"Largest immigration operation ever" launched in Twin Cities, DHS says
A massive federal crackdown in Minnesota started after the new year, with roughly 2,000 agents swarming the Twin Cities amid a widening fraud scandal.
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A massive federal crackdown in Minnesota started after the new year, with roughly 2,000 agents swarming the Twin Cities amid a widening fraud scandal.
The Trump administration says it's begun deploying hundreds more federal agents to the Twin Cities. In an update today, the Department of Homeland Security said it's already made more than 1,000 immigration arrests over the past few weeks. As Jason Rantala reports, with a major surge of federal resources to Minnesota, they're expecting to make fraud busts, too.
A Minneapolis day care says that vandals damaged the facility early this week, after a YouTube video purporting to expose fraud among day cares in the Twin Cities metro area went viral.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the federal immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities "political theater" by President Trump in a news conference with city and community leaders on Tuesday.
The Trump administration says it's targeting "the worst of the worst" for deportation during its Twin Cities ICE operation. In just two weeks, they say they've made hundreds of arrests. But critics say innocent people are also getting stopped by immigration officers. As WCCO's Esme Murphy reports, many Somali Minnesotans feel they have little choice but to carry their passports to prove they are citizens.
Federal investigators are still working to determine if Minnesota fraud money fueled terrorism overseas, plus more of the day’s top stories.
A new video features Somali doctors, nurses and attorneys showcasing their professions and humanity, letting Minnesotans know Somalis are their neighbors.
Minneapolis city leaders say a U.S. citizen was wrongfully arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents because he looks Somali.
Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi is among twelve people detained in the Department of Homeland Security's "Operation Metro Surge" in the Twin Cities.
The Department of Homeland Security is capping off the first week of what it is calling "Operation Metro Surge." Our Conor Wight digs into the past of one of the men arrested, who a federal immigration judge once described as someone who was turning their life around and helping his community.
ICE said Friday that 12 immigrants, five of them Somali, have been detained as a result of Operation Metro Surge. But immigrant rights groups say the number of detainees is much higher. Among those speaking out against the ICE raids and the targeting and language used by the administration is Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday said that half of the visas in Minnesota are "fraudulent." Noem did not provide evidence. CBS Minnesota on Thursday reached out to the department seeking that data.
Trump's comments, presented without evidence, have shaken people like Salman Fiqy, who saw an opportunity for the GOP to gain further ground in the Somali community.
A growing climate of fear within Minnesota’s Somali community is leading to empty clinics. Ubah Ali shows us how one health care worker is fighting back.
Salman Fiqy first came to the United States from Somalia in 2009. Last year, he didn't just vote for President Trump — he helped get his neighbors to the polls so they could vote for him, too. But as Conor Wight reports, he's now changing his tune.
Democratic Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan spoke with CNN on Thursday about how the Trump administration is “striking fear into the hearts of Minnesotans” with his focused attack on Somali Americans.
In the heart of Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, DFL lawmakers condemned attacks on the Somali community while addressing the growing fear and arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A day after President Trump said, "I don't want [Somalis] in our country," and reports of a planned crackdown on undocumented Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities, local leaders decried the actions and urged the community to take steps to stay safe.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called Somali immigrants living in the United States "garbage" and wants them to leave.
CBS News has confirmed ICE operations targeting Somali immigrants are underway in the Twin Cities.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been directed by the Trump administration to target undocumented Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities, according to the New York Times.
Minnesota is home to nearly 80,000 Somalis, and 95% of them are U.S. citizens according to CAIR-MN.
CBS News is reporting ICE will launch an operation targeting Somalis with deportation orders who live in Minnesota. Local leaders say that's only a fraction of the roughly 80,000 who live in the state.
Minnesota's Somali community appears to be the next target of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. CBS News has learned that ICE will launch an enforcement sweep in the Twin Cities this week. Agents plan to go after migrants with deportation orders.
Sources tell the Associated Press that Somali immigrants are the target of the operation.
A boy is dead after going underwater in a Bloomington, Minnesota, pond on Saturday afternoon, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.
A large group gathered for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives March — a march dedicated to those many love, but miss daily.
Sartell, Minnesota, police rescued a woman who was held against her will, according to the Sartell Police Department.
Saturday is a WCCO Top 10 Weather Day!
A federal judge ruled Friday that Brian Flores' discrimination lawsuit against the NFL can move forward in open court, instead of arbitration.
A boy is dead after going underwater in a Bloomington, Minnesota, pond on Saturday afternoon, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.
A large group gathered for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives March — a march dedicated to those many love, but miss daily.
In an emotional reunion in Minnesota, a mother returned home to her 2-year-old after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests split up their family and left her toddler in the care of a family friend.
A body has been recovered from the Mississippi River in Minneapolis near the area where a man fell through the ice on Friday afternoon, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.
