MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A prominent civil rights attorney and at least two other people involved in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-protest-church-minneapolis-fcc97a29b9c4434c665d76d4811c5a3e">disrupted a service</a>&nbsp;at a Minnesota church have been arrested, Trump administration officials said Thursday, even as a judge rebuffed related charges against journalist Don Lemon.

The developments unfolded as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-ice-minneapolis-deportations-trump-economy-002f1d1acf05c00aeee289ec192100e7">Vice President JD Vance</a>&nbsp;arrived in the state. Speaking in Minneapolis, he urged state and local law enforcement to collaborate with federal officials and said protesters must stop getting in their way.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong in a post on X. On Sunday, protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor. Bondi later posted on X that a second person had been arrested, followed by a third arrest announced by FBI Director Kash Patel.

The Justice Department quickly opened a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good," referring to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">37-year-old mother of three</a>&nbsp;who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month.

“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP," the attorney general wrote on X.

Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads the local ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs.

Prominent leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have come to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-protest-church-minneapolis-fcc97a29b9c4434c665d76d4811c5a3e">the church’s defense</a>, arguing that compassion for migrant families affected by the crackdown cannot justify violating a sacred space during worship.

Attorneys representing the church hailed the arrests.

“The U.S. Department of Justice acted decisively by arresting those who coordinated and carried out the terrible crime,” said Doug Wardlow, director of litigation for True North Legal, which calls itself a public interest civil rights firm, in a statement.

Levy Armstrong, an attorney and prominent local activist, had called for the pastor affiliated with ICE to resign, saying his dual role poses a “fundamental moral conflict.”

“You cannot lead a congregation while directing an agency whose actions have cost lives and inflicted fear in our communities,” she said Tuesday. “When officials protect armed agents, repeatedly refuse meaningful investigation into killings like Renee Good’s, and signal they may pursue peaceful protesters and journalists, that is not justice — it is intimidation.”

Vance wants local law enforcement to assist federal officers

Vance, a Republican, arrived amid tense interactions between federal immigration law enforcement authorities and residents. State and local elected officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-renee-good-immigration-sweeps-6ae64be5a0d6a718b658a938fb56e567">have opposed the crackdown</a>&nbsp;that has become a major focus of Department of Homeland Security sweeps.

His visit comes less than a month after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-crackdown-woman-shot-5158ce0838305b491c95db97b970cd03">Renee Good was killed</a>. He has called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-minnesota-immigration-enforcement-06b23b428edcc8498362be4ac656f201">Good’s death</a>&nbsp;a “tragedy of her own making.”

Speaking in Toledo, Ohio, before his Minnesota visit, Vance warned the church protesters: “Those people are going to be sent to prison so long as we have the power to do so. We’re going to do everything we can to enforce the law."

Later in Minneapolis, he urged state and city law enforcement to help the federal immigration officers.

“We’re doing everything that we can to lower the temperature,” Vance said, adding that he wants “state and local officials to meet us halfway.”

A longtime activist in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Levy Armstrong has helped lead local protests after the high-profile police-involved killings of Black Americans, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/video-minneapolis-immigration-good-ice-george-floyd-9dc5b1f19af644f861963f0a041516f4">George Floyd,</a>&nbsp;Philando&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/philando-castile">Castile</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51873689cf63426c89e78ae987479315">Jamar Clark.</a>&nbsp;She is a former president of the NAACP’s Minneapolis branch.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a photo on X of Levy Armstrong with her arms behind her back next to a person wearing a badge. Noem said she faces a charge under a statute that bars threatening or intimidating someone exercising a right.

Patel posted on X that Chauntyll Louisa Allen, the second person Bondi said was arrested, is charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking reproductive health services or seeking to participate in a service at a house of worship. Patel said William Kelly has also been arrested.

It's unclear which attorneys would represent Allen and Kelly.

Saint Paul Public Schools, where Allen is a member of the board of education, is aware of her arrest but will not comment on pending legal matters, according to district spokesperson Erica Wacker.

Allen and Levy Armstrong are part of a community of Black Minnesota activists who have protested the deaths of African Americans at the hands of police.

Kelly defended the protest during a news conference Tuesday, criticizing the church for its association with a pastor who works for ICE.

In court Thursday, federal magistrate judge Doug Micko granted the women bond and restricted them from traveling outside Minnesota or from going near the church. The government said it would appeal.

Levy-Armstrong’s attorney said he offered for her to turn herself in peacefully, but the Trump administration insisted on arresting her.

“They wanted a spectacle,” Levy-Armstrong’s husband Marques Armstrong said, recalling around 50 agents came to detain his wife.

Arrests follow a DOJ civil rights investigation

The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church protest stands in contrast to its decision not to open a civil rights investigation into the killing of Good. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said last week there was “no basis” for a civil rights investigation into her death.

Administration officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-crackdown-woman-shot-5158ce0838305b491c95db97b970cd03">have said the officer acted in self-defense</a>&nbsp;and that the driver of the Honda was engaging in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-minnesota-immigration-enforcement-06b23b428edcc8498362be4ac656f201">“an act of domestic terrorism”</a>&nbsp;when she pulled toward him. But the decision not to have the department’s Civil Rights Division investigate marked a sharp departure from past administrations, which have moved quickly to probe shootings of civilians by law enforcement officials.

The Justice Department has separately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-trump-5e2f40582b62687fd9bc70640382f034">opened an investigation</a>&nbsp;into whether Minnesota officials impeded or obstructed federal immigration enforcement though their public statements. Prosecutors this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-trump-5e2f40582b62687fd9bc70640382f034">sent subpoenas</a>&nbsp;to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties, according to a person familiar with the matter.

A magistrate judge rejected federal prosecutors’ bid to charge journalist Don Lemon related to the church protest, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the ongoing investigation.

Lemon was among those on who entered the church. Lemon has said he is not affiliated with the protest organizers and was there chronicling as a journalist.

“Once the protest started in the church we did an act of journalism which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization,” Lemon said in a video posted on social media. “That’s it. That’s called journalism.”

It wasn’t immediately clear what the Justice Department would do after the judge’s decision. Authorities could return to a magistrate judge to again seek a criminal complaint or an indictment against Lemon before a grand jury.

CNN, which fired Lemon in 2023, first reported the ruling.

