It was about 44 degrees as these shackled detainees were loaded onto today's ICE Air flight in the pouring rain at MSP.
ICE hasn't stopped in Minnesota, neither have MN50501's volunteer observers - please help cover our parking fees: mn50501.org/donate
Data: ottergoose.net/ice-flights-msp/data
If you want to know what's happening in the literary, writing and publishing world in Minnesota (and to some extent Wisconsin) I've turned my newsletter into an actual publication:The Lester Literary Quarterly.
Subscribe now and you get a FREE Prince audio tour: lester.substack.com
Today 27 shackled detainees were flown from Minnesota to Louisiana.
Every ICE Air flight at MSP is observed by MN50501 volunteers - ICE hasn't stopped, neither have we.
Data: ottergoose.net/ice-flights-msp/data/
If you like wine (and who doesn't?) check out my story at the U of M Alumni Magazine about how, starting in the 1970s, the first grapes were bred to survive Minnesota winters.
Plus, a love story:
www.minnesotaalumni.org/stories/cult...
My near-term goal is the closure of Dilley, and cessation of family detentions while immigration proceedings are underway.
Please join me, Ms. Rachel, Raffi, and hundreds of thousands of other good people who’ve signed this petition: c.org/W6pC7wRqZM
Do we have any idea where these people are coming from?
Two chained women are inspected before being loaded onto today's ICE Air flight at MSP.
Empty shackles, returning from El Paso, will be brought to Whipple.
The number of people loaded here this week, 67, is the highest since Feb 7-13, when Homan announced the end of Metro Surge.
UPDATE: The small ICE Air jet has just landed at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. This marks the 1st deportation flight to Uganda since at least 2020 and likely the 1st transfer there under the Asylum Cooperative Agreement.
Hey Journalists: If you want to teach, there's a job opening in Minneapolis: Lecturer/Sr Lecturer of Journalism Hubbard School
hr.myu.umn.edu/psc/hrprd/EM...
Hey Writers: If you have a book idea, or a proposal that needs work, here's an excellent workshop for you:
The Book Proposal Boot Camp, Spring 2026
christieaschwanden.com/the-book-pro...
I've got a new story over at Outside. It's one I've been working on for many years: The story of Neil Whitehead, an anthropologist who was investigating the dark shamans known as "kanaiama." Here's the intro along with some photos from Guyana.
frankbures.com/2026/04/01/d...
Yesterday, MN50501 observers documented 29 detainees boarding the ICE Air flight at MSP - the largest count seen since February 10.
In the second clip, a woman (one of six female detainees on this flight) climbs the steps, as feds pack up the WRAP, a full-body restraint.
A graph showing the number of ICE detainees flown out of MSP by day between Nov 10 2025 and Mar 23 2026. There's a gradual increase from occasional 20 people per day at the beginningn, slowly increasing to a few of 45 people per day around January 1, before a quick increase peaking in early January, and slowing down towards the end of February, where sporadic days start appearing with a handful to 25 people some days.
ICE detentions without sufficient probable cause or due process continue in Minnesota.
ICE Air flights are still operating at MSP. On March 10, they decreased to twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Volunteer observers, coordinated by MN50501, remain committed to observing every flight.
🧵 Recap
Next Saturday, March 28, come hear about epic paddling expeditions at the Far North Symposium organized by legendary canoeist Bob O'Hara.
I'll be giving a presentation on the Paul Bunyan Canoe Derby. Details and the schedule here: frankbures.com/2026/03/20/p...
Can't argue with that.
Pam credits that stark phrase "WE KNOW WHAT WE SAW" to this black-and-white quilt by @thexennialquilter - Melissa Laranjeira www.instagram.com/p/DUGckVPkdx...
Your piece made me flash on this stunning quilt by Pam Brisse. www.instagram.com/pamdorra/p/D...
Love so many things about it, but the black cell-phone framing is the *chef's kiss* for the eyes and the words:
I've got new piece over at the Minnesota Reformer on why our dystopia is different than the ones imagined by Orwell and others in the past. Also, what the Minnesota resistance meant for it:
minnesotareformer.com/2026/03/11/t...
Today we observed six shackled detainees being loaded onto the ICE Air flight at MSP. They're heading to El Paso, where conditions are so horrific, staff gamble on who the next prisoner to commit suicide will be.
The man walking from right to left at the beginning of the clip is dragging shackles.
small municipal governments throughout MN were dealing with ballooning costs due to abandoned cars, overtime expenses for police officers, enrollment drops in public schools, more than $106 million in estimated lost wages, $203 million in economic damage and $81 million in business losses.
There's a new entry in MNopedia, the indispensable guide to all things Minnesota History. It's an overview of the Paul Bunyan Canoe Derby, completely with a timeline and turning points:
Paul Bunyan Canoe Derby
www.mnhs.org/mnopedia/sea...
No ICE Air flight at MSP today (Wed, Feb 25).
We’ve had no flights three of the last four days, the first time that’s happened since Jan 1-4.
This is great progress, but the need for food and rent support is large, and donations are way down. Please help if you can: standwithminnesota.com
DHS told Reps. Omar and Craig we were down to two ICE flights per week, Strib asked for my response. Sadly, "bullshit!" didn't make it to print.
I don't know why the federal government has declared war on my state, but this is clearly because their attempt to conduct an invasion was thwarted. So they're now retaliating economically.
South Side Rapid Response is an insanely professional operation (and, I’d note, one of the most open RRs in the cities, with public channels and explicit approval for press to listen in). And its response time is less than half that of the actual official emergency services
Graph showing estimated ICE deportees at MSP Nov 10 - Feb 20; sporadic activity of around 40 people per flight some days is shown before Jan 5, followed by a large crescendo to 250 people per day that lasts several days, before decreasing, with no flight on Feb 13, and a handful of people shown each day for the last few days.
20 detainees were loaded onto today's ICE Air flight at MSP.
📊 Spreadsheet: ottergoose.net/ice-flights-msp/data
💵 Support our neighbors: standwithminnesota.com
🚗 Cover airport parking fees: mn50501.org/donate
I think with ICE’s presence in MN declining we have reached the stage where we can look back and ask “Was anyone actually placed in danger by a decision to give the press access to what was happening, by me or anyone else?”
And the answer seems to be no.
So maybe we can drop that attack.
Well, now. Thanks to all subscribers, stateside as well. Sample episodes here: michaelperry.substack.com
