Minnesota Politics

The Department of Homeland Security says Operation Metro Surge has resulted in about 400 arrests across the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, targeting noncitizens with deportation orders and what officials called a “worst of the worst” list that includes people from Somalia, Mexico, El Salvador and other countries, and naming multiple arrestees with prior convictions. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin publicly rebuked Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey—accusing them of failing to protect Minnesotans and rejecting Walz’s claims that U.S. citizens were improperly detained—while local leaders have moved to limit city cooperation as the operation unfolds amid broader federal immigration actions and heated rhetoric about Somali migrants.

MyPillow founder and Trump ally Mike Lindell announced Dec. 11, 2025 at his Shakopee factory that he will seek the Republican nomination for Minnesota governor in 2026, aiming to challenge Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. Lindell said he told Donald Trump in August he was considering a run, plans to campaign in every town, and cast his bid around business experience and fighting fraud; Walz’s campaign blasted him as a conspiracy theorist tied to 2020 election denial.