Durkin Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press reporters Chris Megerian in Washington; Corey Williams in Detroit; Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; and Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey, contributed.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A prominent civil rights attorney and at least two other people involved in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-protest-church-minneapolis-fcc97a29b9c4434c665d76d4811c5a3e">disrupted a service</a>&nbsp;at a Minnesota church have been arrested, Trump administration officials said Thursday, even as a judge rebuffed related charges against journalist Don Lemon.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ok ✅ <a href="https://t.co/tQZNbKFABA">pic.twitter.com/tQZNbKFABA</a>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2014400940523069618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">William Kelly is being charged with conspiracy to deprive rights, a federal crime, for his involvement in the St. Paul church riots. <a href="https://t.co/cXuuvQ9zxR">pic.twitter.com/cXuuvQ9zxR</a>&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/2014410433281622347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The developments unfolded as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-ice-minneapolis-deportations-trump-economy-002f1d1acf05c00aeee289ec192100e7">Vice President JD Vance</a>&nbsp;arrived in the state. Speaking in Minneapolis, he urged state and local law enforcement to collaborate with federal officials and said protesters must stop getting in their way.Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong in a post on X. On Sunday, protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor. Bondi later posted on X that a second person had been arrested, followed by a third arrest announced by FBI Director Kash Patel.The Justice Department quickly opened a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good," referring to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">37-year-old mother of three</a>&nbsp;who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month.“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP," the attorney general wrote on X.Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads the local ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs.<h2>Church lawyers praise the arrests</h2>Prominent leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have come to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-protest-church-minneapolis-fcc97a29b9c4434c665d76d4811c5a3e">the church’s defense</a>, arguing that compassion for migrant families affected by the crackdown cannot justify violating a sacred space during worship.Attorneys representing the church hailed the arrests.“The U.S. Department of Justice acted decisively by arresting those who coordinated and carried out the terrible crime,” said Doug Wardlow, director of litigation for True North Legal, which calls itself a public interest civil rights firm, in a statement.Levy Armstrong, an attorney and prominent local activist, had called for the pastor affiliated with ICE to resign, saying his dual role poses a “fundamental moral conflict.”“You cannot lead a congregation while directing an agency whose actions have cost lives and inflicted fear in our communities,” she said Tuesday. “When officials protect armed agents, repeatedly refuse meaningful investigation into killings like Renee Good’s, and signal they may pursue peaceful protesters and journalists, that is not justice — it is intimidation.”<h2>Vance wants local law enforcement to assist federal officers</h2>Vance, a Republican, arrived amid tense interactions between federal immigration law enforcement authorities and residents. State and local elected officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-renee-good-immigration-sweeps-6ae64be5a0d6a718b658a938fb56e567">have opposed the crackdown</a>&nbsp;that has become a major focus of Department of Homeland Security sweeps.His visit comes less than a month after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-crackdown-woman-shot-5158ce0838305b491c95db97b970cd03">Renee Good was killed</a>. He has called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-minnesota-immigration-enforcement-06b23b428edcc8498362be4ac656f201">Good’s death</a>&nbsp;a “tragedy of her own making.”Speaking in Toledo, Ohio, before his Minnesota visit, Vance warned the church protesters: “Those people are going to be sent to prison so long as we have the power to do so. We’re going to do everything we can to enforce the law."Later in Minneapolis, he urged state and city law enforcement to help the federal immigration officers.“We’re doing everything that we can to lower the temperature,” Vance said, adding that he wants “state and local officials to meet us halfway.”<h2>Protesters appear in court</h2>A longtime activist in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Levy Armstrong has helped lead local protests after the high-profile police-involved killings of Black Americans, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/video-minneapolis-immigration-good-ice-george-floyd-9dc5b1f19af644f861963f0a041516f4">George Floyd,</a>&nbsp;Philando&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/philando-castile">Castile</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51873689cf63426c89e78ae987479315">Jamar Clark.</a>&nbsp;She is a former president of the NAACP’s Minneapolis branch.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a photo on X of Levy Armstrong with her arms behind her back next to a person wearing a badge. Noem said she faces a charge under a statute that bars threatening or intimidating someone exercising a right.Patel posted on X that Chauntyll Louisa Allen, the second person Bondi said was arrested, is charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking reproductive health services or seeking to participate in a service at a house of worship. Patel said William Kelly has also been arrested.It's unclear which attorneys would represent Allen and Kelly.Saint Paul Public Schools, where Allen is a member of the board of education, is aware of her arrest but will not comment on pending legal matters, according to district spokesperson Erica Wacker.Allen and Levy Armstrong are part of a community of Black Minnesota activists who have protested the deaths of African Americans at the hands of police.Kelly defended the protest during a news conference Tuesday, criticizing the church for its association with a pastor who works for ICE.In court Thursday, federal magistrate judge Doug Micko granted the women bond and restricted them from traveling outside Minnesota or from going near the church. The government said it would appeal.Levy-Armstrong’s attorney said he offered for her to turn herself in peacefully, but the Trump administration insisted on arresting her.“They wanted a spectacle,” Levy-Armstrong’s husband Marques Armstrong said, recalling around 50 agents came to detain his wife.<h2>Arrests follow a DOJ civil rights investigation</h2>The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church protest stands in contrast to its decision not to open a civil rights investigation into the killing of Good. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said last week there was “no basis” for a civil rights investigation into her death.Administration officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-enforcement-crackdown-woman-shot-5158ce0838305b491c95db97b970cd03">have said the officer acted in self-defense</a>&nbsp;and that the driver of the Honda was engaging in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-minnesota-immigration-enforcement-06b23b428edcc8498362be4ac656f201">“an act of domestic terrorism”</a>&nbsp;when she pulled toward him. But the decision not to have the department’s Civil Rights Division investigate marked a sharp departure from past administrations, which have moved quickly to probe shootings of civilians by law enforcement officials.The Justice Department has separately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-trump-5e2f40582b62687fd9bc70640382f034">opened an investigation</a>&nbsp;into whether Minnesota officials impeded or obstructed federal immigration enforcement though their public statements. Prosecutors this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-trump-5e2f40582b62687fd9bc70640382f034">sent subpoenas</a>&nbsp;to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties, according to a person familiar with the matter.<h2>Judge rejects charges against Lemon</h2>A magistrate judge rejected federal prosecutors’ bid to charge journalist Don Lemon related to the church protest, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday.The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the ongoing investigation.Lemon was among those on who entered the church. Lemon has said he is not affiliated with the protest organizers and was there chronicling as a journalist.“Once the protest started in the church we did an act of journalism which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization,” Lemon said in a video posted on social media. “That’s it. That’s called journalism.”It wasn’t immediately clear what the Justice Department would do after the judge’s decision. Authorities could return to a magistrate judge to again seek a criminal complaint or an indictment against Lemon before a grand jury.CNN, which fired Lemon in 2023, first reported the ruling.___Durkin Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press reporters Chris Megerian in Washington; Corey Williams in Detroit; Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; and Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey, contributed.

FBI arrests 3 protesters who disrupted Minnesota church service

Kansas Republican Congressmen Tracey Mann, Ron Estes and Derek Schmidt voted against the resolution.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House rejected a Democratic-backed resolution Thursday that would have prevented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;from sending U.S. military forces to Venezuela after a tied vote on the legislation fell just short of the majority needed for passage.

The tied vote was the latest sign of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s tenuous hold on the majority, as well as some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-republicans-trump-greenland-denmark-28252fc0691a183f52d3c4a77369457b">growing pushback</a>&nbsp;in the GOP-controlled Congress to Trump’s aggressions in the Western Hemisphere. A Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-senate-war-powers-2350b162d116090759a7428c4b915eea">vote on a similar resolution</a>&nbsp;was also tied last week until Vice President JD Vance broke the deadlock.

To defeat the resolution Thursday, Republican leaders had to hold the vote open for more than 20 minutes while Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt, who had been out of state all week campaigning for a Senate seat in Texas, rushed back to Capitol Hill.

On the House floor, Democrats responded with shouts that Republican leaders were violating the chamber’s procedural moves. Two Republicans — Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — voted with all Democrats for the legislation.

The war powers resolution would have directed Trump to remove U.S. troops from Venezuela. The Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-senate-war-powers-2350b162d116090759a7428c4b915eea">told senators last week</a>&nbsp;that there are no U.S. troops on the ground in Venezuela and committed to getting congressional approval before launching major military operations there.

But Democrats argued that the resolution is necessary after the U.S. raid to capture Venezuelan leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-trump-military-operation-85041a1ec03bafe839b785a95169d694">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;and since Trump has stated plans to control the country’s oil industry for years to come.

Thursday’s vote was the latest test in Congress of how much leeway Republicans will give a president who campaigned on removing the U.S. from foreign entanglements but has increasingly reached for military options to impose his will in the Western Hemisphere. So far, almost all Republicans have declined to put checks on Trump through the war powers votes.

Rep. Brian Mast, the Republican chair of the House Armed Services Committee, accused Democrats of bringing the war powers resolution to a vote out of “spite” for Trump.

“It’s about the fact that you don’t want President Trump to arrest Maduro, and you will condemn him no matter what he does, even though he brought Maduro to justice with possibly the most successful law enforcement operation in history,” Mast added.

Still, Democrats stridently argued that Congress needs to assert its role in determining when the president can use wartime powers. They have been able to force a series of votes in both the House and Senate as Trump in recent months ramped up his campaign against Maduro and set his sights on other conflicts overseas.

“Donald Trump is reducing the United States to a regional bully with fewer allies and more enemies,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said during a floor debate. “This isn’t making America great again. It’s making us isolated and weak.”

Last week, Senate Republicans were only able to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-senate-war-powers-2350b162d116090759a7428c4b915eea">narrowly dismiss</a>&nbsp;a Venezuela war powers resolution after the Trump administration persuaded two Republicans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-war-powers-venezuela-trump-maduro-greenland-e1c5c8390eb2331779504b710fe85025">back away from their earlier support</a>. As part of that effort, Secretary of State Marco Rubio committed to a briefing next week before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

When the House voted on a similar Venezuela war powers resolution last month, three Republican House members — Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has since resigned from Congress — joined Democrats in voting for the legislation. Trump has since carried out the attack on Venezuela to seize Maduro, as well as turned his ambitions to possessing Greenland.

