An ICE whistleblower accuses the agency of defective training, some big changes await Bemidji schools, and Minnesota lawmakers move to make students safer from grooming.
Transcript
I’M XAN HOLSTON WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE.
A WHISTLEBLOWER CALLS OUT ICE …
AND SOME BIG CHANGES AT BEMIDJI SCHOOLS …
BUT FIRST … MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS MOVE TO MAKE CHILD GROOMING A FELONY AFTER EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY.
--ANTI-GROOMING BILL--
[HANNAH LOPRESTO: DUE TO THE YEARS OF GROOMING, I BELIEVED THAT I WAS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN MY ABUSE, AND THAT I HAD CAUSED IT.]
SURVIVOR HANNAH LOPRESTO SAYS HER BAND TEACHER STARTED GROOMING HER WHEN SHE WAS IN TENTH GRADE — AND CONTINUED THROUGH GRADUATION.
A NEW BILL WOULD LET PROSECUTORS FILE FELONY CHARGES AGAINST ADULTS WHO BUILD TRUST WITH A CHILD UNDER 16 FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPLOITATION — EVEN IF NO SEXUAL CONTACT HAS HAPPENED YET.
PROSECUTORS CURRENTLY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL ABUSE OCCURS TO FILE CHARGES. SUPPORTERS SAY THIS BILL WILL HELP STOP ABUSE EARLIER — AND PREVENT LONG-TERM HARM.
[HANNAH LOPRESTO: IT WAS YEARS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIPULATION THAT HARMED MY UNDERSTANDING OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS, MY OWN VALUES, AND MY ABILITY TO TRUST OTHERS.]
THE BILL WOULD ALSO EXPAND TRAINING FOR MANDATORY REPORTERS — AND BAR ADULTS FROM BEING ALONE WITH STUDENTS ON FIELD TRIPS.
--WHISTLEBLOWER--
A FORMER ICE TRAINING AGENT-TURNED-WHISTLEBLOWER SAYS THE AGENCY IS LYING TO CONGRESS ABOUT ITS TRAINING PROGRAM.
RYAN SCHWANK TESTIFIED THAT THE AGENCY HAS SHARPLY REDUCED INSTRUCTION ON FIREARM USE, CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS ON AUTHORITY AND PROTESTERS’ RIGHTS. HE SAYS THAT CLASS…
[RYAN SCHWANK: WAS CUT FROM A TWO-HOUR PROGRAM INTO ABOUT 10 MINUTES THAT GOT SHOEHORNED INTO A LECTURE ON WHAT THE CONCEPT OF SEIZURE IS.]
HE SAYS THAT IN ONE TRAINING SCENARIO, A CADET PEPPER-SPRAYED A BYSTANDER WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY RECORDING AN OPERATION.
[RYAN SCHWANK: AND WHEN WE ASKED THE CADET AFTERWARDS WHY THEY DID IT, THEIR ANSWER WAS, IT’S BECAUSE I’VE SEEN WHAT WE’RE DOING IN MINNEAPOLIS.]
HE ALSO ALLEGES THAT NO MATTER HOW BADLY CADETS PERFORM ON FIELD TESTS, THEY STILL GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM.
--ACLU ICE NUMBERS--
FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAY OPERATION METRO SURGE HAS ENDED — AND BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN RECENTLY SUGGESTED ONLY A FEW HUNDRED AGENTS REMAIN IN THE STATE.
BUT A NEW COURT FILING SUGGESTS THE FEDERAL PRESENCE HERE REMAINS LARGE.
IN AN ACLU OF MINNESOTA LAWSUIT, ICE LEADERSHIP SAYS THAT AS OF THIS WEEK, NEARLY A THOUSAND FEDERAL IMMIGRATION PERSONNEL REMAIN ASSIGNED TO THE ST. PAUL OFFICE — INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS AGENTS NOT REFLECTED IN ICE TOTALS.
THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO DROP TO ABOUT 400 BY MARCH — STILL WELL ABOVE NORMAL STAFFING LEVELS.
--MANKATO ICE ORDINANCE--
THE MANKATO CITY COUNCIL PASSED AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TUESDAY NIGHT THAT BANS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS FROM CONCEALING THEIR FACES.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, OFFICERS CANNOT WEAR MASKS, MUST USE BODY CAMERAS WHEN POSSIBLE AND MUST NOTIFY THE CITY AHEAD OF OPERATIONS.
