lacked vision, but because he refused to dilute the truth. He challenged a nation that wanted harmony without justice, unity without sacrifice. Progress does not sustain itself. Rights do not protect themselves.

Democracy does not run on autopilot. What is gained through struggle can be weakened through neglect.

The holiday in Dr. King’s honor was never meant to be a finish line. It was, and remains, a reckoning, a reminder that honoring him requires more than words, more than symbols, more than a oncea-year pause. Repetition is not the same as aligning our actions with his values, and remembrance alone does not

equal responsibility.

For Black America, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has never been abstract. It has always been personal. It has always been earned.

Establishing a federal holiday required decades of organizing and persistence. Full observance across the states came slowly, not because of logistics, but because of discomfort. Discomfort with honoring a Black man who demanded accountability rather than applause.

injustice without being told to soften one’s voice. The beloved community Dr. King envisioned required change, not comfort. For those who claim allyship, this day calls for more than symbolic gestures. It asks all of us to take stock: Are we strengthening institutions that tell our story truthfully? Are we supporting Blackowned media, businesses, and civic organizations that shape understanding rather than merely reacting to it? Preparing the next generation not

That discomfort persists. Dr. King is quoted often, but selectively. Calls for justice are softened into calls for civility. Critiques of economic inequality are set aside.

Warnings about power and moral complacency are left out. What remains is a version that reassures rather than challenges. But reassurance was never his assignment.

Protecting this holiday is not about nostalgia. It is about stewardship, of memory, truth and agency. It is about ensuring our children inherit the full story, not a polished version that skips the cost of progress.

It is about defending the right to speak plainly about

just to admire the movement, but to carry its responsibility forward?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not a pause in the national calendar. It is a checkpoint. To protect the day is to protect the witness. To insist that Dr. King’s legacy remains honest, challenging and alive.

When the meaning of this holiday is thinned out, the danger is not simply forgetting history. The danger is losing our way.

This commentary appeared first in Word in Black. It has been edited for length. For more information, visit www.wordinblack.com.

Sr. Software Systems Engineer

Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

Reporting to its facilities located in Minneapolis, MN.Duties: Build and groom product backlog-based use cases and systems specifications to translate marketing requirements, user needs, and high-level use cases/use conditions, define specific use stories and acceptance criteria for software engineers and testers. Position is open to telecommuting from anywhere in the United States. Salary: $145,100 to $178,800 /year. Apply at https://medtronic.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/MedtronicCareers/ , select Req. R56764. No agencies or phone calls please. Medtronic is an equal opportunity employer. All individuals are encouraged to apply.

Sr. Quality Engineer Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

Reporting to its facilities located in Brooklyn Park, MN. Duties: Responsible for developing and maintaining quality standards for processing materials, collaborating with engineering and manufacturing teams, and implementing process improvements. Salary: $109,000 to $145,200 per year. To apply, visit https://medtronic.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/MedtronicCareers/, select Req. #R56758. No agencies or phone calls please. Medtronic is an equal opportunity employer. All individuals are encouraged to apply.

coaching bench.

Continued from page 10

after the January 8 Minnesota-Northwestern game at Williams Arena.

“When I first started out, I didn’t think that I would be a coach. Honestly, when I started I didn’t have any idea that I was gonna become a coach.”

Over time, Smith grew into her job. McKeown noted that Smith is “so, so positive with helping [players] with their careers.” Among her responsibilities, Smith works with developing the team’s post players as well as the team’s overall player skill development.

“We are really lucky to have her this long,” stressed McKeown, who’s retiring at season’s end after nearly a half-century of college coaching.

Smith pointed out her indebtedness to the soonto-retire Wildcats HC: “I’ve learned a lot from him,” she said. “Honestly, he’s taught me so much. He believed in me when I first started

Smith appreciates McKeown’s faith and confidence in her. “He taught me all of the knowledge that he’s taught me because he’s been coaching for over 40 years. So just being around him … it’s just helped me grow as a coach.

