THIS IS A TOMATO SOUP and grilled cheese kind of day in Minnesota. Or maybe a Chicken Wild Rice Hotdish kind of day, depending on your preference. With that theme, I’ll start today’s post with the weather and move on from there to a potluck of topics.
We are currently in a statewide extreme weather warning with air temps in southern Minnesota well below zero. Factor in the wind and the air temp feels like minus 30 degrees below zero, give or take some degrees depending on location. Overnight, the wind chill plunged into the -40 to nearly -60 degrees in parts of Minnesota. Exposed skin can freeze in five minutes. It’s that kind of brutal, icy cold.
Schools across the state are closed with many transitioning to online learning. Businesses, too, are shuttered, especially in the Twin Cities metro, but not necessarily due to the deep freeze temps.
DAY OF TRUTH & FREEDOM
Today marks a day of economic blackout and protest in Minnesota under the banner of “ICE Out of Minnesota: Day of Truth and Freedom.” Many metro businesses are closed in support of that protest, businesses that have already been negatively impacted by ICE presence in this state. Employees are afraid to come to work. Customers likewise. I’m no numbers person, but I wonder how long small businesses can survive.
ICE Out of Minnesota is a protest against federal government immigration enforcement here. The protest is a show of solidarity with the unified message of Get ICE out of Minnesota.
We are a hardy bunch. Vice President J.D. Vance, who was in Minnesota yesterday, unknowingly alluded to that when he stated, “We’re seeing only this level of chaos in Minneapolis.” Now I disagree with his word choice of “chaos.” I would use “resistance” instead. But his statement tells me that peaceful protesters, legal observers and anyone (including elected officials) who challenges the federal government spin and ICE actions are getting under his skin and that of other feds. I wonder if Vance considered for a moment that the presence of 3,000 federal agents in Minnesota is unnecessary, horrible, traumatizing, morally wrong and is raising our ire. Nah, probably not.
LAUGHABLE STATEMENTS
While here, the vice president called for local and state government officials to “meet these guys (federal immigration agents) half way” per the directive of the president. That’s laughable since Vance didn’t even meet with Governor Tim Walz or Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey while in Minnesota. You’d think he would have and could at least correctly pronounce Frey’s name. Nah, why bother?
During his talk, Vance showed anything but a cooperative spirit. Rather, he blamed—the media for lying, “far left agitators” and “rioters” for causing chaos, elected Minnesota officials and law enforcement for not cooperating, and even the family of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos for his detainment. And on and on.
Vance repeatedly stated that ICE action is being taken out of context. Really? He also stated, in answer to a reporter’s question, that the federal government is not trying to send a political message via 3,000 agents sent to Minnesota, but rather trying to enforce the law. Really?
ONWARD WITH GRATITUDE
So onward we go here in Minnesota. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who is staying aware of what is occurring in my beloved state. This could be your city or state next, depending on political leaning. Thank you for standing in solidarity with Minnesotans. Thank you for protesting, for calling your elected officials, for helping your neighbors, for recognizing the threats to our freedom, for showing your humanity in loving words and actions. Your support matters to us in Minnesota. We are grateful.
FYI: I direct you to Minnesota Public Radio as a trusted source for ICE-related and other stories in our state.
© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Thanks for this Audrey. We’re grateful too, for support we get from friends in other states.
You’re welcome, Valerie. I’m glad you’re feeling the love and support also.
Yes, support for Minnesota’s situation is strong here in California. I’ve seen reports of major demonstrations in San Francisco and Santa Rosa. I know you will stay strong and thank you for getting the word out about what’s really going on.
Thank you, California, for standing in solidarity with Minnesota. Thank you, my Minnesota native friend, for the encouragement to stay strong and for appreciating my work.
you and your state are a model and an inspiration to all of us. we stand in solidarity with you against this terrible wrong that you are having to endure and with your spirit and your incredible strength and bravery, we have full faith that we all will overcome this regime and this horrible period of history. thank you for your reporting from minnesota and keeping us in the loop with what is happening, your role is so important in all of this – stay safe and warm.
Thank you, my Michigan friend. Unfortunately, a man was shot and killed in south Minneapolis this morning by federal agents. This HAS TO end. ICE needs to leave Minnesota. I am outraged.
I cannot like this and I could not agree more. outrage does not even begin to cover how I feel and I’m sure for you as well
Nope, don’t like this. Scream. Vent. Get angry. Cry. Contact your elected officials. Protest peacefully. Stand in solidarity. I know you are doing all of those things. As a life-long Minnesotan, thank you!
Thank you for your words of unity to stand against this chaos brought to us by this regime.
We must continue to speak up against this regime.
I can’t help but wonder what kind of blinders Vance and other Republicans are wearing right now, to not see how wrong this all looks. A massive swarm of federal agents are harassing citizens, arresting children, shooting people… The optics are terrible for the current admin. You’d think for the sake of decency they’d recognize how awful this all is and make some immediate changes. But instead they seem to be doubling down on the horror….
Yes, they doubled down and shot and killed a man in south Minneapolis this morning.
How do Trump and his acolytes live with themselves? They lie, deceive, mischaracterize, misinterpret; bend words, pictures, videos; insult, ignore, and demean anyone who asks a legitimate question or doesn’t agree with them. I hope all their brains melt into piles of sludge.
I wonder the same. And then I call my representative in DC and he continues to back the Orange Guy.
Federal agents shot and killed a man in south Minneapolis this morning. When will this lawlessness end?