Trump’s insistence that the U.S. will possess Greenland over the objections of Denmark, a NATO ally, has alarmed some Republicans on Capitol Hill. They have mounted some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-republicans-trump-greenland-denmark-28252fc0691a183f52d3c4a77369457b">most outspoken objections</a>&nbsp;to almost anything the president has done since taking office.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-davos-housing-greenland-gaza-a2f3f4c18ba321c8025a3e208fc0ddf6">Trump this week backed away</a>&nbsp;from military and tariff threats against European allies as he announced that his administration was working with NATO on a “framework of a future deal” on Arctic security.

But Bacon still expressed frustration with Trump’s aggressive foreign policy and planned to vote for the war powers resolution, even though it only applies to Venezuela.

“I’m tired of all the threats,” he said.

Trump’s recent military actions — and threats to do more — have reignited a decades-old debate in Congress over the War Powers Act, a law passed in the early 1970s by lawmakers looking to claw back their authority over military actions.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63">War Powers Resolution</a>&nbsp;was passed in the Vietnam War era as the U.S. sent troops to conflicts throughout Asia. It attempted to force presidents to work with Congress to deploy troops if there hasn’t already been a formal declaration of war.

Under the legislation, lawmakers can also force votes on legislation that directs the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities.

Presidents have long tested the limits of those parameters, and Democrats argue that Trump in his second term has pushed those limits farther than ever.

The Trump administration left Congress in the dark ahead of the surprise raid to capture Maduro. It has also used an evolving set of legal justifications to blow up alleged drug boats and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/venezuela-oil-exports-explainer/">seize sanctioned oil tankers</a>&nbsp;near Venezuela.

Democrats question who gets to benefit from Venezuelan oil licenses

As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-venezuela-oil-tanker-77f2c1441dda8217b37f9e38c3ae9131">Trump administration oversees</a>&nbsp;the sale of Venezuela’s petroleum worldwide, Senate Democrats are questioning who is benefitting from the contracts.

In one of the first transactions, the U.S. granted Vitol, the world’s largest independent oil broker, a license worth roughly $250 million. A senior partner at Vitol, John Addison, gave roughly $6 million to Trump-aligned political action committees during the presidential election, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?cycle=2024&amp;order=asc&amp;page=3&amp;sort=N&amp;zip=77024" target="_blank">donation records</a>&nbsp;compiled by OpenSecrets.

“Congress and the American people deserve full transparency regarding any financial commitments, promises, deals, or other arrangements related to Venezuela that could favor donors to the President’s campaign and political operation,” 13 Democratic senators wrote to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles Thursday in a letter led by Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California.

The White House has said it is safeguarding the South American country’s oil for the benefit of both the people of Venezuela and the U.S.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769122743381.png" alt="File photo House Speaker Mike Johnson" />
 <figcaption>File photo House Speaker Mike Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas Republican Congressmen Tracey Mann, Ron Estes and Derek Schmidt voted against the resolution.</h2>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House rejected a Democratic-backed resolution Thursday that would have prevented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;from sending U.S. military forces to Venezuela after a tied vote on the legislation fell just short of the majority needed for passage.The tied vote was the latest sign of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s tenuous hold on the majority, as well as some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-republicans-trump-greenland-denmark-28252fc0691a183f52d3c4a77369457b">growing pushback</a>&nbsp;in the GOP-controlled Congress to Trump’s aggressions in the Western Hemisphere. A Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-senate-war-powers-2350b162d116090759a7428c4b915eea">vote on a similar resolution</a>&nbsp;was also tied last week until Vice President JD Vance broke the deadlock.To defeat the resolution Thursday, Republican leaders had to hold the vote open for more than 20 minutes while Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt, who had been out of state all week campaigning for a Senate seat in Texas, rushed back to Capitol Hill.On the House floor, Democrats responded with shouts that Republican leaders were violating the chamber’s procedural moves. Two Republicans — Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — voted with all Democrats for the legislation.The war powers resolution would have directed Trump to remove U.S. troops from Venezuela. The Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-senate-war-powers-2350b162d116090759a7428c4b915eea">told senators last week</a>&nbsp;that there are no U.S. troops on the ground in Venezuela and committed to getting congressional approval before launching major military operations there.But Democrats argued that the resolution is necessary after the U.S. raid to capture Venezuelan leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-trump-military-operation-85041a1ec03bafe839b785a95169d694">Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;and since Trump has stated plans to control the country’s oil industry for years to come.Thursday’s vote was the latest test in Congress of how much leeway Republicans will give a president who campaigned on removing the U.S. from foreign entanglements but has increasingly reached for military options to impose his will in the Western Hemisphere. So far, almost all Republicans have declined to put checks on Trump through the war powers votes.Rep. Brian Mast, the Republican chair of the House Armed Services Committee, accused Democrats of bringing the war powers resolution to a vote out of “spite” for Trump.“It’s about the fact that you don’t want President Trump to arrest Maduro, and you will condemn him no matter what he does, even though he brought Maduro to justice with possibly the most successful law enforcement operation in history,” Mast added.Still, Democrats stridently argued that Congress needs to assert its role in determining when the president can use wartime powers. They have been able to force a series of votes in both the House and Senate as Trump in recent months ramped up his campaign against Maduro and set his sights on other conflicts overseas.“Donald Trump is reducing the United States to a regional bully with fewer allies and more enemies,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said during a floor debate. “This isn’t making America great again. It’s making us isolated and weak.”Last week, Senate Republicans were only able to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-senate-war-powers-2350b162d116090759a7428c4b915eea">narrowly dismiss</a>&nbsp;a Venezuela war powers resolution after the Trump administration persuaded two Republicans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-war-powers-venezuela-trump-maduro-greenland-e1c5c8390eb2331779504b710fe85025">back away from their earlier support</a>. As part of that effort, Secretary of State Marco Rubio committed to a briefing next week before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.<h2>The response to Trump’s foreign policy</h2>When the House voted on a similar Venezuela war powers resolution last month, three Republican House members — Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has since resigned from Congress — joined Democrats in voting for the legislation. Trump has since carried out the attack on Venezuela to seize Maduro, as well as turned his ambitions to possessing Greenland.Trump’s insistence that the U.S. will possess Greenland over the objections of Denmark, a NATO ally, has alarmed some Republicans on Capitol Hill. They have mounted some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-republicans-trump-greenland-denmark-28252fc0691a183f52d3c4a77369457b">most outspoken objections</a>&nbsp;to almost anything the president has done since taking office.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-davos-housing-greenland-gaza-a2f3f4c18ba321c8025a3e208fc0ddf6">Trump this week backed away</a>&nbsp;from military and tariff threats against European allies as he announced that his administration was working with NATO on a “framework of a future deal” on Arctic security.But Bacon still expressed frustration with Trump’s aggressive foreign policy and planned to vote for the war powers resolution, even though it only applies to Venezuela.“I’m tired of all the threats,” he said.Trump’s recent military actions — and threats to do more — have reignited a decades-old debate in Congress over the War Powers Act, a law passed in the early 1970s by lawmakers looking to claw back their authority over military actions.<h2>The war powers debate</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63">War Powers Resolution</a>&nbsp;was passed in the Vietnam War era as the U.S. sent troops to conflicts throughout Asia. It attempted to force presidents to work with Congress to deploy troops if there hasn’t already been a formal declaration of war.Under the legislation, lawmakers can also force votes on legislation that directs the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities.Presidents have long tested the limits of those parameters, and Democrats argue that Trump in his second term has pushed those limits farther than ever.The Trump administration left Congress in the dark ahead of the surprise raid to capture Maduro. It has also used an evolving set of legal justifications to blow up alleged drug boats and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/venezuela-oil-exports-explainer/">seize sanctioned oil tankers</a>&nbsp;near Venezuela.<h2>Democrats question who gets to benefit from Venezuelan oil licenses</h2>As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-venezuela-oil-tanker-77f2c1441dda8217b37f9e38c3ae9131">Trump administration oversees</a>&nbsp;the sale of Venezuela’s petroleum worldwide, Senate Democrats are questioning who is benefitting from the contracts.In one of the first transactions, the U.S. granted Vitol, the world’s largest independent oil broker, a license worth roughly $250 million. A senior partner at Vitol, John Addison, gave roughly $6 million to Trump-aligned political action committees during the presidential election, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?cycle=2024&amp;order=asc&amp;page=3&amp;sort=N&amp;zip=77024" target="_blank">donation records</a>&nbsp;compiled by OpenSecrets.“Congress and the American people deserve full transparency regarding any financial commitments, promises, deals, or other arrangements related to Venezuela that could favor donors to the President’s campaign and political operation,” 13 Democratic senators wrote to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles Thursday in a letter led by Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California.The White House has said it is safeguarding the South American country’s oil for the benefit of both the people of Venezuela and the U.S.

