Politics and Government News

Data centers roil local politics, spark Hermantown residents to reshape government
A plan for a massive data center is roiling local politics in Hermantown. Some residents of the town near Duluth have been fighting the proposed facility for months — and their outrage has some leading an effort to reshape how their local government operates.
What’s changing — and what isn’t — for Minnesota’s group home industry
Lawmakers revised regulations following an investigation by MPR News and APM Reports into the group home industry’s explosive growth in the northwestern suburbs of the Twin Cities — and the surprising number deaths among residents.
New Minnesota law makes sexual grooming of children a felony
Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill into law aimed at preventing the sexual grooming of children. Championed by a former student, the bill passed with rare unanimous bipartisan support in a divided Legislature.
ICE is spending millions of dollars on iris scanners, expanding its arsenal of tech tools
ICE is expanding its use of iris recognition technology, with plans to deploy hundreds of scanning devices across the country. The practice raises concerns among privacy experts that the Department of Homeland Security is amassing a database of biometric data.
Here’s how a new law will change Minnesota’s cannabis and hemp industries
Cannabis and hemp supply chains will merge, businesses making hemp-derived products will have an easier time transitioning into the cannabis market, hemp-derived THC drinks can now be sold in sizes similar to liquor bottles, and more.
 Amid statewide race losing streak, Minnesota Republicans look for a new formula for success
Minnesota Republicans will convene this weekend in Duluth to endorse candidates in several statewide races. They split on whether steering candidates closely aligned to President Donald Trump or those seen as more politically moderate will be the best path to victory in November.
ICE detainees are dying by suicide at an 'alarming' rate, an AP investigation finds
Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees are taking their own lives at a pace that’s unprecedented in the agency’s two-decade history, highlighting what experts call failures in care and oversight.
New Trump immigration guidance could force some green card applicants to wait abroad
Immigration attorneys say the new policy memo doesn’t target existing green card holders, but could impact immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years while navigating complicated immigration backlogs or waiting for other legal pathways to open.