Two Fatal Shootings by Federal Agents Ignite Minneapolis Fury

Federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis faced mounting scrutiny this weekend after the death of another US citizen an encounter with federal agents following large protests demanding the withdrawal of those forces from the city. Alex Pretti, 37, an intensive care nurse, was shot and killed Saturday by a Border Patrol agent during what officials described as a “targeted operation” supporting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement action in a Minneapolis neighborhood. The Department of Homeland Security claimed Pretti approached agents while armed and resisted efforts to disarm him, prompting “defensive shots.” Videos circulated by witnesses appear to show agents tackling Pretti and removing his firearm before opening fire on him.

Earlier this month, ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Reneé Good after agents confronted her in her car shortly after she dropped off her child at school. DHS officials claimed Good tried to “weaponize” her vehicle against an officer, a characterization disputed by state and local officials who cite video of the incident and have questioned whether the shooting was in self-defense.

Both deaths have fueled anger over Operation Metro Surge, a federal initiative that sent roughly 2,000 immigration and other federal agents into Minnesota, particularly the Twin Cities. Thousands of protestors joined a statewide “Day of Truth & Freedom” general strike and protests Friday, which continued through the weekend with vigils for Pretti and Good and marches demanding ICE’s removal from Minneapolis.

Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have condemned the federal crackdown as destabilizing and have urged President Trump to pull agents out of the state, while DHS and Border Patrol leaders have defended the operations and blamed “hostile” local conditions for recent confrontations.

 

Winter Storm Paralyzes Midwest, Great Lakes Ahead of New Year

The National Weather Service placed at least 15 states under winter storm warnings or advisories as a deep low-pressure system swept east, bringing heavy snow, damaging winds and dangerous wind chills from Montana through the Great Lakes into the Northeast. Forecasters warned of treacherous travel, with gusts topping 50 miles an hour in parts of Minnesota and whiteout conditions forcing closures along key interstate corridors during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.​

Farther south, the same sprawling system fueled severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes across portions of the Midwest and the South, with authorities reporting pockets of structural damage, downed power lines and scattered outages. In Texas, where some areas saw freezing temperatures and sleet, forecasters cautioned that even minor accumulations could slick roads ill-prepared for wintry precipitation.​

The West Coast was also not spared from destructive weather this past month. An intense atmospheric river lashed California both just before and during the holiday week, delivering some of the wettest conditions in years to parts of the state and triggering floods, debris flows and mudslides, particularly near recent wildfire burn scars. Emergency crews conducted evacuations in vulnerable canyons as saturated hillsides gave way, while officials warned that additional rounds of rain, on already soaked ground, could prolong the risk well into the new year.

 

How the Trump-Biden Race is Shaping Up on Election Day Eve

While former Vice President Joe Biden holds a solid lead in nationwide polling and more moderate but consistent leads in several crucial battleground states, few observers are completely counting out President Donald Trump's ability to pull off a win in tomorrow's election, remembering his victory in 2016 that flew in the face of battleground state polling.

This how we see the state of the race currently:

In this scenario Biden is favored to sweep the upper Great Lakes region, retaking Wisconsin and Michigan that Trump won in 2016 and maintaining Minnesota in the Democratic column. In addition to Minnesota, Biden seems in a strong position to win all the other states Hillary Clinton won in 2016, with New Hampshire and Nevada the other two Trump may have a decent chance to peel off, but likely only if he already has enough electoral votes from other battleground states.

Trump meanwhile has to content with the increasing competitiveness of traditionally solid Republican states of (in order of decreasing chance of a Democratic win) Arizona, Georgia, and Texas. 

Of course, the traditional battlegrounds of Florida, Ohio, and Iowa remain a tossup for either candidate, with Trump having a clearer polling advantage in the latter two than in Florida. However, Trump's polling strength among Hispanics in Florida along with the relatively strong Republican performance in the state in the 2018 midterm election could point to the ability to keep the state red.

North Carolina, a traditionally Republican state, has continued to poll with essentially no advantage to either candidate, though its competitive Senate race has seen an advantage for the Democrat over the incumbent Republican. Pennsylvania, considered a battleground but also a consistent Democratic state except for 2016, has given Biden a slightly stronger lead, but still can be won by Trump.

Nebraska and Maine, which split their electoral votes by congressional district and at-large winner, may both have split votes this election, the first time both states have split their votes in the same election. Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, home of Omaha and portions of suburban Sarpy County, is tilting toward Biden in polling. Maine's 2nd Congressional District is a tossup, with perhaps a slight lean toward Trump. Trump won both last year.

If we had to choose who will in each state/congressional district:

Agree? Disagree? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Images from 270towin.com

Social Unrest Continues Across the US

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of four police officers last month led to social friction, and while the most violent undercurrent has ebbed for now, it has not fully abated. Protestors condemning the treatment of black Americans by police as well as society at-large have been largely peaceful, though some in the movement have insisted on more forceful measures, such as toppling statues, spray painting monuments, and occupying public spaces. The most notable of the last is the Seattle Capital Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP), which has resisted attempts to disperse as its occupants continue to control several city blocks.