Kan. GOP lawmakers help House defeat war powers resolution to check Trump’s military action 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Colorado man is going to prison for for a crash that killed an 82-year-old Kansas woman.

On Thursday, Judge Seth Rundell sentenced 26-year-old Austin Hedges to 31 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Colorado man will be in court to learn his fate Thursday for a crash that killed an 82-year-old Kansas woman.

Austin Hedges, 26, is scheduled for sentencing in Judge Seth Rundle's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In November Hedges pleaded guilty to charges of reckless involuntary manslaughter in the death of Kathy Knorr, according to the District Attorney's office.

On March 16, 2024, a vehicle driven by Hedges was northbound on Rock Road in Wichita and struck a vehicle driven by Knorr who was turning from Killarney Court onto southbound Rock Road, according to Wichita Police.

EMS transported Knorr to a local hospital. She died on March 30.&nbsp; The Weld County Colorado Sheriff arrested Hedges on April 19 and he was returned to Kansas to face charges.&nbsp; Hedges met the conditions of bond and is not currently in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762796790240.png" alt="Kathy Knorr photo Corzine Memorial Group" />
 <figcaption>Kathy Knorr photo Corzine Memorial Group</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Colorado man is going to prison for for a crash that killed an 82-year-old Kansas woman.On Thursday, Judge Seth Rundell sentenced 26-year-old Austin Hedges to 31 months in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.--------------SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Colorado man will be in court to learn his fate Thursday for a crash that killed an 82-year-old Kansas woman.Austin Hedges, 26, is scheduled for sentencing in Judge Seth Rundle's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In November Hedges pleaded guilty to charges of reckless involuntary manslaughter in the death of Kathy Knorr, according to the District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714590780723.png" alt="Hedges photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hedges photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>On March 16, 2024, a vehicle driven by Hedges was northbound on Rock Road in Wichita and struck a vehicle driven by Knorr who was turning from Killarney Court onto southbound Rock Road, according to Wichita Police.EMS transported Knorr to a local hospital. She died on March 30.&nbsp; The Weld County Colorado Sheriff arrested Hedges on April 19 and he was returned to Kansas to face charges.&nbsp; Hedges met the conditions of bond and is not currently in custody.

Driver in crash that killed 82-year-old Kan. woman is going to prison

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police have made a second arrest in the investigation into the Dec. 27, home invasion shooting in the 100 block of North Ash Wichita that left one man dead and another injured.

On January 15, 39-year-old Andre Bryant was taken into custody&nbsp; and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to a media release from Wichita Police. He made his first court appearance and has been charged with felony murder, aggravated murder, aggravated battery, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated burglary, and felon in possession of a firearm.

Just before 8:30p.m. on December 27, police responded to the home on North Ash&nbsp; and found a 52-year-old man and a 67-year-old man inside the home with gunshot wounds. Both were taken to a hospital. The 52-year-old later died. The 67-year-old man underwent surgery, was released from the hospital and is recovering.&nbsp;

A neighbor, identified as 54-year-old Matthew Morgan, was previously arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail and was charged with second-degree reckless murder.

Bryant is due back in court next month, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767007817776.png" alt="Morgan photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Morgan photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police have made a second arrest in the investigation into the Dec. 27, home invasion shooting in the 100 block of North Ash Wichita that left one man dead and another injured.On January 15, 39-year-old Andre Bryant was taken into custody&nbsp; and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to a media release from Wichita Police. He made his first court appearance and has been charged with felony murder, aggravated murder, aggravated battery, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated burglary, and felon in possession of a firearm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768573344903.png" alt="Bryant photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Bryant photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 8:30p.m. on December 27, police responded to the home on North Ash&nbsp; and found a 52-year-old man and a 67-year-old man inside the home with gunshot wounds. Both were taken to a hospital. The 52-year-old later died. The 67-year-old man underwent surgery, was released from the hospital and is recovering.&nbsp;A neighbor, identified as 54-year-old Matthew Morgan, was previously arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail and was charged with second-degree reckless murder.Bryant is due back in court next month, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Second suspect in Kan. home invasion killing faces a judge

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Army has ordered several dozen additional active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minneapolis if needed, a defense official said Wednesday, amid protests over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/subpoenas-minnesota-investigation-lawsuit-federal-officers-8693014921e7a240108cb7f58dc56a46">Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown</a>.

The defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, confirmed that members of an Army military police brigade who are stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina have been given prepare-to-deploy orders.

If deployed, the troops would likely offer support to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-economy-hilton-26fcb9165ec98bc77dc86e57f65022cc">civil authorities in Minneapolis</a>, according to the official, who stressed that such standby orders are issued regularly and they do not necessarily mean that the troops would end up going.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-deployment-minnesota-immigration-insurrection-act-31a28c23045bfdb31b27f68507a68ca8">About 1,500 active-duty soldiers</a>&nbsp;from the Army’s 11th Airborne Division based in Alaska also have received similar standby orders. President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-act-history-fdr-minneapolis-901631b98c96a425dc0c9b10a041bdac">the Insurrection Act</a>, a rarely used 19th century law that would allow him to use active-duty troops as law enforcement.

That threat followed protests that erupted in Minneapolis after a federal immigration officer killed resident Renee Good on Jan. 7. Trump quickly appeared to walk back the threat, telling reporters a day later that there wasn’t a reason to use the act “right now.”

“If I needed it, I’d use it,” Trump said. “It’s very powerful.”

When asked about the latest orders, which were reported earlier by MS Now, the Pentagon said it didn’t have information to provide at this time.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat and frequent target of Trump, has urged the president to refrain from sending in more troops and,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2013670376220348484?s=20" target="_blank">in a statement Tuesday</a>, invited him to visit Minnesota and “help restore calm and order and reaffirm that true public safety comes from shared purpose, trust, and respect.”

In his second term, Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-trump-federal-intervention-chicago-a206278c6948dfd17f9224be81c440f1">pushed traditional boundaries</a>&nbsp;by using troops in American cities, often over the objections of local officials, amid federal operations targeting illegal immigration and crime.

Trump deployed federalized National Guard troops to Los Angeles last June after protesters took to the streets in response to a blitz of immigration arrests. Ultimately, he sent about 4,000 Guard members and 700 active-duty Marines to guard federal buildings and, later, to protect federal agents as they carried out immigration arrests.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Army has ordered several dozen additional active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minneapolis if needed, a defense official said Wednesday, amid protests over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/subpoenas-minnesota-investigation-lawsuit-federal-officers-8693014921e7a240108cb7f58dc56a46">Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown</a>.The defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, confirmed that members of an Army military police brigade who are stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina have been given prepare-to-deploy orders.If deployed, the troops would likely offer support to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minnesota-economy-hilton-26fcb9165ec98bc77dc86e57f65022cc">civil authorities in Minneapolis</a>, according to the official, who stressed that such standby orders are issued regularly and they do not necessarily mean that the troops would end up going.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-deployment-minnesota-immigration-insurrection-act-31a28c23045bfdb31b27f68507a68ca8">About 1,500 active-duty soldiers</a>&nbsp;from the Army’s 11th Airborne Division based in Alaska also have received similar standby orders. President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-act-history-fdr-minneapolis-901631b98c96a425dc0c9b10a041bdac">the Insurrection Act</a>, a rarely used 19th century law that would allow him to use active-duty troops as law enforcement.That threat followed protests that erupted in Minneapolis after a federal immigration officer killed resident Renee Good on Jan. 7. Trump quickly appeared to walk back the threat, telling reporters a day later that there wasn’t a reason to use the act “right now.”“If I needed it, I’d use it,” Trump said. “It’s very powerful.”When asked about the latest orders, which were reported earlier by MS Now, the Pentagon said it didn’t have information to provide at this time.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat and frequent target of Trump, has urged the president to refrain from sending in more troops and,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2013670376220348484?s=20" target="_blank">in a statement Tuesday</a>, invited him to visit Minnesota and “help restore calm and order and reaffirm that true public safety comes from shared purpose, trust, and respect.”In his second term, Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-trump-federal-intervention-chicago-a206278c6948dfd17f9224be81c440f1">pushed traditional boundaries</a>&nbsp;by using troops in American cities, often over the objections of local officials, amid federal operations targeting illegal immigration and crime.Trump deployed federalized National Guard troops to Los Angeles last June after protesters took to the streets in response to a blitz of immigration arrests. Ultimately, he sent about 4,000 Guard members and 700 active-duty Marines to guard federal buildings and, later, to protect federal agents as they carried out immigration arrests.

