• Minnesota Now: Feb. 19, 2026
    Feb 19 2026

    A coalition of more than 20 mayors across Minnesota is calling on the state for help with recovery from the surge of federal agents in the last two months. We'll hear from the mayor of Brooklyn Center about the group's number one ask to state lawmakers.


    It's been a week since border czar Tom Homan announced a plan to significantly reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota. But has that been the case on the ground? What data on flights out of MSP carrying detainees indicates.


    Homan also claimed federal agents had located more than 3,000 supposedly missing unaccompanied children during the surge. A local expert breaks down what that might mean.


    And we'll meet a Minnesota ER doctor consulting for the hit TV show “The Pitt.“


    Our Minnesota Music Minute was “Minneapolis Madness” by room3, Alex Brown, David Feily and LA Buckner. Our Song of the Day was “Human” by Brandi Carlile.

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    52 Min.
  • Data shows major drop in number of ICE detainees being transferred out of state
    Feb 19 2026

    The number of ICE detainees flown out of state has dropped significantly since border czar Tom Homan announced a major drawdown of federal agents from Minnesota last Thursday — an indication that federal enforcement activity could be easing.


    Nick Benson is an activist with MN50501 who has been tracking flights leaving Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport chartered by the federal government. He said more than 3,600 people have been flown out of the state on these flights since early November when he began documenting.

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    9 Min.
  • Minnesota emergency room doctor served as medical consultant for 'The Pitt'
    Feb 19 2026

    The hit HBO medical drama “The Pitt,” follows a fictional emergency room in Pittsburgh, Penn. for one day. Each episode, is an hour of their shift. The show has been complimented for its accuracy in portraying a real emergency room. That’s thanks in part to a Minnesota doctor.


    Dr. Jacob Lentz is an emergency room doctor at MHealth Fairview Lakes Medical Center in Wyoming, Minn. and he served as a medical consultant for the show. Season two is airing now on HBO.


    Dr. Lentz spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about his role on the show and how he helped contribute to its medical accuracy.

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    9 Min.
  • Minnesota Frost cheer on Team USA women's hockey in gold-medal match
    Feb 19 2026

    If you follow women’s hockey, you know this rivalry well. The United States women's Olympic hockey team and the Canada women's Olympic hockey team have defined Olympic gold medal games for nearly three decades. Since 1998, they’ve met in the Olympic finals seven out of eight times. The U.S. has taken gold twice. They’re trying for a third gold Thursday afternoon.


    And Minnesota fans have plenty of reasons to watch. Six players representing the U.S. also play for the Minnesota Frost.


    Frost General Manager Melissa Caruso is watching her players compete on the sport’s biggest stage — and she joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about the game.

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    6 Min.
  • Coalition of more than 20 mayors ask for legislative support for ICE surge recovery
    Feb 19 2026

    A group of mayors in Minnesota are asking the legislature for economic relief from the impacts of the surge of federal immigration agents to the state. The Cities for Safe and Stable Communities Coalition now includes more than 20 communities, mainly suburbs in the Twin Cities metro area.


    Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon said getting aid to city governments is the group’s number one ask to state lawmakers.


    “We won't be asking for handouts,” said Hanlon, “We are asking for fairness, for justice and resources to fix a crisis we didn't create in order.”


    Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves was part of the creation of this group of mayors and she spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk more about their priorities.

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    10 Min.
  • Tom Homan said ICE found more than 3,000 unaccompanied minors in Minnesota. What does that mean?
    Feb 19 2026

    When border czar Tom Homan announced a drawdown of federal agents in Minnesota, he said something else that stood out: “ICE, here, in this state, have located 3,364 missing unaccompanied alien children. Children that the last administration lost and weren’t even looking for.”


    Unaccompanied minors is a term the federal government uses to describe children under 18 who don't have lawful status in the U.S. and who don’t have parents or legal guardians in the country who can care for them. Many live with other family members or connections who are known to the government as their sponsors.


    The Trump Administration has pledged to step up tracking of 450,000 unaccompanied minors nationwide. The goal, it says, is to protect them from abuse and child labor. Joining Minnesota Now to talk more about this is Kim Boche from The Advocates for Human Rights. They lead a team of attorneys focused on unaccompanied minors.

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    8 Min.
  • Minnesota Now: Feb. 18, 2026
    Feb 18 2026

    Hennepin County attorney Mary Moriarty is filing a request to get evidence from the federal government on a pair of shootings in Minneapolis during the surge of ICE agents.


    More than a foot of snow has piled on the North Shore with up to 10 more inches on the way as blizzard conditions continue. MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner has been keeping an eye on the storm.


    Plus, tenants advocates were at the state capitol Wednesday morning calling for an eviction moratorium and rent relief funding for those economically affected by the presence of thousands of federal agents.


    Plus, a new exhibition is showcasing 3,000 years of Chinese artwork that features the horse.

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    54 Min.
  • Exhibition rings in Year of the Fire Horse with Chinese art spanning 3,000 years
    Feb 18 2026

    The year of the horse has officially begun after Tuesday’s Lunar New Year marked the end of the year of the snake. Lunar New Year is a holiday celebrated by many Asian cultures across the world. Each year is tied to a specific zodiac animal as well as one of five elements.


    2026 is the first time in 60 years that we are welcoming the year of the fire horse. To usher in this new era, a new exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art showcases the significance of the horse across 3,000 years of Chinese art.


    The exhibition, “Year of the Horse: Hoofbeats Through Time” opened Wednesday and will be open through Aug. 30.


    Curator Liu Yang joined Minnesota Now to talk about the exhibition.

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    9 Min.