This week’s edition covers stories
from November 13th to November 19th, 2025.
Today’s issue is 640 words, a 5-minute read
Hey folks, Isabella here.
This week’s news is giving plot twist energy. Minnesota’s immigration tensions are escalating faster than a Travis Kelce headline, ICE scandals are messier than the latest reality-TV reunion, and St. Anthony Falls is getting a glow-up worthy of a Beyoncé Renaissance tour. Let’s get into it.
Minnesota Becomes a
Deportation Hub as Federal
Raids Intensify Nationwide
A crowd of protesters gather during a raid at wiper manufacturer and distributor Bro-Tex Inc. on Nov. 18, 2025 in St. Paul.📸 Aaron Nesheim | Sahan Journal
In Minnesota’s Twin Cities, tensions are rising. At Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, sources say detainees being deported through the airport “had no idea where we were going,” pointing to a system of flights and shuttles where many pass through Minnesota with minimal transparency. Meanwhile, through eight Minnesota counties, sheriffs’ offices have signed agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to assist in deportation activities, setting a shift in local-federal cooperation that critics say undercuts community trust.
A separate flashpoint: the state’s law-enforcement apparatus is facing blowback. A large raid in St. Paul at a business turned into a pitched standoff with protesters after agents from ICE, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and, apparently, the Drug Enforcement Administration encircled the site, used chemical irritants, and zip-tied civilians as part of enforcing search warrants.
Out of state, the crackdown is booming. In Charlotte, North Carolina, a multi-day sweep dubbed Operation Charlotte’s Web saw more than 130 arrests in its first weekend, with the total passing 250 as areas around Raleigh were swept. Federal agents have reportedly geared up for the next act in New Orleans, Louisiana: a deployment of over 250 agents for a two-month “Swamp Sweep” targeting 5,000 arrests in the region.
Here’s what to watch:
- Minnesota is evolving from a transit point to a coordination hub for deportations, which raises questions about transparency, the balance of local and federal power, and the community’s consequences.
- Local communities are pushing back, especially when enforcement turns visible and aggressive (raid scenes, protesters, fear spreading).
- The national pattern: what were once border or traditional “immigration enforcement” zones are now anywhere — Midwest cities, Deep South hubs — with big federal resources.
- The human impact: families, workers, and everyday immigrants are caught in the crosshairs, where the logistics of deportation pass through their communities, often silenced, unreported, and under-questioned.
Twin Cities ICE Worker
Charged in ‘Operation Creep’
Trafficking Bust
A Twin Cities ICE employee was among 16 men arrested in a Bloomington child-sex trafficking sting that police bluntly named “Operation Creep.”
Alexander Steven Back, 41, a civilian ICE staffer, is one of four already charged with trying to buy sex from someone he believed was a 17-year-old girl. According to the complaint, Back responded to a fake ad and twice confirmed he was fine with the teen’s age before showing up at a Bloomington address, where officers immediately arrested him. Federal charges may follow.
Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said the multi-agency sting — involving BCA, local departments, and MSP Airport Police — mirrors a March operation that also netted 14 men, including former GOP state Sen. Justin Eichorn. That earlier case escalated federally, with one defendant now facing a 10-year mandatory minimum and potential deportation.
Officials urge anyone suspecting trafficking to call 911 or the National Trafficking Hotline (1-888-373-7888).
Dakota-Led Vision Revives Owámniyomni
with Land, Culture, and Healing
A Dakota-led nonprofit is reimagining five acres at St. Anthony Falls, unveiling plans to restore the sacred riverfront by removing industrial structures and reintroducing Native plants sourced from Dakota lands. Owámniyomni Okhódayapi will acquire the site from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by late 2026, aiming to create a space rooted in beauty, healing, and cultural connection.
The design includes bluff restoration inspired by natural limestone, a new 25-foot water cascade, and ADA-accessible paths. Construction begins next spring and runs through 2028, coinciding with Owamni restaurant’s move to the Guthrie. City leaders say the project reflects Minneapolis’ commitment to centering Dakota voices and honoring the land.
Stay informed, stay connected.
See you next week!
–
Isabella and the NewPrensa team
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Hi, friend: Isabella here!
I’m a Communications Specialist by day and keeping up with the tea by night!
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