Army orders military police to get ready for a possible Minneapolis deployment

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Pai'Shant Chaney, Criminal damage to property, arrested 01/16

Lauryn Willins, Criminal damage to property, arrested 01/16

Leona Simms, Unlawful damage to property (Two counts); Domestic battery, arrested 01/17

Galen Ruffin, Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana; Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license; Failure to appear, arrested 01/17

Driston Dowling, Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana; Unlawful acts, arrested 01/17

Roman Salyers, Battery; Assault; Disorderly conduct, arrested 01/19

Leobardo Arreola, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 01/19

Lorita Swanigan, Cancelled/suspended/revoked driver's license, arrested 01/19

Zechariah Richards, Domestic battery, arrested 01/20

Kristy Caughron, Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked, arrested 01/20

Kevin Geiger, Failure to appear, arrested 01/20

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769020845043.jpeg" alt="Brian Beckford, Arrest by LEO, Warrant arrest; Possession of marijuana; Unlawful damage to property, arrested 01/16" />
 <figcaption>Brian Beckford, Arrest by LEO, Warrant arrest; Possession of marijuana; Unlawful damage to property, arrested 01/16</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769020857690.jpeg" alt="Marion Robinson, Failure to appear, arrested 01/16" />
 <figcaption>Marion Robinson, Failure to appear, arrested 01/16</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769020871299.jpeg" alt="Tanya Sutton, Violation of a protective order; Interference with LEO; Possession of a controlled substance; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Aggravated assault; Criminal damage to property, arrested 01/17" />
 <figcaption>Tanya Sutton, Violation of a protective order; Interference with LEO; Possession of a controlled substance; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Aggravated assault; Criminal damage to property, arrested 01/17</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769020885164.jpeg" alt="Wayne Sawicki, Failure to appear; Unlawful restraint; Intimidation of a witness or victim; Criminal deprivation of property; Domestic battery, arrested 01/19&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Wayne Sawicki, Failure to appear; Unlawful restraint; Intimidation of a witness or victim; Criminal deprivation of property; Domestic battery, arrested 01/19&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769020899828.jpeg" alt="Joshue Sichler, Failure to appear, arrested 01/20" />
 <figcaption>Joshue Sichler, Failure to appear, arrested 01/20</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769020909757.jpeg" alt="Victoria Duose, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 01/20" />
 <figcaption>Victoria Duose, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 01/20</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Pai'Shant Chaney, Criminal damage to property, arrested 01/16Lauryn Willins, Criminal damage to property, arrested 01/16Leona Simms, Unlawful damage to property (Two counts); Domestic battery, arrested 01/17Galen Ruffin, Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana; Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license; Failure to appear, arrested 01/17Driston Dowling, Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana; Unlawful acts, arrested 01/17Roman Salyers, Battery; Assault; Disorderly conduct, arrested 01/19Leobardo Arreola, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 01/19Lorita Swanigan, Cancelled/suspended/revoked driver's license, arrested 01/19Zechariah Richards, Domestic battery, arrested 01/20Kristy Caughron, Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked, arrested 01/20Kevin Geiger, Failure to appear, arrested 01/20Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Geary County Booking Photos Jan. 17-21, 2026

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two Fort Riley men for alleged barcode swapping at a store in Salina.

On Monday, security from Target on South 9th Street in Salina took two male suspects into custody for allegedly barcode swapping on trading cards.

Salina Police Department were dispatched to the store and arrested 23, year-old&nbsp;Austin Martin and 24-year-old Colby Flowers, both from Fort Riley, according to a statement from Salina Police.

Martin and Flowers allegedly stole two boxes of sports cards, valued at $100 and two packs of pokemon cards, valued $10. The suspects committed the thefts on January 11 and the 17.

Martin and Flowers were booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charge of Felony Theft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768920785988.jpeg" alt="Flowers photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Flowers photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two Fort Riley men for alleged barcode swapping at a store in Salina.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769015181676.png" alt="Martin-photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Martin-photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, security from Target on South 9th Street in Salina took two male suspects into custody for allegedly barcode swapping on trading cards.Salina Police Department were dispatched to the store and arrested 23, year-old&nbsp;Austin Martin and 24-year-old Colby Flowers, both from Fort Riley, according to a statement from Salina Police.Martin and Flowers allegedly stole two boxes of sports cards, valued at $100 and two packs of pokemon cards, valued $10. The suspects committed the thefts on January 11 and the 17.Martin and Flowers were booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charge of Felony Theft.

Police: Two Fort Riley men accused of barcode swapping 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 4a.m. January 19, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on a white 2005 Cadillac SUV near SW 17th Street and SW Washburn Avenue in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; It was determined that the driver did not have a valid driver’s license. He also had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. During the investigation, illegal narcotics were located.

Quamell C-C Eteeyan, 30, Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia and traffic violations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768950271191.png" alt="Eteeyan-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Eteeyan-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 4a.m. January 19, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a traffic stop on a white 2005 Cadillac SUV near SW 17th Street and SW Washburn Avenue in Topeka, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; It was determined that the driver did not have a valid driver’s license. He also had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest. During the investigation, illegal narcotics were located.Quamell C-C Eteeyan, 30, Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia and traffic violations.

Kan. man without a driver's license was transporting drugs

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a southwest Kansas man on multiple allegations a

Just after 8:30p.m. January 18, police responded to a reported robbery that occurred in the southwest part of Garden City, according to a media release.

Officers spoke with a woman who reported an altercation with a man known to her, identified as 37-year-old Enrique Rodriguez Hevia. The investigation revealed an argument between the two turned physical, after which Rodriguez Hevia took several of the woman’s possessions and refused to return them until she drove him to his vehicle. 

The woman attempted to drive to the police department, but Rodriguez Hevia got into the vehicle and interfered with her ability to leave by placing the vehicle into different gears and restraining the steering wheel. 

When the victim called out to nearby neighbors for help, Rodriguez Hevia fled the area with her possessions. Rodriguez Hevia later turned himself in at the Finney County Law Enforcement Center, where he was arrested and booked into jail on requested charges of Aggravated Auto Burglary, Robbery, and Domestic Battery.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768950568679.png" alt="Hevia-photo FInney County" />
 <figcaption>Hevia-photo FInney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a southwest Kansas man on multiple allegations aJust after 8:30p.m. January 18, police responded to a reported robbery that occurred in the southwest part of Garden City, according to a media release.Officers spoke with a woman who reported an altercation with a man known to her, identified as 37-year-old Enrique Rodriguez Hevia. The investigation revealed an argument between the two turned physical, after which Rodriguez Hevia took several of the woman’s possessions and refused to return them until she drove him to his vehicle. The woman attempted to drive to the police department, but Rodriguez Hevia got into the vehicle and interfered with her ability to leave by placing the vehicle into different gears and restraining the steering wheel. When the victim called out to nearby neighbors for help, Rodriguez Hevia fled the area with her possessions. Rodriguez Hevia later turned himself in at the Finney County Law Enforcement Center, where he was arrested and booked into jail on requested charges of Aggravated Auto Burglary, Robbery, and Domestic Battery.&nbsp;

SW Kansas robbery, domestic battery suspect turns himself in

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect who admitted setting a fire near the historic Orpheum Theatre,&nbsp;200 N Broadway Street, in Wichita expected to learn his fate Tuesday.

Sentencing for 34-year-old Jeremy Wycoff, who in September pleaded guilty to aggravated arson, was delayed for the second time, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; The sentencing hearing is now scheduled for January 30.

On the evening of April 10, crews responded to report of a fire near the 102-year-old theatre that is undergoing renovations.&nbsp;

"Thanks to the quick response of Wichita Fire Department, the situation was contained before it caused any major damage to our building or our neighbors along First Street," the theatre announced on their social media page.

