More than 70 Minnesota children were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during Operation Metro Surge, according to an analysis of court records and federal deportation data by Sahan Journal. The analysis also found that nearly two dozen children were held in custody for more than 20 days. And seven Minnesota children ages 4 to 17 remained in detention as of March 10.
“This is a systemic violent act, to be detaining children, that has long-term consequences,” attorney Kira Kelley, who represented two families of Minnesota children who were detained, told Sahan Journal. “It’s massively detrimental to the well-being of these families and our whole communities.”
An estimated 3,000 to 3,500 gallons of crude corn oil spilled from a barge into the Mississippi River Monday afternoon near Red Wing, KTTC reported. The Red Wing Fire Department responded to the ADM riverfront facility around noon, where ADM staff had placed a containment boom around the barge to prevent downstream drift, the city said in a news release. The scene has been turned over to ADM staff and Clean Harbors for continued response, with no immediate risk to the public, officials said.
In some more positive Earth Day news, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources released a three-legged black bear back into the wild after the animal, named Stubby, was found with a bullet wound and underwent successful leg amputation surgery, the Star Tribune reported Tuesday. Andy Tri, the DNR’s bear project leader, told the Strib that while this sort of rehabilitation is rare, Stubby’s case was special: “We figured we’d take a chance on it.”
In Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara discussed initiatives aimed at improving public safety in the Uptown neighborhood during a Tuesday news conference, WCCO-TV reported. City leaders highlighted the expansion of the city’s Community Safety Ambassadors, a pilot program already operating in other south Minneapolis neighborhoods. The program trains unarmed dispatchers and ambassadors to conduct wellness checks, connect people with services, serve as safety escorts and provide basic first aid. It is set to begin serving the Uptown community in November, KSTP-TV reported.
Minnesota cannabis growers are running into regulatory challenges and resistance even as recreational marijuana has been legalized across the state, MPR News reported. While state law allows the cannabis industry to operate, some local governments have passed ordinances restricting or zoning out businesses. The mismatch between state and local regulations is prompting lawsuits from growers around the state.
Lawmakers in the Minnesota House passed a bill Monday increasing the age limit to buy the controversial herbal substance kratom from 18 to 21, FOX 9 reported. The Food and Drug Administration warns against the substance, which was used by 1.7 million Americans in 2021 to treat conditions such as anxiety and opioid withdrawal, citing risks including liver toxicity, seizures and substance use disorder.
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