Depending on who you ask, downtown Minneapolis occupied office space dropped somewhere between 133,000 and 500,000 square feet in 2025. MSPBJ: https://fluence-media.co/4aMZXSI
Pending home sales are down in the Twin Cities – Redfin blames a combination of immigration enforcement, high costs, and cold weather. READ: https://fluence-media.co/408eYIE
We’re also seeing more price cuts on new homes than the national average. READ: https://fluence-media.co/46wYBJm
Spring training starts with a yawn and some Olympic inspiration. Sports Take has that and more later today.
Follow the 2026 Minnesota election’s up close with the Fluence ElectionTracker. FluenceElectionTracker.com
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4cpsGOI
Sunday Take featured Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Lunde and HCMC co-CEO J. Kevin Crosston discussing how the state can help stabilize the healthcare sector. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4qnLZeM
Blois
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IT’S (APPARENTLY) OVER
POLL: Via AP/NORC, VERBATIM: “In the wake of two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minnesota, most adults think President Trump has overreached in his use of federal forces: 62% think the deployment of federal immigration agents into U.S. cities has gone too far, and 61% say the same about using federal law enforcement at protests. When it comes to Trump’s broader immigration objectives, 54% say Trump has gone too far in restricting legal immigration, and 52% think he has gone too far in his efforts to deport immigrants living in the United States illegally.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46OxsBI
MORE: From the AP story on the poll:
READ: https://fluence-media.co/4643SYR
THE END?: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota is ending, said Tom Homan, the border czar for President Donald Trump.” HOMAN: “I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude,” Homan said. “A significant draw down has already been underway this week and will continue through the next week.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bRFgpU
MORE: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Mr. Homan said he had made arrangements for immigration agents to have more access to undocumented inmates at county jails in Minnesota and had productive conversations with state officials. He did not immediately provide details of agreements reached with Minnesota officials.” HOMAN: “As a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qwW35e
MORE: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “Homan characterized the White House pullback as evidence that the president had succeeded in his efforts to fight crime and remove violent undocumented people from the state. And he praised Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, for their collaboration with federal authorities in recent weeks, and for using rhetoric that he said helped de-escalate the chaotic clashes between law enforcement and protesters.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Zumf5s
MORE: Via KMSP-TV, the Homan news conference. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3ZulucC
REACTION:
From Mayor Jacob Frey via X, VERBATIM: “They thought they could break us, but a love for our neighbors and a resolve to endure can outlast an occupation. These patriots of Minneapolis are showing that it’s not just about resistance — standing with our neighbors is deeply American.” TWEETS: https://fluence-media.co/3ZyucXm
Via City of St. Paul from Mayor Kaohly Her, QUOTE: “Regardless of any announced drawdown, we will continue moving forward with our work: setting clear expectations and demanding better for our residents. That’s why today I signed a new ordinance for greater transparency from federal law enforcement. Federal law enforcement officers have too often used generic ‘police’ uniforms to obscure their identities and avoid being clearly identified by the agencies they represent. This practice has created confusion, eroded trust, and strained relationships between our community and local law enforcement.”
WALZ: Governor Tim Walz told reporters this morning he’s “cautiously optimistic” that the surge is truly over. He outlined proposals for economic recovery – reinstituting small business emergency fund used during COVID, $10 million in forgivable loans. “This legislative session needs to be about recovery of the damage that’s been done to us.” Walz said the federal government has financial responsibility for impacts of surge. “You don’t get to break things and just leave without doing something about it. So we’re going to be asking the federal delegation to be investing and doing the things necessary.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bMVO2f
MORE: Via release from the Governor’s office, about the forgivable loan proposal, VERBATIM: “Under the proposal, one-time funding would be distributed in forgivable loans ranging from $2,500 to $25,000. Eligible businesses must be able to demonstrate substantial revenue loss during specified dates tied to the surge.” QUOTE: “While the human toll of this action may be apparent through local and national press coverage, the negative impact on Minnesota’s economy is a critical but less visible part of the story,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “Many Minnesota businesses — especially small businesses — are facing economic hardships that may prove insurmountable for some. While we know economic repercussions for small businesses will be ongoing, this package could provide some fast relief to businesses that are just barely keeping their doors open.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4adcMpk
(DISCLOSURE: Hospitality MN is a Fluence Advisory client)
KLOBUCHAR: Via statement from Senator Amy Klobuchar, QUOTE: “Minnesotans stood together, stared down ICE, and never blinked. Our state has shown the world how to protect our democracy and take care of our neighbors,” said Klobuchar. “ICE withdrawing from Minnesota is just the beginning. We need accountability for the lives lost and the extraordinary abuses of power at the hands of ICE agents, and we must see a complete overhaul of the agency.”