Three days after the crime, police arrested Wycoff and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains jailed on a bond of just over $100,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744832383037.png" alt="Wycoff photo Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Wycoff photo Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect who admitted setting a fire near the historic Orpheum Theatre,&nbsp;200 N Broadway Street, in Wichita expected to learn his fate Tuesday.Sentencing for 34-year-old Jeremy Wycoff, who in September pleaded guilty to aggravated arson, was delayed for the second time, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; The sentencing hearing is now scheduled for January 30.On the evening of April 10, crews responded to report of a fire near the 102-year-old theatre that is undergoing renovations.&nbsp;"Thanks to the quick response of Wichita Fire Department, the situation was contained before it caused any major damage to our building or our neighbors along First Street," the theatre announced on their social media page.Three days after the crime, police arrested Wycoff and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains jailed on a bond of just over $100,000.

Sentencing delayed for suspect in arson fire near historic Kan. theatre 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A judge ordered that actor Timothy Busfield be released from jail pending trial on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-83c82a8c5dbfabd4880f3c8af02fb523">child sex abuse charges</a>, at a detention hearing Tuesday.

The order from state district court Judge David Murphy is linked to accusations that Busfield inappropriately touched a minor while working as a director on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady.”

Busfield will be supervised upon release by a pretrial services office in Albuquerque, and can leave the state to return home, the judge said.

Busfield, an Emmy Award-winning actor who is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-3a467ec0e0a8be87d1142724fbbb8e1d">ordered to be held without bond</a>&nbsp;last week at his first court appearance. Busfield called the allegations lies in a video shared before he turned himself in.

The judge acknowledged evidence that Busfield is accused of crimes that are inherently dangerous and involve children, but said prosecutors didn't prove that there are no conditions of release that would protect the public's safety.

“There’s no evidence of a pattern of criminal conduct, there are no similar allegations involving children in his past," Murphy said. "Rather this defendant self-surrendered and submitted himself to this court’s jurisdiction, demonstrating compliance with the court order for his arrest.”

At the hearing, Busfield was handcuffed and dressed in an orange jail uniform in a New Mexico state district court, while wife and actor Melissa Gilbert watched from the court gallery.

Gilbert was tearful while exiting the courtroom after the judge ordered Busfield’s release.

Gilbert, who played&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-celebrity-9ba7c27a8ae04a3993864eea8508f2f3">Laura Ingalls in the 1970s to ’80s</a>&nbsp;TV series “Little House on the Prairie,” was on the list of potential witness submitted ahead of the hearing.

Albuquerque police issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-82d413e86b62a151564e75b0ba535551">warrant</a>&nbsp;for Busfield's arrest earlier this month on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the acts occurred on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady.”

According to the criminal complaint, an investigator with the police department says the child reported Busfield touched him on private areas over his clothing on one occasion when he was 7 years old and another time when he was 8. The boy’s twin brother told authorities he was also touched by Busfield, but did not specify where. He said he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble.

On Monday, Busfield’s attorneys submitted two brief audio recordings of initial police interviews in which the children say Busfield did not touch them in private areas. The attorneys in a court filing argue that the complaint characterizes the interviews as a failure to disclose abuse, but an “unequivocal denial is materially different from a mere absence of disclosure.”

According to the criminal complaint, one of the boys disclosed during a therapy session that he was inappropriately touched by the show's director. Those records were obtained by police during the investigation.

Arguing Tuesday for Busfield's continued detention, Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch called evidence of abuse against Busfield strong and specific.

“The boys' allegation are supported by medical findings and by their therapist," Brandenburg-Koch said. "Their accounts were specific and not exaggerated.”

She also described a documented pattern of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority and grooming behavior by Busfield over the past three decades. Prosecutors also say witnesses have expressed fear regarding retaliation and professional harm.

“GPS is not going to tell this court if he is around children or talking to witnesses,” Brandenburg-Koch said.

Busfield’s attorneys have argued that the allegations emerged only after the boys lost their role in the TV show, creating a financial and retaliatory motive. The filings detailed what the attorneys said was a history of fraud by both the boys' father and mother. They cited an investigation by Warner Bros. into the allegations that found the allegations unfounded.

Busfield also submitted letters vouching for his character, and his attorneys say he passed an independent polygraph test.

Legal experts say New Mexico is among a few states that allow polygraph evidence in criminal cases, but a judge has final say over whether one can be used. There are strict requirements for admission.

Morgan reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768347111074.png" alt="Busfield photo Albuquerque Metro Detention Facility" />
 <figcaption>Busfield photo Albuquerque Metro Detention Facility</figcaption>
 </figure>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A judge ordered that actor Timothy Busfield be released from jail pending trial on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-83c82a8c5dbfabd4880f3c8af02fb523">child sex abuse charges</a>, at a detention hearing Tuesday.The order from state district court Judge David Murphy is linked to accusations that Busfield inappropriately touched a minor while working as a director on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady.”Busfield will be supervised upon release by a pretrial services office in Albuquerque, and can leave the state to return home, the judge said.Busfield, an Emmy Award-winning actor who is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-3a467ec0e0a8be87d1142724fbbb8e1d">ordered to be held without bond</a>&nbsp;last week at his first court appearance. Busfield called the allegations lies in a video shared before he turned himself in.The judge acknowledged evidence that Busfield is accused of crimes that are inherently dangerous and involve children, but said prosecutors didn't prove that there are no conditions of release that would protect the public's safety.“There’s no evidence of a pattern of criminal conduct, there are no similar allegations involving children in his past," Murphy said. "Rather this defendant self-surrendered and submitted himself to this court’s jurisdiction, demonstrating compliance with the court order for his arrest.”At the hearing, Busfield was handcuffed and dressed in an orange jail uniform in a New Mexico state district court, while wife and actor Melissa Gilbert watched from the court gallery.Gilbert was tearful while exiting the courtroom after the judge ordered Busfield’s release.Gilbert, who played&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-celebrity-9ba7c27a8ae04a3993864eea8508f2f3">Laura Ingalls in the 1970s to ’80s</a>&nbsp;TV series “Little House on the Prairie,” was on the list of potential witness submitted ahead of the hearing.Albuquerque police issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timothy-busfield-child-sex-abuse-charge-82d413e86b62a151564e75b0ba535551">warrant</a>&nbsp;for Busfield's arrest earlier this month on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the acts occurred on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady.”According to the criminal complaint, an investigator with the police department says the child reported Busfield touched him on private areas over his clothing on one occasion when he was 7 years old and another time when he was 8. The boy’s twin brother told authorities he was also touched by Busfield, but did not specify where. He said he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble.On Monday, Busfield’s attorneys submitted two brief audio recordings of initial police interviews in which the children say Busfield did not touch them in private areas. The attorneys in a court filing argue that the complaint characterizes the interviews as a failure to disclose abuse, but an “unequivocal denial is materially different from a mere absence of disclosure.”According to the criminal complaint, one of the boys disclosed during a therapy session that he was inappropriately touched by the show's director. Those records were obtained by police during the investigation.Arguing Tuesday for Busfield's continued detention, Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch called evidence of abuse against Busfield strong and specific.“The boys' allegation are supported by medical findings and by their therapist," Brandenburg-Koch said. "Their accounts were specific and not exaggerated.”She also described a documented pattern of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority and grooming behavior by Busfield over the past three decades. Prosecutors also say witnesses have expressed fear regarding retaliation and professional harm.“GPS is not going to tell this court if he is around children or talking to witnesses,” Brandenburg-Koch said.Busfield’s attorneys have argued that the allegations emerged only after the boys lost their role in the TV show, creating a financial and retaliatory motive. The filings detailed what the attorneys said was a history of fraud by both the boys' father and mother. They cited an investigation by Warner Bros. into the allegations that found the allegations unfounded.Busfield also submitted letters vouching for his character, and his attorneys say he passed an independent polygraph test.Legal experts say New Mexico is among a few states that allow polygraph evidence in criminal cases, but a judge has final say over whether one can be used. There are strict requirements for admission.___Morgan reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Judge issues ruling in 'West Wing' actor child sex abuse case

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Satanic Grotto delivered a complaint to the Kansas Department of Administration Capitol events coordinator for allowing Abortion is Murder — a Christian group known for protesting with graphic signs — to protest inside the Statehouse, and plans to counterprotest.

Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart said the grotto plans to be at the Statehouse on Jan. 27, the day of&nbsp;<a href="https://aimks.org/rally/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPToVxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR5S0_6vMmkI4xggb68XylLYF_18w0kfreT9atALAa4P5Qd-W1bf7kEuv-SYBQ_aem_-XBHAIdm3ymtiOJXP2-8Og" target="_blank">the AIM protest</a>, with or without permit approval. Stewart said the approval of AIM’s permit is unfair because the state, which restricted a planned grotto protest over the summer, is applying different standards about obscenity and violence to the two groups.