A 9-year-old girl missing from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, on Monday has been found safe, according to police.
Sartell, Minnesota, police rescued a woman who was held against her will, according to the Sartell Police Department.
Leaders in both parties across both chambers said in interviews with WCCO that they are committed to working to advance their priorities while acknowledging the political makeup of the building will require bipartisan solutions to the state's biggest challenges.
Last month, activist Nekima Levy Armstrong was arrested following a protest at a Minnesota church. In Talking Points, she shares why she felt it was important to protest, her arrest and White House's digitally altered photo of her arrest.
City leaders in Minneapolis say federal immigration enforcement operations cost local businesses and restaurants $81 million in January.
For the past year, an artificial intelligence camera has captured images of people driving distracted on Highway 7 in Minnesota between St. Louis Park and St. Bonifacius. In 2024, there were five fatalities on Highway 7 alone, one of the deadliest years on record, but since the AI technology was added, there have been zero.
Three people are dead after a house fire in a small western Wisconsin town early Saturday.
John Lauritsen shares the story behind a massive snow sculpture that's now become a winter destination.
A jury has found a Wisconsin man guilty of forging threats against President Donald Trump in an attempt to get a witness against him deported.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are among the 11 states reporting their first measles cases of 2026.
Hundreds of schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin have closed or shifted to virtual learning on Friday amid dangerous cold.
Karmel Mall has been mostly silent, with shops closed at the building on East Lake Street. Operation Metro Surge has caused many Somalis to stay home.
The ongoing presence of ICE and federal law enforcement in the Minneapolis area has kept many immigrants at home for fear of being arrested. Now, their neighbors are crowdsourcing to cover their rent.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations aren't only happening in the Twin Cities. Federal agents are also working in smaller towns, and in some, seeing similar resistance from the community.
While Operation Metro Surge continues in the Twin Cities, Minnesota's farm country is also feeling the impact. The major concerns for farmers and the trickle-down effect it could have on consumers.
Minnesota's governor spoke out Sunday afternoon following the shooting death of Alex Pretti by federal immigration enforcement agents. "What's the plan, Donald Trump? What is the plan?" Walz said. "Fear, violence and chaos is what you wanted from us, and you clearly underestimated the people of this state and nation."
It's the second time in as many weeks that government funding has lapsed as Democrats and the White House remain at an impasse over immigration enforcement policies.
Operation Metro Surge, which sent a record number of immigration agents to Minnesota, may be nearing its end, but nonprofits that receive calls for assistance say there will likely be ripple effects felt for weeks and months to come.
On Friday morning, workers held a press conference to reflect on how the Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge has impacted the food industry.
Todd Lyons, the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement accused two federal agents of lying under oath regarding the mid-January shooting of a Venezuelan national in Minneapolis.
A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump's administration cannot pull back $600 million in public health grants allocated to four Democratic-led states, including Illinois, for now.
On Friday morning, workers held a press conference to reflect on how the Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge has impacted the food industry.
January is typically a slow month at Frontiersman Sports, but employees at the St. Louis Park, Minnesota, gun shop said sales spiked 30% above normal for the month.
Amid ongoing immigration operations in Minnesota, a local company is filling a desperate need for on-demand legal help.
Outside the governor's mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday, demonstrators, including many students and teachers, pleaded for Gov. Tim Walz to enact an immediate eviction moratorium to help families impacted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge.
It's part of broader protests calling on the Minneapolis-based retailer to respond more directly to immigration enforcement.
Sartell, Minnesota, police rescued a woman who was held against her will, according to the Sartell Police Department.
Several people charged in connection with a protest at a Minnesota church whose pastor served as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official pleaded not guilty Friday afternoon in a St. Paul federal courtroom.
The St. Paul Police Department says officers responded to the crash at the intersection of Phalen Boulevard and Rose Avenue at approximately 9:10 p.m.
Authorities on Thursday released the first physical description of a male suspect wanted in connection with the Arizona disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.
Border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota is concluding, with a drawdown of federal immigration officers set to occur over the course of next week.
Dr. Michael Osterholm and Dr. Emil Lou, faculty members with the University of Minnesota, have been recognized by TIME as two of the 100 most influential people in health in 2026.
Minnesota is in the midst of what state health officials call the nation's "largest known outbreak" of TMVII, a sexually transmitted fungal skin infection that can cause severe ringworm.
A new web page dedicated to fact-checking claims about Medicaid fraud in Minnesota has been launched by the state's Department of Human Services, officials said Wednesday.
Public health officials say a measles crisis has long been brewing in Minnesota.
Patients in Minnesota are canceling appointments and deferring critical health care needs because of fear of immigration enforcement as the federal crackdown continues, doctors say.
"Dawson's Creek" and "Varsity Blues" star James Van Der Beek has died at 48 years old.