SENATE HRG: Attorney General Keith Ellison, Rep. Tom Emmer, state Rep. Harry Niska, and corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell testified this morning before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee. Via CBS News, VERBATIM: “Senators have mostly questioned the witnesses about cooperation between federal authorities and state and local officials on immigration enforcement. Ellison and Schnell have highlighted the impact of the administration’s immigration surge in the state, with Ellison saying it is ‘retribution’ motivated by politics.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4r8QB9L
MORE: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., appeared to blame Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, saying that he and other state officials had encouraged the protests that led to their killings by immigration enforcement agents. ‘Two people are dead, because you encouraged them put themselves in harm’s way and now you’re exploiting those two martyrs. That was a tragedy. It never should have happened,’ Johnson yelled at Ellison.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Zyj10M
MORE: You can watch the hearing HERE: https://fluence-media.co/4ttNhrv
EV CHARGERS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “The build-out of electric vehicle charging in the U.S. has not stopped since President Donald Trump returned to office. But the administration and Congress are continuing to throw up new roadblocks . . . Most recently, the Trump administration is attempting to withhold money for charging infrastructure from Democratic-controlled states, directing the Department of Transportation to cancel funds for California, Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota. Representatives for the four governors’ offices told The Associated Press this week they had not yet received official notice of the cancellations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/460qNEj
BROADBAND: Comcast is rewriting the broadband playbook in the Twin Cities. From neighborhood networks to next-gen tech, we’re delivering community-first internet connectivity with no contracts, no surprises. The new Xfinity package means unlimited data, blazing-fast, reliable speeds and a 5-year price guarantee, plus free mobile for a year. It’s not the old Comcast — it’s a bold new era of connection. Let’s power the future, together. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/Comcast2025-1 (SPONSORED: Comcast)
LINGERING IMPACTS
COVID 2.0: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Ingrid Christensen runs an immigrant-powered business in the Twin Cities. The last two months have felt like reliving the COVID crisis, she told Axios. Why it matters: The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement blitz has blown a hole in the Twin Cities’ economy, costing businesses an estimated $100 million in Minneapolis alone. But unlike during the pandemic, Christensen doesn’t expect federal government bailout money will be available to help her translation business weather the storm.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rH2YcY
SEIZED: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Federal agents aren’t just seizing phones. They’re holding onto people’s driver’s licenses, cash and keys. Immigrant detainees are regularly released without their work permits and other documents, attorneys say, even though federal judges have ruled they were illegally arrested in the first place. ‘They’re just stealing people’s documents as another form of cruelty,’ said Jennifer Scarborough, an immigration attorney based in Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kyfmK5
GUNS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “CN is afraid of guns. She’s never imagined herself with a weapon, but on this day she’s holding an unloaded gun as part of a ‘dry fire’ class at the Sex Workers Outreach Project office in Minneapolis, better known as SWOP. She and others in the class are learning how to hold and point a handgun. She says she has felt more nervous after Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti were shot and killed by federal agents last month. Pretti was legally carrying a firearm, which led to conversations around second amendment rights during the surge.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZS7dXv
CLEAN | RELIABLE | AFFORDABLE: Via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “We’re powering the Upper Midwest with clean, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy. For more than 50 years, our Prairie Island Nuclear Plant, located near Red Wing, MN, has been a workhorse of reliable, carbon-free energy. With two pressurized water reactors producing about 1,100 megawatts, Prairie Island generates enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes across the Upper Midwest. Unlike sources that depend on weather, nuclear energy delivers 24/7 reliability—providing the power we need today while protecting the environment for tomorrow.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4oCHdK9 (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
MINNESOTA RESPONDS
