Militarized Policing Is at the Root of the Minneapolis Mayhem
Thanks to a lack of hiring standards, purposeful federal policy, poor training, and a lack of accountability for bad behavior, ICE is eroding safety and liberty for all Americans.
Minneapolis
'This Job Sucks'
Plus: the partial withdrawal of federal agents from Minneapolis, shifting public opinion on immigration, and D.C.'s continued snowpocalypse.
Does the ICE Crackdown in Minnesota Violate the Tenth Amendment?
Although a federal judge declined to issue a preliminary injunction requested by Minnesota and the Twin Cities, the plaintiffs should still prevail on their claims that the federal government’s actions there are unconstitutional.
Federal District Court Judge Rejects Minnesota's Anti-Commandeering Arguments Against DHS "Operation Metro Surge" (and with Good Reason)
There may be lots of things wrong with the way the Trump Administration is handling immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, but commandeering is not among them.
ICE's Presence at the 2026 Winter Olympics Is Sparking International Backlash
Even in a limited security role, ICE has triggered backlash abroad, reflecting the agency’s unpopularity at home and overseas.
The Minneapolis Shootings Underline the Advantages of Body Cameras, Which DHS Has Been Slow To Adopt
A pending appropriations bill could increase transparency and accountability by requiring DHS personnel to record encounters with the public.
My New Lawfare Article on "Minnesota's Compelling Tenth Amendment Case Against Trump's ICE Surge"
The article describes the suit, and explains why it deserves to prevail.
Judge Says ICE Violated Court Orders in 74 Cases—See Them All Here
The extraordinary document offers a glimpse of a national campaign by the federal government to deprive detained immigrants of due process rights.
DHS Retreats From the Claim That the Agents Who Killed Alex Pretti Faced a 'Violent Riot'
The department now describes the threat as "several civilians" who were "yelling and blowing whistles."
Stephen Miller's Hardline Immigration Tactics Are Backfiring
Miller says he’s waging a war for America. Americans see a brutal war on them.
Alex Pretti's Earlier Scuffle With ICE Doesn't Justify His Death 11 Days Later
Video of that scuffle does show that federal agents can manage to not shoot even violent protestors.
Ice, ICE…Maybe?
Plus: Trump accounts, Klobuchar runs for governor, and who wants to buy CNN now?
Trump Says States Are Required To Enforce Federal Immigration Laws. He's Wrong.
"The Framers...designed a system in which the State and Federal Governments would exercise concurrent authority over the people," wrote Justice Antonin Scalia.
The Killing of Alex Pretti Is a Reminder That All State Laws Are Backed Up by Violence
If enforcing a law isn't worth killing someone over, it probably shouldn't be a law.
After Alex Pretti's Death, the Administration Signals a Shift on Immigration Enforcement
Wider reform is needed in the way the government enforces its laws.
Alex Pretti's Death Widens a Split Between Trump and Gun Rights Groups
Federal officials suggested that carrying a firearm is inherently threatening and an invitation to police violence.
Border Patrol Agents Started the Scuffle That Led to Alex Pretti's Death
As with Renee Good, a calmer response could have avoided the lethal outcome.
It's OK To Use Sports as an Escape From Politics
We don’t have to treat everything as political, even if politics has a meddlesome hand in everything.
Border Patrol Agents Killed Alex Pretti. Why Is Border Patrol in Minneapolis at All?
Federal agencies have considerable authority outside their given jurisdiction, even when they don't have the training to match.
Trump Backpedals From Portraying Alex Pretti As a 'Domestic Terrorist' and 'Would-Be Assassin'
Although the president initially reinforced that plainly inaccurate narrative, his subsequent comments cast doubt on the initial justification for shooting the Minneapolis protester.
Democrats Plan To Block DHS Funding After Minnesota Killing. Republicans Should Join Them.
Senators should demand accountability for federal agents who hurt Americans—and demand the removal of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino.
The Second Shooting
Plus: Kristi Noem's transformation of DHS, Stanley Kubrick's Gigolo Joe, and more...
DHS Again Promises a Thorough Investigation of a Fatal Shooting After Prejudging the Outcome
"The victims are the Border Patrol agents" who killed Alex Pretti, says one DHS official, who previously claimed Pretti wanted to "massacre law enforcement."
The Trump Administration Is Lying About Gun Rights and the Death of Alex Pretti
"Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence, it's a Constitutionally protected God-given right," writes Rep. Thomas Massie (R–Ky.).