Social media users incorrectly identified a young boy who was part of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday as Liam Conejo Ramos.
Bad Bunny says he wants to bring his culture to his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show Sunday.
Renowned comedian Dave Chappelle is set to return to the Twin Cities later this month to perform and "show a stand with a community at the center of events that should unite all Americans," show organizers said Monday.
Complete closure of the performing arts center in Washington, D.C., will start on July 4, Mr. Trump said. It's not yet clear how extensive the changes to the building might be.
A federal judge ruled Friday that Brian Flores' discrimination lawsuit against the NFL can move forward in open court, instead of arbitration.
The Minnesota Twins have signed right-handers Liam Hendriks and Julian Merryweather to minor league contracts with spring training invitations and acquired left-hander Anthony Banda in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Minnesota revised coach P.J. Fleck's contract to include an annual raise and additional incentives, a move approved by the university's board of regents on Thursday.
The junior guard on the Gopher women's basketball team has already hit 57 three-pointers this season, with five games left in the regular season.
The Minnesota Twins have been unsettled for awhile after long being a model of efficiency and stability within Major League Baseball.
Last month, activist Nekima Levy Armstrong was arrested following a protest at a Minnesota church. In Talking Points, she shares why she felt it was important to protest, her arrest and White House's digitally altered photo of her arrest.
Last month, activist Nekima Levy Armstrong was arrested following a protest at a Minnesota church. In Talking Points, she shares why she felt it was important to protest, her arrest and White House's digitally altered photo of her arrest.
Last month, activist and former Twin Cities NAACP president Nekima Levy Armstrong was arrested following a protest at a Minnesota church where the leader of a local Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office serves as a pastor. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy sits down with Armstrong to discuss the protest, her arrest, and her reaction to what she calls a “diabolical” attempt to degrade her image.
One Minnesota group has been leading the charge to train legal observers and document tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Even as Governor Tim Walz and state leaders hint that Operation Metro Surge may be ending, many Minnesota communities say the reality on the ground looks different. On tonight’s Talking Points, Esme Murphy speaks with a leader from COPAL Minnesota, an immigrant rights group training constitutional/legal observers, documenting ICE tactics, and providing resources for detained individuals and the families left behind.
Pine trees are a common sight up north. But on a Carlton, Minnesota, road, they're joined by giant lollipops. They serve as the welcoming committee for Sweetly Kismet, one of the largest candy stores in the state.
John Lauritsen shares the story behind a massive snow sculpture that's now become a winter destination.
Northland Arboretum was built half a century ago on top of what was once a city dump. But over time, nature carved its own path with a little help from a Zamboni.
St. James is a smaller town with a main street and a railroad running though. But inside a local building, the main street and the railroad are even smaller.
On Dec. 9, 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" debuted on CBS, and it became an instant classic. Lee Jenkins' home is proof that the show is still a hit six decades later.
White House border czar Tom Homan, without offering further explanation, claimed the federal immigration operation in Minnesota uncovered thousands of missing children in the state, but it's likely related to a much larger number the administration has been touting for a few years.
As our weather warms, love is also in the air. Valentine's Day is this Saturday, and while we know many of the traditions, Jeff Wagner wanted to get to the heart of the holiday.
The monthslong Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge in Minnesota has sparked ongoing protests, some measured tens of thousands of demonstrators, others just a few dozen.
According to the Police Executive Research Firm, 82% of police departments in the United States equip officers with body cameras. That number comes from 2023, meaning it could be even higher by now.
With the new $2,600 stipend, DHS said the cost of a single self-deportation is $5,100. That's significantly less than the cost to arrest, detain and deport an undocumented immigrant, which DHS said costs more than $18,000.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
Overnight temps drop slightly into the 30s. Sunday will feel similar with temps in the upper 40s, however it will be cloudier. Meteorologist Lisa Meadows shares how long this springlike weather sticks around and when we drop back to those winter temperatures.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Saturday is a WCCO Top 10 Weather Day!
Spring-like temperatures are in the air. Temperatures on Saturday could get as high as the high 50s for the southern part of the state and low 50s for central Minnesota. Meteorologist Adam Del Rosso shares just how long this warm trend sticks around and when we return to more seasonable temps.
Temperatures on Valentine's Day will be in the 40s and 50s across most of Minnesota, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
Overnight temps drop slightly into the 30s. Sunday will feel similar with temps in the upper 40s, however it will be cloudier. Meteorologist Lisa Meadows shares how long this springlike weather sticks around and when we drop back to those winter temperatures.
Thousands gathered on Saturday to honor and remember missing and murdered indigenous relatives.
Mercado Market held a Valentine's Day event to help raise money for Lake Street businesses.
Here are your four things to know for Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.
The 16th annual Winter Beer Dabbler returns to the Minnesota State Fair Grounds.