“He’s allowed me the freedom [to coach],” she said. “Some [head] coaches in this industry don’t allow their assistant coaches [to do that], don’t give them a lot of freedom. Coach is one of those ones … He gave us freedom to speak our mind, voice our opinions. He wants us to just be free to do what we can do for the girls.”

Smith said that she will seek advice if and when a HC chance comes up. “I’m just gonna listen to God until He gonna tell me what’s my next step.”

Finally…

There are more Black female coaches (five) in the Unrivaled 3x3 league, now in its second season, than in the older WNBA (zero). Rena Wakama, Nola Henry, Noelle Quinn, Teresa Weatherspoon and Roneeka Hodges are the lead Sistahs.

coaching. He knew I was from Chicago; he asked me if I wanted to come back home, and it was perfect for me.

“I’ve had my ups and downs, but I do not regret coaching. It’s very rewarding. I love it.”

“I’ve had my ups and downs, but I do not regret coaching,” continued Smith. “It’s very rewarding. I love it.”

“She’s been loyal to Northwestern,” McKeown pointed out. He said he fully believes that if the opportunity should arise, Smith would be an ideal head coach, that she is uniquely qualified and ready to move into the

SYSTEMS ENGINEER

Plymouth, MN

From Ads Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

Phone: 612-827-4021

FOR BILLING

IT Company seeks Systems Engineer to design and develop systems and database applications. Support full lifecycle using advance technologies such as Python, R, SQL, MATLAB, Power BI, LabVIEW. Validate developed products in test during each sprint & perform UAT. Create & assist in performing various types of tests, and perform troubleshooting. Generate customized reports. Offered Salary: $106,579.00 to $107,000.00/year + Health Insurance/Paid Vacation. Send resumes to: HRD, VITS Consulting Corp., 14264 23rd Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55447 or jobs-p@vitsconsulting.com. Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder January 22, 2026

INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS

PLEASE CONTACT

ACCOUNTING DEPT

From Ads Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

Data Scientist II, Utilimarc Holdings Inc., St. Louis Park, MN Utilimarc Holdings Inc. (St. Louis Park, MN - part-time telecom.) seeks Data Scientist II to build data analytics using modern LLM and techniques. Salary $141,545. Standard corp benefits. Requires MS in Data Science, Math or rel or foreign equv and 1 yr of exp with statistical models and data science. To apply, send resume to: hr@utilimarc.com

BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER. COM

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QA AUTOMATION ENGINEER

Plymouth, MN

SIZE: 2COL X 3 INCH

Phone: 612-827-4021

FOR BILLING INQUIRIES & TEARSHEETS PLEASE CONTACT ACCOUNTING DEPT BILLING@SPOKESMAN-RECORDER. COM

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

spokesman-recorder.com.

BCSR

Continued from page 10

RATE: $44.60 PER COL. INCH

TOTAL: $267.60

From Ads Department/MN Spokesman-Recorder

Phone: 612-827-4021

IT Company seeks QA Automation Engineer to develop OOP, SDLC, BDD scripts with Selenium WebDriver, Gherkin, Postman, Cucumber, implement automation frameworks and execute automation scripts on different browsers, modify automated test scripts, generate reports with screenshots by using Jira, JSON, APIs, XRAY, Azure Devops for functional testing, review test results, issues and defects. Create and assist in performing various types of tests. Perform troubleshooting. Generate customized reports. Offered Salary: $94,702.00 to $95,000.00/yr. + Health Insurance/Paid Vacation. Send resumes to: HRD, VITS Consulting Corp., 14264 23rd Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55447 or jobs-p@vitsconsulting.com. Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder January 22, 2026

Please proof, respond with email comfirmation to ads@spokesman-recorder.com

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The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and emailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

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three businesses so far.”

RATE: $44.60 PER COL. INCH

TOTAL: $267.60

scoring (19.9 ppg) and rebounding (6.8 rpg). He was recently named HBCU AllStar men’s basketball player of the week (Dec. 17).