CHURCHES: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “Belying Republican claims of ‘paid protesters,’ churches like [Father Dale Korogi’s] have become critical nodes in the immigrant defense networks that have sprung up in response to Operation Metro Surge. It’s a natural extension of churches’ spiritual worldview — backed by scripture — that compels believers to help the vulnerable. Churches also have existing support systems for congregants in need: meal trains for those recovering from surgery, financial assistance for those who lost their jobs or have found themselves in medical debt, spiritual care for the grieving.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qx0AEA
BOOKSTORES: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “While a number of Twin Cities businesses have taken part in local strikes and protests against ICE, a few popular bookstores are using their robust community to make donations, hand out protest materials, and inform their audience as community hubs—and these bookstores have taken action in the past.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4auWBlY
MANKATO: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The Mankato City Council is preparing an emergency ordinance that would better hold accountable agencies from outside the city carrying out law enforcement activities in Mankato. The measure would prohibit out-of-town law enforcement officers, such as those working for ICE and Border Patrol, from wearing masks while requiring them to have visible identification of the agency for which they work; and, it would require them to wear body cameras.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tyZMBM
WILD ABOUT READING: Join more than 800 Minnesota classrooms and 30,000 students participating in the “Wild About Reading” program, a partnership with Flint Hills Resources which encourages students to read more using Minnesota Wild-branded posters, reading logs, and bookmarks. Teachers set weekly reading goals and give certificates to students who complete the four-week program. Fun program incentives include classroom visits from the Wild’s mascot, Nordy – and the team dog, Paulie; a pair of tickets to a Wild home game, player signed pucks and photos; and a pizza party for a classroom. LEARN MORE: Wild About Reading (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
AROUND MINNESOTA
2A: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “District 2A Republican state Rep. Bidal Duran has announced he is seeking re-election to the Minnesota House of Representatives.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3On3DBU
FARMINGTON: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports a Colorado-based data center developer has bought the former Fountain Valley Golf Course. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4asnS8z
INSPIRE: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Inspire Medical Systems Inc. (INSP) on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter net income of $136.1 million. The Golden Valley, Minnesota-based company said it had net income of $4.66 per share . . . The results topped Wall Street expectations . . . The maker of devices for treating obstructive sleep apnea posted revenue of $269.1 million in the period, also beating Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aIMwTT
TAX CREDIT: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “A popular tax credit with bipartisan support that contributes to Minnesota’s affordable housing supply is back for its third year. The funds are meant to help address Minnesota’s housing shortage, with the state needing more than 100,000 affordable new homes to keep housing costs down across the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4rdOi5f
NE MPLS: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Your options for grabbing a plate of Nashville hot chicken are even more plentiful now that there’s a new Nashville Coop in Minneapolis. The Northeast Minneapolis restaurant Kizzo — which was Stepchld not too long ago — is now rebranding as Nashville Coop.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3OD4kqN
DEER RIVER: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “14 schools in Minnesota have switched over to a four-day school week, and on Wednesday night, the Deer River School Board voted on whether they wanted to join that trend. They ultimately voted against the measure but approved $2 million in cuts to the district’s budget after previous referendums failed to pass.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tCRbOM
WHAT’S NEXT?
SATURDAY: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Maybe you’re looking for a joy-filled, slightly off-the-beaten-path way to enjoy Cupid’s birthday (that’s what it is, right?). We’ve got suggestions, including dogs, roller derby, sound baths, and a dive bar dinner.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tDbJXw
NEXT WEEK: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “On Feb. 22, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) will be starting significant roadwork on westbound I-394 between downtown Minneapolis and Highway 100 in Golden Valley.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/462EmD8
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
FISH: From Jason DeRusha via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “I’ve put together 13 of my favorite spots for fish fry in the Twin Cities metro (and Rochester!), as well as a couple alternatives, and a list of my favorite fish sandwiches.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/3OjKMYr
BDAYS: Axios founder Jim VandeHei, Smith advisor Ed Shelleby, marketer Maggie Romens, Sub 70 founder Jason Hiland
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