👊 MN lawyers are still fighting ICE

Minnesota Habeas Project is Still Trying To Free Immigration Detainees

A coalition of legal nonprofits, law school clinics and law firms has launched the Minnesota Habeas Project to represent immigrants detained during Operation Metro Surge and other recent ICE actions. Since December, over 1,000 habeas petitions have been filed through rapid response efforts, though organizers say the need for more habeas representation persists. [National Immigration Project]

• What is habeas corpus? A writ of habeas corpus requires law enforcement to bring a detained person before a judge and explain why they are being held. If the government cannot provide a legal basis for continued detention, the person must be released. Attorneys say many immigration detainees are being held unlawfully, making habeas petitions an important tool for securing release. [U.S. Courts / 🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]
• No public defenders: Since immigration proceedings don't fall under criminal law, people in immigration detention don't have a right to an attorney as they would if they were in jail for committing a crime. The Minnesota Habeas Project tries to connect detainees with lawyers who can help file habeas petitions in federal court as well as lawyers who have experience navigating immigration court. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]
• Getting help: Sarah Brenes, executive director of the James H. Binger Center for New Americans at the University of Minnesota, said that most of the requests to the Minnesota Habeas Project come through an online form, and they are usually filled out by family members or loved ones of people that have been detained. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

A week of inclusion: The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games are going to be hosted at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine from June 20-26. Around 3,000 athletes will compete in 16 Olympic-type sports and receive free health screenings, and the Special Olympics are looking to recruit 10,000 volunteers to make it all happen. [Minnesota Daily]

Children behind bars: A Sahan Journal analysis of court documents and federal data revealed that over 70 Minnesotan children were detained by immigration agents between Dec. 1 and Mar. 10. More than 30 kids were sent to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in south Texas, where detainees reported poor food and water quality and contended with a measles outbreak. Almost two dozen kids were held for more than 20 days, in violation of a longstanding legal settlement. [Sahan Journal]

Nursing home workers strike: Workers at five Twin Cities facilities are on strike this week, demanding higher wages, better benefits, and safer staffing levels. Workers with SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa say stalled contract talks and chronic understaffing are making it harder to care for residents, while employers say they are continuing operations with contingency plans in place. The strike is expected to last through Wednesday. [MPR News]

Replacing Owamni: As the James Beard Award-winning Owamni is moving inside the Guthrie Theater, the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board has announced that Arch and River, a restaurant promising "French bistronomie with Afro-Caribbean twist," will be filling the space in the Water Works Pavilion. The restaurant's opening timeline isn't set yet, though they plan to start hiring soon. [Bring Me The News]

Money problems at MPS: Minneapolis Public Schools has incurred $5.3 million in IRS penalties over the past four years and has already paid more than $770,000 while trying to reduce the charges. The penalties come as the district faces a $50 million budget deficit and increased scrutiny over its financial practices, including the recent discovery that nearly $3 million in employee health fund money had been withheld. [Star Tribune]

You think you know the news? Our host Sean made a quiz to test your knowledge on Twin Cities news. [Take the Quiz]

Wednesday, Apr 22

• 😂 Carmen Lynch | Acme Comedy Company
• 🎵 The New Standards | Crooners
• ✍️ HERD: A Women-Centered Storytelling Platform | The Parkway Theater
• 🎨 Party in Bloom | Minneapolis Institute of Art
• 🌿 April Evening Birding | Lakewood Cemetery
• 🔢 Labubu Bingo | Can Can Wonderland
• 🆓 Ripples Book Launch with Katie Yamasaki | Mississippi Watershed Management Organization

Thursday, Apr 23

• 🧪 Convergence Summit 2026 | Donaldson, Bloomington
• 🆓 "Still We Rise" | History Theatre
• 🎤 Rochelle Jordan | Fine Line
• 🎹 Cornbread's 99th B-Day Party Extravaganza | The Hook and Ladder Theater
• 🎭 Shanty Boys of Pine County | Art House North
• 🎵 Bob Moses and Cannons | Palace Theatre
• 🎸 The Ultimate Doors: Tribute To The Doors | Varsity Theater

• LGBTQ Education Specialist at MN Dept of Education | $80k – $120k per year
• Data Scientist at UMN Epilepsy Institute | $22 – $38 per hour
• Website and Digital Content Specialist at Mitchell Hamline School of Law | $65k – $80k per year
• External Relations Director at Explore Minnesota | $92k – $132k per year
• Satellite Early Vote Center Supervisor at City of Minneapolis | $33 – $42 per hour (Temporary)