Finally…

Coppin State hosted South Carolina on Sunday in a rare January non-conference road game. “It’s a big revenue [draw] for HBCUs,” first-year Head Coach Darrell Mosley told Greenville News.

Please proof, respond with email comfirmation to ads@spokesman-recorder.com

The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and emailed invoices unless you specifically request a hard copy.

“Bryce is an incredible human being,” declared Howard Coach Kenneth Blakeney. “When he was in high school, he was the one guy that we felt could shift the dynamics of our program. He has the chance to go down as one of the winningest players in our program and one of the most decorated players in our program.

“All of the things he’s done,” surmised the coach, “he’s done so much off the court … He graduated from our business school and started

SOE

Continued from page 10

the transfer portal looking for another school to play for.

PRSA began the second half of its inaugural men’s basketball postgraduate preparatory program (“Post-grad” or “PG”) season January 13 at Barnes’ alma mater Albion College, where he played and graduated (1975-79) after graduating from Saginaw

“I like to go on the road and I like to go into an environment like an HBCU,” added Gamecocks HC Dawn Staley on the homeand-home contract signed in 2024, with both teams playing in Columbia in 2024, and a rematch in Baltimore this season. “It’s a cool environment, cool to have us come up there … I try to grow the game in ways most people don’t grow it.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

High School in 1975.

“It offers a structured environment with college-level training, competitive games, and progress toward a degree or trade,” said a PRSA press release. The school sits on the Starr Commonwealth 305-acre campus in Albion, a former institution for troubled youth that closed about five years ago.

“Long story short,” Barnes told MSR last week by phone, “there’s a need, and I just feel God-driven to see how and where I can make an impact. I guess that’s become my new

mission in life to see how much I can impact or expand my reach to make a difference in the lives of young people.”

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The MSR handles billing digitally. This means you will get e-tears and invoices unless you specifically request copy.

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He has coached at every level — high school, college, pros, overseas — since graduating from Albion (Mich.) College in 1979.

After college, Barnes began his five-plus decades in coaching as an assistant coach at Albion College (1979-80) before moving on to four other schools, including being hired as Clem Haskins’ top assistant at Minnesota (1986-1988). Barnes also was a head coach at Albion High School (1988-91); Eastern Michigan (1996-2000); Harlem Globetrotters (2000-2001); Greenville Groove of the then NBA Development League (now known as the G-League), where he won the 2002 league championship; and the U.S. Virgin Islands (2010-2014).

Barnes also was an NBA scout with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2009.

“There’s a need, and I just feel God-driven to see how and where I can make an impact.”

“I think I’ve always been the guy that wants to try to impact the lives of young

people,” Barnes reiterated.

“One of the things that I realized, the trend and the landscape of where college sports is going, the NIL and the transfer portal, those two things are going to eliminate opportunities for high school kids, particularly, let’s face it, inner city kids, okay, Black kids if you want to be specific.

“We’ve played about eight or nine games up to this point, and we’ve only got probably about five or six games left to play between January and February,” said Barnes. “We don’t play high school [teams]. We play prep schools, junior colleges, or small college JV teams.”

Finally, Barnes reflected fondly on his days in Minnesota. “I would say Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota is a very instrumental part of my life in a lot of ways, but my biggest and fondest memory is the people like yourself, relationships that develop, the players that I coached … the people in the community. Even during my years with the Timberwolves, it holds a special place in my life.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Northwestern associate coach ready to step up

angela Smith, a Chicago South Side native, was a high school star who also starred in Iowa, then the WNBA, and overseas before moving into coaching.

First at Western Michigan (2014-18), Smith joined the Northwestern women’s basketball coaching staff prior to the 2018-19 season. She was promoted to her current associate head coach position in 2022.

“As a coach, she’s doing great,” says NW Head Coach Joe McKeown of Smith. “She played 15 years in the pros. It’s such a great role model for our players.”

