🧊 ICE 'drawdown' begins

ICE "Drawdown" Begins

At a press conference yesterday morning, border czar Tom Homan announced the Trump administration's decision to withdraw 700 immigration enforcement officers from Minnesota immediately. This would bring the number of agents in the state to approximately 2,300. According to Homan, there are normally about 150. [MPR]

• 'Unprecedented collaboration': Homan previously stated that any drawdown of federal forces would be contingent on increased cooperation from local law enforcement. In yesterday morning's press conference, he stated that "we currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now" to facilitate transfers of undocumented immigrants from county jails to ICE custody. [PBS]
• 'Not a deescalation': Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey acknowledged the drawdown as a step in the right direction, but expressed that still having 2,000 ICE agents in Minnesota is "not a deescalation" and reiterated his call for a complete end to Operation Metro Surge. [Mayor Jacob Frey]
• Questionable legality: According to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minnesota law bars state and local law enforcement from holding someone based on an immigration detainer for longer than they would otherwise be held. If sheriffs are sued for breaking state law, it's possible that the federal government could pay their damages or legal fees. [Star Tribune]
• (Mostly) targeted enforcement: Homan made it clear in the press conference that while ICE agents are focused on convicted criminals, they will still be continuing to detain undocumented people regardless of whether or not they have committed any violent crimes. [PBS]

Rent relief: Highland Park Middle School Parents in Solidarity are collecting donations to provide rent and mortgage relief for St. Paul Public Schools students and families who have lost their incomes. Organizers are actively working with social workers, counselors, and other frontline staff to identify families most in need. [Donate]

No booze for ICE? The Minneapolis city council voted 8-5 to delay renewing liquor licenses for two hotels downtown where ICE agents are believed to be staying. Council members who voted "yes" hope to collect more information to substantiate a decision not to renew the licenses at a Feb. 17 city council meeting, while "no" voters worry that denying the licenses will leave the city vulnerable to a lawsuit. [Star Tribune]

'This job sucks': Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Le told a federal judge, "I wish you would hold me in contempt just so I would have a full 24 hours' sleep," when she was called to appear in court to explain why DHS has missed multiple deadlines to release detainees at the order of the court. Le had previously decided to keep working to "affect positive change from the inside," but was removed from her post after making these comments. Many U.S. attorneys have handed in their resignations during Operation Metro Surge. [MPR / NBC News]

That's a lot of neighbors: The Immigrant Defense Network reports that they have trained nearly 30,000 Minnesotans in 77 of the 87 counties in the state. “We have rapid response around the clock, seven days a week. We are actively responding to a case every six minutes across the state of Minnesota,” says IDN manager Edwin Torres Desantiago. [MPR]

Art for the moment: Twin Cities artists have been particularly prolific in their production of anti-ICE and pro-Minnesota work in the past few months, and City Cast Producer Tiffany Bui rounded up some of some of the most notable pieces. [City Cast Twin Cities]

Detained again: A federal judge ordered the release of two Venezuelan men involved in the Jan. 14 incident in which an ICE agent shot one of them in the leg, but ICE officers re-arrested them before they could leave the St. Paul courthouse. Their attorney called the re-detention unconstitutional, and Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz gave the government until tomorrow to explain its actions. [Star Tribune]

Thursday, Feb 5

• ♟️ Camdentown Chess Club | The Walker Art Center
• 💿 Record Night: Minnesota Artists 🆓 | Fulton Taproom
• 🎸 In Defense of Our Community: ACLU Benefit Concert | Fine Line
• 🎬 First Thursday Films: Acts of Reparation | Capri Theater
• 🎵 Obi Original and the Black Atlantics 🆓 | Mia
• 🎶 NANI VAZANA with Lev & Olga | The Cedar Cultural Center
• 😂 The Drunk Black History Show | The Parkway Theater

Friday, Feb 6

• 🎭 Home on the Mornin' Train | Youth Performance Company
• 🧀 Melty Cheese Party | France 44
• 🏮 Ice Lantern Making 🆓 | Water Works Park
• 🔥 Fire and Frost 🆓 | Logan Park
• 🎸 Drone Not Drones: 28-Hour Benefit Concert | The Cedar Cultural Center
• ❄️ North St. Paul Fire and Ice 🆓 | Casey Lake Park
• 🎶 Highway Heroes – Tribute to the Outlaw Poets | Turf Club
• 🖤 Riot! At The Disco: Emo and Pop Punk Nite | Green Room

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• Vice President of Marketing at Minnesota Wild | $150k - $200k per year
• Executive Director at Payne-Phalen Community Council | $65k - $75k per year
• Art Director at Xcel Energy | $84k - $120k per year
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