Sahan Journal

Minnesota’s unaccompanied minors face scrutiny at home, hurdles in court Minnesota’s unaccompanied minors are being questioned at home by federal agents and face challenges in immigration court facing possible deportation.

Minnesota’s unaccompanied minors are being questioned at home by federal agents and face challenges in immigration court facing possible deportation.

HAPPENING TODAY: Join us at 4 p.m. on our Instagram @sahanjournal as we unpack the changes to Medicaid and MinnesotaCare with two guests: Ryan Pérez, organizing director of @copalmn.bsky.social and @chomilomd.bsky.social, the medical director for the state's Medicaid & MinnesotaCare programs.

Experts warn poor air quality across Minnesota will become more common Minnesota experts say Canadian wildfires will lead to more poor air quality days across Minnesota this summer, and into the future as temperatures and drought increase.

A meteorologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says pollution from Canadian wildfires could ramp up in a week or two, and will become more common in Minnesota.

By Mohamed Ibrahim.

Tomorrow I’ll be joining an Instagram Live conversation hosted by @sahanjournal.bsky.social to talk about how the One Bloated Bankrupt Bill (OBBB) passed by Congress & signed in to law by the President earlier this month could impact immigrant communities enrolled in #Medicaid in MN. #TuneIn #MedSky

How will changes to health care access impact Minnesota’s immigrant communities? We’ll discuss this with the medical director of the state’s Medicaid/MinnesotaCare programs and an advocate from @copalmn.bsky.social this Wednesday at 4 p.m. on Instagram @sahanjournal. Got questions? Reply or DM us.

They came for an education. Then the immigration crackdown began. Many urban school districts like Minneapolis Public Schools welcomed immigrant students with open arms during the Biden administration. But Trump’s promise of mass deportations has left those students...

One dreams of becoming a lawyer. The other imagines a career as an FBI agent. Over a year at Andersen Middle School in Minneapolis, two students from Mexico and Ecuador reached milestones and faced new barriers to their future in the U.S.

By @bzosiad.bsky.social

Join us live on our Instagram @sahanjournal at 4 p.m. July 23, with panelists Ryan Pérez, organizing director of COPAL MN, and Dr. Nathan Chomilo, the medical director for the State of Minnesota’s Medicaid & MinnesotaCare programs.

Medicaid & MinnesotaCare: How will changes impact immigrant health care access Join Sahan Journal to discuss the recent cuts to health care coverage for immigrants in Minnesota.

So, what should Minnesotans know about these changes to Medicaid and MinnesotaCare? And how will it impact immigrants’ health care? We’ll discuss these topics on Wednesday.
sahanjournal.com/inside-sahan...

Walz, MN lawmakers roll back state health care for undocumented adults Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota lawmakers are ending undocumented immigrant adults’ access to state health insurance, MinnesotaCare, after this year.

In early June, the Minnesota Legislature voted to eliminate MinnesotaCare for undocumented adults, beginning next year. More than 15,000 undocumented Minnesotans will lose their health coverage.
sahanjournal.com/democracy-po...

‘Nowhere else to go’: Potential cuts to Medicaid worry Minnesotans without options President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” could cost residents, health care providers and the state millions of dollars annually, state officials say.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law, cutting $1 trillion to Medicaid and affecting up to 253,000 Minnesotans. sahanjournal.com/health/medic...

Food, dance, camels: West St. Paul church hosts Middle Eastern Festival The St. George Middle Eastern Festival draws thousands each year to the West St. Paul church for a weekend of Lebanese food, Arabic music, dance and camel rides.

The St. George Middle Eastern Festival draws thousands each year to the West St. Paul church for a weekend of Lebanese food, Arabic music, dance and camel rides.

Written by Yvette Higgins

sahanjournal.com/arts-culture...

Bald eagle's new status as the official US bird brings pride and hope to many Native Americans Many Native Americans are marking ceremonies like graduations with bald eagle feathers, a form of reverence for the bird they have always held sacred as a messenger to the Creator.

The bald eagle is now the official bird of the United States, nearly 250 years after it was first used as a symbol of the newly founded nation that's deeply polarized politically today.

sahanjournal.com/news-partner...

Twin Cities restaurant offers reward to unmask account spreading ICE rumors The owners of Los Sanchez Mexican Restaurant are offering a $2,000 reward to unmask whoever runs MinnesotaNoticias ErnestoPaletas, a Spanish news and humor Facebook page.

The posts about ICE raids, which also mentioned the Mall of America and Mercado Central, are part of a wave of misinformation spreading on Spanish-language social media accounts.

Written by Alfonzo Galvan.

sahanjournal.com/business-wor...

2025 Reader Survey: Sahan Journal As Sahan Journal’s news coverage evolves, your input helps us decide what to prioritize and how to improve.

We’re listening. As Sahan Journal’s news coverage evolves, your input helps us decide what to prioritize and how to improve. Can you help us out by taking 10 minutes to fill out our 2025 reader survey?