The grotto identifies its complaint as a “formal notice of liability” for discrimination.

Stewart invited people to join the grotto in counterprotesting AIM, offering free kazoos as an incentive. Stewart said he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/853248430955373/?post_id=854983640781852&amp;view=permalink" target="_blank">submitted&nbsp;</a>a permit for the protest Jan.15, and it has yet to be approved or denied. Stewart said the Department of Administration uses silence as a “disruption tactic.”

Samir Arif, the chief of staff and director of public affairs for the Department of Administration, said the agency wouldn’t comment on ongoing legal issues.

As of Jan. 20, about 50 people were “interested” in or going to the grotto’s counterprotest, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/1BrGRjt3AC/?mibextid=wwXIfr" target="_blank">Facebook event listing</a>.

Stewart said the Grotto’s permit application is for the south steps outside of the Statehouse. AIM’s permit is for the second floor rotunda inside.

“Our actions at the Capitol will be in direct response to the government’s decisions,” Stewart said. “If the government fulfills their duties, then the grotto will be committed to having a peaceful celebration of bodily autonomy and educating anyone who shows up about their personal constitutional rights outside, right along AIM.

“If we are institutionally oppressed, or if they show a viewpoint discrimination favoring AIM, then we will absolutely escalate our actions to an interior counterprotest. The grotto doesn’t want the conflict. The grotto wants equal treatment in the same space.”

Stewart said grotto artists have made a “poignant gore piece” to bring to the counterprotest. The 9-foot-tall sculpture has been named “zombie Jesus” by members.

He said the rules for permits are unfairly applied. Before the grotto’s own protest in March — a “<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/28/loud-boisterous-rival-protests-of-religious-freedom-among-catholics-and-satanists-turn-violent/">black mass</a>” that drew thousands of Christian counterprotesters and ended with a handful of arrests — legislators&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/kansas-legislators-archbishop-take-action-against-satanists-and-their-planned-black-mass/">denounced</a>&nbsp;their plans with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hr6016/" target="_blank">House Resolution 6016</a>, which called the plan “blasphemous.” Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/12/kansas-satanists-plan-to-defy-governor-with-therapeutic-blasphemy-in-black-mass-at-statehouse/">banned</a>&nbsp;the satanists from entering the Statehouse, but they ignored her ban.

The black mass turned violent as Christian counterprotesters clashed with Satanic Grotto members. Stewart and a counterprotester were arrested.

After the black mass, Adam Proffitt, the secretary of administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/07/kansas-officials-dash-satanists-plans-for-witching-hour-protest-at-statehouse/">denied</a>&nbsp;the grotto’s application for another protest over the summer. Proffitt said the grotto could have a permit if someone other than Stewart filed for it, and as long as the protest didn’t go past sundown. The group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1252570246006347/" target="_blank">obliged</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768946477298.png" alt=" Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart punches counterprotester Marcus Schroeder after Schroeder attempted to take Stewart’s prayer materials during a March 28, 2025, black mass inside the Kansas Capitol. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart punches counterprotester Marcus Schroeder after Schroeder attempted to take Stewart’s prayer materials during a March 28, 2025, black mass inside the Kansas Capitol. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Satanic Grotto delivered a complaint to the Kansas Department of Administration Capitol events coordinator for allowing Abortion is Murder — a Christian group known for protesting with graphic signs — to protest inside the Statehouse, and plans to counterprotest.Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart said the grotto plans to be at the Statehouse on Jan. 27, the day of&nbsp;<a href="https://aimks.org/rally/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPToVxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR5S0_6vMmkI4xggb68XylLYF_18w0kfreT9atALAa4P5Qd-W1bf7kEuv-SYBQ_aem_-XBHAIdm3ymtiOJXP2-8Og" target="_blank">the AIM protest</a>, with or without permit approval. Stewart said the approval of AIM’s permit is unfair because the state, which restricted a planned grotto protest over the summer, is applying different standards about obscenity and violence to the two groups.The grotto identifies its complaint as a “formal notice of liability” for discrimination.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768946412182.png" alt="Nicholas Heald, of Wichita, holds a sign demonstrating his anti-abortion views on April 10, 2025, at the third floor center railing between the House and Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Nicholas Heald, of Wichita, holds a sign demonstrating his anti-abortion views on April 10, 2025, at the third floor center railing between the House and Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Stewart invited people to join the grotto in counterprotesting AIM, offering free kazoos as an incentive. Stewart said he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/853248430955373/?post_id=854983640781852&amp;view=permalink" target="_blank">submitted&nbsp;</a>a permit for the protest Jan.15, and it has yet to be approved or denied. Stewart said the Department of Administration uses silence as a “disruption tactic.”Samir Arif, the chief of staff and director of public affairs for the Department of Administration, said the agency wouldn’t comment on ongoing legal issues.As of Jan. 20, about 50 people were “interested” in or going to the grotto’s counterprotest, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/1BrGRjt3AC/?mibextid=wwXIfr" target="_blank">Facebook event listing</a>.Stewart said the Grotto’s permit application is for the south steps outside of the Statehouse. AIM’s permit is for the second floor rotunda inside.“Our actions at the Capitol will be in direct response to the government’s decisions,” Stewart said. “If the government fulfills their duties, then the grotto will be committed to having a peaceful celebration of bodily autonomy and educating anyone who shows up about their personal constitutional rights outside, right along AIM.“If we are institutionally oppressed, or if they show a viewpoint discrimination favoring AIM, then we will absolutely escalate our actions to an interior counterprotest. The grotto doesn’t want the conflict. The grotto wants equal treatment in the same space.”Stewart said grotto artists have made a “poignant gore piece” to bring to the counterprotest. The 9-foot-tall sculpture has been named “zombie Jesus” by members.He said the rules for permits are unfairly applied. Before the grotto’s own protest in March — a “<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/28/loud-boisterous-rival-protests-of-religious-freedom-among-catholics-and-satanists-turn-violent/">black mass</a>” that drew thousands of Christian counterprotesters and ended with a handful of arrests — legislators&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/kansas-legislators-archbishop-take-action-against-satanists-and-their-planned-black-mass/">denounced</a>&nbsp;their plans with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hr6016/" target="_blank">House Resolution 6016</a>, which called the plan “blasphemous.” Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/12/kansas-satanists-plan-to-defy-governor-with-therapeutic-blasphemy-in-black-mass-at-statehouse/">banned</a>&nbsp;the satanists from entering the Statehouse, but they ignored her ban.The black mass turned violent as Christian counterprotesters clashed with Satanic Grotto members. Stewart and a counterprotester were arrested.After the black mass, Adam Proffitt, the secretary of administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/07/kansas-officials-dash-satanists-plans-for-witching-hour-protest-at-statehouse/">denied</a>&nbsp;the grotto’s application for another protest over the summer. Proffitt said the grotto could have a permit if someone other than Stewart filed for it, and as long as the protest didn’t go past sundown. The group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1252570246006347/" target="_blank">obliged</a>.

Kansas Satanic Grotto files complaint about abortion rally permit approval, plans counterprotest

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal prosecutors served six grand jury subpoenas Tuesday to Minnesota officials as part of an investigation into whether they obstructed or impeded federal law enforcement during a sweeping immigration operation in Minneapolis-St. Paul area, a person familiar with the matter said.

The subpoenas, which seek records, were sent to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties, the person said.

The person was not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The subpoenas are related to an investigation into whether Minnesota officials obstructed federal immigration enforcement through public statements they made,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-25e46910fcc62fbf5ab341905af9891c">two people familiar with the matter said on Friday</a>. They said then it was focused on the potential violation of a conspiracy statute.

Walz and Frey, both Democrats, have called the probe a bullying tactic meant to quell political opposition. Frey's office was ordered to produce a long list of records to a grand jury on Feb. 3, including “cooperation or lack of cooperation with federal law enforcement" and “any records tending to show a refusal to come to the aid of immigration officials.”

“We shouldn’t have to live in a country where people fear that federal law enforcement will be used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with,” Frey said.

The subpoenas came as the Trump administration urged a judge to reject&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-renee-good-immigration-sweeps-6ae64be5a0d6a718b658a938fb56e567">efforts by Minnesota and its largest cities</a>&nbsp;to stop the immigration enforcement surge that has roiled Minneapolis and St. Paul for weeks.