Vance Goes to Minnesota
Plus: Nurses on strike, Florida is full, the consumer revolution, and more...
ICE Turns Lawyers Away at Minneapolis Detention Facility
As arrests surge under “Operation Metro Surge,” attorneys say the Trump administration is again denying detainees meaningful access to counsel.
Greenland Will Find Out
Plus: Lawfare in Minnesota, Netflix grows, and Kamala Harris considers her options.
The Insurrection Act, Which Trump Keeps Threatening To Invoke, Is Alarmingly Vague and Broad
The antiquated statute arguably allows the president to deploy the military in response to nearly any form of domestic disorder.
'We Are Not Investigating' the Shooting of Renee Good, the Deputy Attorney General Says
Todd Blanche joins other top administration officials in declaring that ICE agent Jonathan Ross was justified in killing Good. Most Americans disagree.
ICE vs. Wine Moms, Rogan on Fauci's Crimes, and the Star Wars Prequels
A delightfully chaotic episode of Freed Up where the hosts discuss how Minnesota wine moms have taken to the streets and the Star Wars prequels somehow end up on trial—again
ICE Agents Flouted DHS Policies That Could Have Prevented Renee Good's Death
DHS tells officers to use "de-escalation tactics," employ "a verbal warning" instead of force when feasible, and avoid "placing themselves in positions" that trigger the use of deadly force.
Renee Good Was a Casualty of Trump's Order Against 'Political Violence'
The administration's written policies make it likely that more people like Renee Good will be targets, and victims, of ICE.
Heating Up
Plus: School integration, retribution for Iran, death to credentialism, and more...
The FBI Thinks Renee Good's Anti-ICE Activism Is Relevant in Deciding Whether Killing Her Was Justified
It is hard to see how, since that question hinges on what happened the morning that an ICE agent shot her.
The ICE Agent Who Killed Renee Good Disregarded Traffic Stop Guidelines
Jonathan Ross positioned himself in front of Good's car and continued firing even after he was no longer in its path.
The Media Are Wrong About the ICE Shooting Video
Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi are back this week to break down how 2026 has somehow already gone off the rails.
Video of the Minneapolis ICE Shooting Does Not Resolve the Issue of Whether It Was Legally Justified
The crucial question is whether the agent reasonably believed the driver he killed posed a threat, even if she was not actually trying to run him over.
ICE in Minnesota
Plus: Mamdani staffer embroiled in scandal, inside the new food pyramid, Ro Khanna's misstep, and more...
ICE Shoots and Kills Woman in Minneapolis
Video shows ICE officers were trying to pull the woman out of her car when she started to drive away, leading an officer to fire three shots through her window.
Trump's Somali Insults Are a Disgrace
A welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota is the Trump administration's latest excuse for demonizing immigrants and refugees.
Drive-Thrus Are Booming. Why Are Cities Banning Them?
Despite increasing demand, cities across the U.S. are pushing bans on new drive-thru restaurants in the name of reducing traffic and promoting walkability.
The Trump Campaign Won't Stop Lying About a Minnesota Man Acquitted of Shooting at Police
Jaleel Stallings became an attack ad for Republicans. What they don't mention is that he was acquitted, and a police officer pleaded guilty to assaulting him.
Is Minneapolis a 'Secret Bellwether' for Understanding Policing and Race in America?
The Minneapolis Reckoning shows why calls to defund the police gained momentum after George Floyd's death and why voters with no love for the cops still rejected an abolitionist ballot measure.
Minneapolis Is About To Kill Ride-Sharing
Chasing Seattle's shadow, Minneapolis' new ride-share wage law threatens to derail the gig economy.
Coleman Hughes vs. Radley Balko: Who's Right About George Floyd?
On the latest episode of Just Asking Questions, Radley Balko debates Coleman Hughes about Hughes' recent column arguing that Derek Chauvin may have been wrongly convicted of George Floyd's murder.
Fear, Loathing, and Zoning Reform in Minnesota
Plus: The man who would build an ADU, the zoning theory of child care, and tiny home red tape in Hawaii.
St. Paul Passes Politically Practical, Economically Unproductive Zoning Reforms
Missing middle housing reforms are getting more popular. But they're not getting much more productive.
Banning Criminal Background Checks Will Lead To More Housing Discrimination, Not Less
The best reforms would correct the real problems of overcriminalization and overincarceration, as well as removing all artificial barriers to building more homes.