Take the survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/8YVZJSW

Opinion: Backlash to Mamdani win shows normalization of hate The killing of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and the flood of angry rhetoric following Mamdani’s primary win in New York City stem from a similar antidemocratic urge, civil rights advocate Z...

OPINION: The killing of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and the flood of angry rhetoric following Mamdani’s primary win in New York City stem from a similar antidemocratic urge, civil rights advocate Zafar Siddiqui argues.

Boon or boondoggle? Blue Line extension draws mixed reactions Two years into design plans and two years before construction will begin, the plan to extend the Blue Line light-rail line to connect Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park still draws mixed reactions from loc...

The Blue-Line extension, which will connect Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park with several stops in-between, will come with complications for local businesses. But some look beyond that to potential benefits.

Written by Alfonzo Galvan

45,000 Minnesotans could lose food stamps under tax bill passed by Congress A budget bill passed by Congress on Tuesday with billions in cuts to federal nutrition programs will strain the ability of Minnesota agencies and local food banks to help families in need.

A budget bill passed by Congress on Tuesday with billions in cuts to federal nutrition programs will strain the ability of Minnesota agencies and local food banks to help families in need.

Written by Shubanjana Das and Mohamed Ibrahim

Nine things to know about the 2025 travel ban in Minnesota What does the new travel ban mean for international students? Dual citizens? Green-card holders?

What does the new travel ban mean for international students? Dual citizens? Green-card holders?

By @wooalberto.bsky.social

Somali Day Festival draws tens of thousands to Lake Street in Minneapolis The annual Somali Week celebration in Minneapolis wrapped up on Saturday with a street fair that drew tens of thousands to Lake Street for food, performances and even camel rides.

The annual Somali Week celebration in Minneapolis wrapped up on Saturday with a street fair that drew tens of thousands to Lake Street for food, performances and even camel rides.

By Chris Juhn

Hmong International Freedom Festival draws thousands to St. Paul The annual Hmong International Freedom Festival drew thousands to St. Paul for food, family reunions, sports competitions and more.

The annual Hmong International Freedom Festival drew thousands to St. Paul for food, family reunions, sports competitions and more.

By Aaron Nesheim and Yvette Higgins

Red Lake Nation Embassy hosts electric vehicle social An open house in Minneapolis sought to educate Native community members about the financial and environmental benefits of electric vehicles.

An open house in Minneapolis sought to educate Native community members about the financial and environmental benefits of electric vehicles.

Written by Shubanjana Das.

Remembering Nancy Cassutt, who helped create Sahan Journal Nancy, an accomplished newsroom leader, died last week at age 64. She gave her early and wholehearted support to Sahan Journal.

Nancy, an accomplished newsroom leader, died last week at age 64. She gave her early and wholehearted support to Sahan Journal.

ICE detainees face new obstacles to release from jail — even for deportation. Costly legal requirements and international political conflicts are among roadblocks encountered by detainees seeking release or deportation.

Costly legal requirements and international political conflicts are among roadblocks encountered by detainees seeking release or deportation.

Written by Joey Peters

Event reminder: The Trump administration’s new travel ban impacts many Minnesota immigrants. Join us on our Instagram @sahanjournal this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. as we discuss the ban. We'll have two guests: Matthew Webster and Jaylani Hussein.

Trump administration sues Minnesota over breaks in higher education for immigrant students The Trump administration is suing Minnesota over its tuition policies for immigrant students living in the country illegally.

The Trump administration is suing Minnesota over its tuition policies for immigrant students living in the country illegally.

On Thursday, June 26 at 3:30 p.m., join Sahan Journal live on Instagram as we dissect Trump’s travel ban with Matthew Webster, a senior immigration attorney at Fredrikson & Byron P.A., and Jaylani Hussein, the executive director of CAIR-MN.
sahanjournal.com/inside-sahan...

Distress about new war intensifies among Iranian Minnesotans Protests and calls for peace are growing as Iranian Americans in Minnesota say Israeli attacks and foreign interference can bring only harm to their homeland.

Protests and calls for peace are growing as Iranian Americans in Minnesota say Israeli attacks and foreign interference can bring only harm to their homeland.

Written by Shubanjana Das

UMN drops 2025 Juneteenth block party due to ‘budget constraints’ Since 2022, the U of M has held an annual block party outside its Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center in north Minneapolis.

Since 2022, the U has held an annual block party outside its Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center in north Minneapolis.

Federal checks on unaccompanied minors worry Minnesota immigrants Immigration lawyers and advocates say federal agents are conducting interviews, or “wellness checks,” on unaccompanied minors in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Worthington and Windom.

Immigration lawyers and advocates say federal agents are conducting interviews, or “wellness checks,” on unaccompanied minors in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Worthington and Windom.

Written by Katelyn Vue

Visa spat, travel ban add worry for Minn. Sudanese community South Sudanese immigrants were already grappling with a blanket visa revocation and worries about their TPS status. Then Trump banned all travel from neighboring Sudan.

South Sudanese immigrants were already grappling with a blanket visa revocation and worries about their TPS status. Then Trump banned all travel from neighboring Sudan.

Written by Binta Kanteh