The Justice Department called the lawsuit, filed soon after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-victim-renee-good-d95e86716eec328a288866108acf78eb">the fatal shooting of Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by an immigration officer, “legally frivolous.” Lawyers argued that the Department of Homeland Security is acting within its legal powers to enforce immigration laws.

Operation Metro Surge has made the state safer with the arrests of more than 3,000 people who were in the country illegally, the government said Monday in a court filing.

“Put simply, Minnesota wants a veto over federal law enforcement,” Justice Department attorneys wrote.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the government is violating free speech and other constitutional rights with its unprecedented sweeps. He described the armed officers as poorly trained and said the “invasion” must cease.

The lawsuit filed Jan. 12 seeks an order to halt or limit the enforcement action. More filings are expected, and it's not known when U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez will make a decision.

Ilan Wurman, who teaches constitutional law at University of Minnesota Law School, doubts the state's arguments will be successful.

“There's no question that federal law is supreme over state law, that immigration enforcement is within the power of the federal government, and the president, within statutory bounds, can allocate more federal enforcement resources to states who’ve been less cooperative in that enforcement space than other states have been,” Wurman told The Associated Press.

Julia Decker, policy director at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, expressed frustration that advocates have no way of knowing whether the government’s arrest numbers and descriptions of the people in custody are accurate.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-us-citizen-detained-hmong-d009590a491c0c8243ef21ef24db7182">U.S. citizens</a>&nbsp;have been dragged from their homes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-arrests-detention-ice-8993bfd5d54b870521ec5b44fc42cd71">and vehicles</a>&nbsp;during the Minnesota surge.

“These are real people we’re talking about, that we potentially have no idea what is happening to them,” Decker said.

Police say ICE is targeting off-duty officers

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-immigration-operation-lawsuit-8805b301ff4a7bfb0058e085ffa8c034">separate lawsuit</a>, Menendez said Friday that federal officers can’t detain or tear gas peaceful protesters who aren’t obstructing authorities.

Good, 37, was killed on Jan. 7 as she was moving her vehicle, which had been blocking a Minneapolis street where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were operating. Trump administration officials say the officer, Jonathan Ross, shot her in self-defense, although videos of the encounter show the Honda Pilot slowly turning away from him.

Since then, the public has repeatedly confronted officers, blowing whistles and yelling insults at ICE and U.S. Border Patrol. They, in turn, have used tear gas and chemical irritants against protesters. Bystanders have recorded video of officers using a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minneapolis-raid-liberian-trump-eceefc72b9889d33d2bc961f1f02ecc4">battering ram to get into a house</a>&nbsp;as well as smashing vehicle windows and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-protests-immigration-agents-crowd-control-policing-ice-dhs-bd9335c2b0b793a3bff5c51287a80819">dragging people out of cars</a>.

Police in the region, meanwhile, said off-duty law enforcement officers have been racially profiled by federal officers and stopped without cause. Brooklyn Park police Chief Mark Bruley said he has received complaints from residents who are U.S. citizens, including his own officers.

“Every one of these individuals is a person of color who has had this happening,” Bruley said during a news conference.

President Donald Trump last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-crackdown-minnesota-shootings-renee-good-a0c368079c106b599245996fded8c1b9">threatened to invoke an 1807 law</a>&nbsp;and send troops to Minnesota, though he has backed off, at least in his public remarks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768610962226.png" alt="Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz from his social media page" />
 <figcaption>Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz from his social media page</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal prosecutors served six grand jury subpoenas Tuesday to Minnesota officials as part of an investigation into whether they obstructed or impeded federal law enforcement during a sweeping immigration operation in Minneapolis-St. Paul area, a person familiar with the matter said.The subpoenas, which seek records, were sent to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties, the person said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/rGLZVW34kc">pic.twitter.com/rGLZVW34kc</a>&mdash; Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz/status/2013670376220348484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The person was not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.The subpoenas are related to an investigation into whether Minnesota officials obstructed federal immigration enforcement through public statements they made,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-25e46910fcc62fbf5ab341905af9891c">two people familiar with the matter said on Friday</a>. They said then it was focused on the potential violation of a conspiracy statute.<h2>Mayor: Subpoenas are to stoke fear</h2>Walz and Frey, both Democrats, have called the probe a bullying tactic meant to quell political opposition. Frey's office was ordered to produce a long list of records to a grand jury on Feb. 3, including “cooperation or lack of cooperation with federal law enforcement" and “any records tending to show a refusal to come to the aid of immigration officials.”“We shouldn’t have to live in a country where people fear that federal law enforcement will be used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with,” Frey said.The subpoenas came as the Trump administration urged a judge to reject&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-renee-good-immigration-sweeps-6ae64be5a0d6a718b658a938fb56e567">efforts by Minnesota and its largest cities</a>&nbsp;to stop the immigration enforcement surge that has roiled Minneapolis and St. Paul for weeks.The Justice Department called the lawsuit, filed soon after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-victim-renee-good-d95e86716eec328a288866108acf78eb">the fatal shooting of Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by an immigration officer, “legally frivolous.” Lawyers argued that the Department of Homeland Security is acting within its legal powers to enforce immigration laws.Operation Metro Surge has made the state safer with the arrests of more than 3,000 people who were in the country illegally, the government said Monday in a court filing.“Put simply, Minnesota wants a veto over federal law enforcement,” Justice Department attorneys wrote.Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the government is violating free speech and other constitutional rights with its unprecedented sweeps. He described the armed officers as poorly trained and said the “invasion” must cease.The lawsuit filed Jan. 12 seeks an order to halt or limit the enforcement action. More filings are expected, and it's not known when U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez will make a decision.<h2>Hard to track arrests</h2>Ilan Wurman, who teaches constitutional law at University of Minnesota Law School, doubts the state's arguments will be successful.“There's no question that federal law is supreme over state law, that immigration enforcement is within the power of the federal government, and the president, within statutory bounds, can allocate more federal enforcement resources to states who’ve been less cooperative in that enforcement space than other states have been,” Wurman told The Associated Press.Julia Decker, policy director at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, expressed frustration that advocates have no way of knowing whether the government’s arrest numbers and descriptions of the people in custody are accurate.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-us-citizen-detained-hmong-d009590a491c0c8243ef21ef24db7182">U.S. citizens</a>&nbsp;have been dragged from their homes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-arrests-detention-ice-8993bfd5d54b870521ec5b44fc42cd71">and vehicles</a>&nbsp;during the Minnesota surge.“These are real people we’re talking about, that we potentially have no idea what is happening to them,” Decker said.<h2>Police say ICE is targeting off-duty officers</h2>In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-immigration-operation-lawsuit-8805b301ff4a7bfb0058e085ffa8c034">separate lawsuit</a>, Menendez said Friday that federal officers can’t detain or tear gas peaceful protesters who aren’t obstructing authorities.Good, 37, was killed on Jan. 7 as she was moving her vehicle, which had been blocking a Minneapolis street where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were operating. Trump administration officials say the officer, Jonathan Ross, shot her in self-defense, although videos of the encounter show the Honda Pilot slowly turning away from him.Since then, the public has repeatedly confronted officers, blowing whistles and yelling insults at ICE and U.S. Border Patrol. They, in turn, have used tear gas and chemical irritants against protesters. Bystanders have recorded video of officers using a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minneapolis-raid-liberian-trump-eceefc72b9889d33d2bc961f1f02ecc4">battering ram to get into a house</a>&nbsp;as well as smashing vehicle windows and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-protests-immigration-agents-crowd-control-policing-ice-dhs-bd9335c2b0b793a3bff5c51287a80819">dragging people out of cars</a>.Police in the region, meanwhile, said off-duty law enforcement officers have been racially profiled by federal officers and stopped without cause. Brooklyn Park police Chief Mark Bruley said he has received complaints from residents who are U.S. citizens, including his own officers.“Every one of these individuals is a person of color who has had this happening,” Bruley said during a news conference.President Donald Trump last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-crackdown-minnesota-shootings-renee-good-a0c368079c106b599245996fded8c1b9">threatened to invoke an 1807 law</a>&nbsp;and send troops to Minnesota, though he has backed off, at least in his public remarks.___Richer reported from Washington, D.C. Associated Press reporter Sarah Raza in Minneapolis contributed.