After an all-American prep career, Smith played at Iowa, where along with earning her degree in sports, health, leisure and physical studies (1998) she put up career numbers in points (1,598), rebounds (859) and blocked shots (235), won two Big Ten regular season championships (1996, 1998) and the 1997 conference tournament title. She was named Big Ten MVP in her senior season

his week’s Fab Five photos feature images from three prep basketball victories last week. Minneapolis Washburn de-

and finished her Hawkeye career tops in blocks, third in rebounds, and seventh in scoring, and later became an Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame inductee (2019).

Then Smith played for five WNBA teams, only the seventh player in league history to surpass 4,000 points during her 15-year career, a twotime W champion and a 2009 All-Star.

Ironically, Smith was drafted by Minnesota in the 2007 dispersal draft but never wore a Lynx uniform; Phoenix acquired her soon after the draft.

Smith also played overseas as most W players did during the off-season, winning championships in Turkey, China and South Korea.

But coaching wasn’t part of her post-athletic plans upon retirement. “I can honestly say that now,” she told the MSR

BYCHARLESHALLMAN

Introducing a new occasional column that will bring fans of Black college sports updates and insights on teams, players and coaches with a primary focus on the SWAC, MEAC and HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).”

ho’s the toughest Black basketball conference, the SWAC or the MEAC? This of late has been debated on several HBCU-specific media sites.

The HBCUGO.TV studio hosts favored the 12 WBB and 12 MBB SWAC, while HBCU Gameday pointed out that the MEAC with eight clubs on both sides might be “top end” competitively, but sees the SWAC has “better depth and competitive balance.”

During the first scheduled bi-weekly men’s and women’s basketball head coaches video conferences (Jan. 7 and Jan. 12) respectively, MSR asked the coaches about such debates. To a person they strongly defended their league, now in its 55th year of intercollegiate competition.

“The players make this conference tough,” stated Howard WBB Coach Ty Grace, now in her 11th season. Since her arrival in 2015, HU has been among the league’s elite, making the MEAC Title game for five straight seasons, including last season.

“Obviously it is the players,” said Grace. “We have elite coaches, great coaches. But I think it’s the players that make it challenging every night, make

it tough to make adjustments.”

Erik Martin, the South Carolina State men’s coach added, “There are no easy games in the MEAC.”

mond told MSR. “I think the talent level in women’s basketball with the transfer portal and the ability to bring in so many different talents from all over wasn’t as accessible in the past as it is now.

“That’s what makes the league super special.”

Player spotlight

Paris McBride (Coppin State) – The 5’6” senior returned to the court after a season as an assistant coach at JUCO Southeast Arkansas College in Pine Bluff, Ark. She formerly played two seasons at North Carolina Central, then two seasons at Morehead State.

“I’m extremely surprised by McBride’s play,” Coppin State Coach Darrell Mosley said last week. “She outhustled everybody in the summer for that starting spot. She is the engine of our team. We go as she goes.”

Thus far McBride (Richmond, Va.) is averaging eight points, three assists, four rebounds and 1.5 steals this season.

“I can see her as a future coach,” said Mosley.

Bryce Harris (Howard) –The 6’4” graduate student currently leads the MEAC in

“League play is gritty, not pretty,” stressed Norfolk State’s Robert Jones of MEAC MBB contests.

Accomplished college coach and former WNBA player Nadine Domond, now in her first year at Morgan State, got her coaching start as a graduate assistant, then assistant coach at Hampton, a former MEAC member. She also coached in the SWAC and was its conference 2015 coach of the year at Grambling State.

“We have a lot of elite coaching in this league,” Do-

Fab Five photos - Washburn, St. Agnes, Central win

feated Minneapolis North (8653), St. Agnes did likewise to St. Paul Washington/Johnson (6032), and St. Paul Central took care of St. Paul Central (61-49).

Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader comments to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.

All photos by Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald.

NIL, transfer portal make high school recruitment more competitive