MANKATO’S CITY ATTORNEY SAYS…
[PAM WHITMORE: JUST BECAUSE THEY’RE A FEDERAL OFFICER DOESN’T MEAN THEY CAN’T VIOLATE ONE OF OUR CITY CODES … WE’RE NOT TELLING THEM THAT THEY CAN’T EXECUTE THAT WARRANT, WE’RE TELLING THEM THEY CAN’T HAVE A FACE COVERING ON.]
MANKATO IS THE FIRST CITY OUTSIDE THE METRO TO PASS A NO-MASK ORDINANCE.
THE NEW LAW IS IN EFFECT UNTIL APRIL 24 — AND COULD BECOME PERMANENT THEN.
--TRUMP SLAMS SOMALIS--
PRESIDENT TRUMP AGAIN SLAMMED SOMALI PEOPLE IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS — SETTING UP ONE OF SEVERAL TENSE EXCHANGES WITH U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR.
[DONALD TRUMP: IMPORTING THESE CULTURES THROUGH UNRESTRICTED IMMIGRATION AND OPEN BORDERS … BRINGS THOSE PROBLEMS RIGHT HERE TO THE U.S.A.]
AS TRUMP SPOKE AGAINST SANCTUARY STATES — AND CALLED FOR PENALTIES FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS WHO INTERVENE IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT — OMAR REPEATEDLY YELLED…
[ILHAN OMAR: YOU HAVE KILLED AMERICANS.]
ON WEDNESDAY, TRUMP SAID OMAR SHOULD BE SENT BACK TO WHERE SHE’S FROM…
[DONALD TRUMP: AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.]
--LINE 5 REROUTE--
A REROUTE FOR ENBRIDGE’S LINE 5 OIL PIPELINE IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN CLEARED A MAJOR HURDLE THIS WEEK — AFTER THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ISSUED THE FINAL FEDERAL PERMIT.
THE PLAN WOULD MOVE THE PIPELINE OFF THE BAD RIVER BAND OF LAKE SUPERIOR CHIPPEWA RESERVATION — WHERE THE TRIBE HAS BEEN FIGHTING TO REMOVE IT.
BUT TRIBAL LEADERS SAY THE REROUTE STILL THREATENS SURROUNDING WATERS AND WILD RICE BEDS — AND THAT THEY’LL APPEAL THE DECISION.
--BEMIDJI SCHOOLS 1 & 2--
BIG CHANGES FOR TWO BEMIDJI SCHOOLS THIS WEEK.
AMPERS MEMBER STATION KAXE REPORTS THE BEMIDJI SCHOOL BOARD MUST TRIM MORE THAN THREE-MILLION DOLLARS FROM ITS BUDGET — AND IS CONSIDERING CLOSING J.W. SMITH ELEMENTARY.
THE SCHOOL SERVES MORE THAN 200 STUDENTS — AND NEARLY 70 PERCENT ARE AMERICAN INDIAN.
[IS J.W. SMITH BEING CONSIDERED BECAUSE IT IS PERCEIVED AS THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE? BECAUSE PEOPLE ASSUME THIS COMMUNITY WON’T PUSH BACK AS LOUDLY? BECAUSE IF THAT’S THE CALCULATION, IT’S A GRAVE MISJUDGMENT.]
THE BOARD IS EXPECTED TO VOTE ON THE CLOSURE EARLY NEXT MONTH.
MEANWHILE, THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED AN AGREEMENT TO SELL THE FORMER CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING TO AN OJIBWE NONPROFIT.
THE GROUP PLANS TO OPEN AN INDIGENOUS-LED “UN-BOARDING SCHOOL” — STARTING WITH A PUBLIC COMPUTER LAB.
IT HOPES TO LATER ADD CHILDCARE, LOW-INCOME HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
--SNOWPLOW NAMES--
AND FINALLY …
OH, FOR SLEET’S SAKE IS THE TOP PICK IN MNDOT’S ANNUAL NAME A SNOWPLOW CONTEST.
THERE ARE EIGHT NEWLY NAMED PLOWS IN ALL, INCLUDING FLURIOUS GEORGE AND SLED ZEPPELIN.
TO THOSE WHOSE CHOICES WON … MORE PLOW-ER TO YA.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.