The White House's new point person on the immigration crackdown in Minnesota met with Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey yesterday, as ICE raids and arrests continued in the state.

Why it matters: While the meetings with border czar Tom Homan appear to be another step toward de-escalation, a quick and large-scale pullback of agents doesn't appear to be imminent.

What they're saying: Frey, who met with Homan alongside Police Chief Brian O'Hara, described the conversation as productive.

Friction point: Frey said he made it clear that the city police will not enforce federal immigration laws despite President Trump's demand that local police help ICE.

Walz said after his meeting that he reiterated to Homan that he wants impartial investigations into the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

• Both Walz and Frey said they told Homan they want a quick end to the surge.

Homan said on X that all parties "agree that we need to support our law enforcement officers and get criminals off the streets."

• "While we don't agree on everything, these meetings were a productive starting point and I look forward to more conversations with key stakeholders in the days ahead," he said.

Reality check: Federal agents are still active in Minneapolis.

• A crowd-sourced database of suspected ICE activity logged over 400 possible sightings across the metro area yesterday.
• In one incident, an ICE agent attempted to forcibly enter Ecuador's consulate in Minneapolis, according to the country's Foreign Affairs Ministry.
• District officials and observers also reported agents near schools in Apple Valley and Lakeville.

Between the lines: While Homan may adopt a more targeted immigration enforcement, according to Axios sources, his presence is not likely to quell growing concerns that federal agents are being ordered to collect information about protesters, according to CNN.

• Homan told Fox News last month that he was pushing for such a database.
• "We're going to put their face on TV," he said. "We're going to let their employers, in their neighborhoods, in their schools, know who these people are."

The statement issued by DHS in the hours after Saturday's shooting alleging Pretti "wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement" was dictated to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, four sources told Axios' Marc Caputo.

• As more video from bystanders and observers contradicted the official narrative over the weekend, Trump made changes in the Minnesota operation, dispatching Homan to the state on Monday.
• Miller told Axios that his message was based on "information sent to the White House through [Customs and Border Patrol]" and said it appears the operation that day didn't follow new protocols the White House established after the Renee Good shooting.

⚖️ Anger at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem coursed throughout the Senate yesterday, as more senators from both parties said she should be out of a job.

• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also warned Trump that if he doesn't fire Noem, Democrats "will commence impeachment proceedings."
• Trump said yesterday that Noem is doing a good job and he's not going to oust her.

📝 Since the start of the surge in late November, attorneys have filed nearly 500 habeas corpus petitions alleging that immigrants have been detained without a bail hearing or due process, KARE 11 reported.

• A federal judge in Minnesota ordered acting ICE director Todd Lyons to show up in court on Friday because his agency ignored a court order to give a petitioner a bond hearing.

🛑 A federal judge temporarily barred officials from deporting 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father, who were taken into custody in Columbia Heights in an incident that went viral, according to CBS News.

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar was rushed by a man during a town hall last night and sprayed with unknown liquid from a syringe.

Driving the news: In video of the incident, a man can be seen charging toward Omar as she was calling for the abolition of ICE and voicing her support for impeaching Noem.

• The man, identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, was "immediately arrested by MPD officers" and booked into county jail, an MPD spokesperson told Axios.

What they're saying: "The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn't let bullies win," Omar's spokesperson said.

• Omar said in a post on X: "I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work."

The man's motive was not immediately clear. But Omar has been the subject of increased attention and verbal attacks from the right in recent weeks, including from President Trump.

Full story

🏥 Hennepin Healthcare, facing a financial crisis, is closing or reducing five programs and laying off 100 employees. (Fox 9)

🎯 Target was left off Fortune's annual list of World's Most Admired Companies for the first time in 24 years. The magazine cited poor financial results and its flip flopping on diversity efforts, among other factors. (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal)

🎸 Dave Matthews Band will play the new Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee on June 23. (KARE 11)

⚕️ Health care stocks plummeted yesterday after the Trump administration proposed keeping federal payments to private Medicare plans roughly flat in 2027. (Axios)

• Minnesota-based UnitedHealth dropped nearly 20%, compounding losses as the company also reported disappointing Q4 revenue and issued a lackluster 2026 outlook.

Democrats Meg Luger-Nikolai and Shelley Buck won yesterday's special elections for open House seats in St. Paul and Woodbury.

Why it matters: The wins return the House to a 67-67 tie ahead of the upcoming legislative session.

• Plus: Once they're sworn in, the 201-member Legislature will be fully seated for the first time since last June.

How we got here: November election victories triggered vacancies in both safe DFL seats.

• House District 47A, which Buck will now represent, opened up when Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger (DFL-Woodbury) won an open Senate seat.
• Luger-Nikolai became the DFL nominee for 64A following DFL Rep. Kaohly Her's election as St. Paul mayor.

What's next: Session starts Feb. 17.

👋 Torey here. My husband and I encountered a curious savory cocktail on a recent date night at Estelle in St. Paul.

What he ordered: The $16 "Guess What," featuring chili pepper vodka, ginger, lemon, sherry and ... chicken stock(!), with a paprika salt rim.

My thought bubble: The drink was surprisingly well-balanced, and the stock flavor wasn't as overpowering as I feared.

Yes, but: While a sip was fine, I don't know I would have wanted to drink a whole one myself.

• Chase, meanwhile, has more adventurous taste buds and gave it two thumbs up.