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This week brings a convergence of serious issues affecting our community, from extreme cold weather and public safety concerns, to a statewide day of action centered on immigration enforcement and constitutional rights. In moments like this, my priority as your Council Member is clear: to keep you safe, deliver upon the services we as residents depend on, and ensure that Ward 4 continues to show up for one another with care, dignity, and respect.
Below you’ll find important information about ICE OUT, what City services we will continue to provide, how to support neighbors safely, and how to exercise your rights peacefully. You’ll also find critical updates on extreme cold weather safety, how to report concerns in your neighborhood, and the latest public safety data showing continued progress in reducing violent crime in Minneapolis.
These are complex and challenging times, but our strength as a community has always come from looking out for one another, staying grounded in facts, and working together even when systems around us are strained. My office remains engaged, responsive, and committed to supporting Ward 4 through every one of these moments.
Please read on, take care of yourself and your neighbors, and don’t hesitate to reach out if my office can be of help.
— Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw
Minneapolis City Council, Ward 4
 Labor unions and community groups are calling for a statewide pause in economic activity tomorrow, Friday Jan. 23, to demand that ICE get out now and raise awareness about its unconstitutional tactics causing chaos and harm in our city.
The City of Minneapolis offices will be open for business, and City staff will continue to deliver on core essential services for our residents.
If you’re planning to participate Friday, here are a few ways you could use your time to support the community:
- Check in on your neighbors and help them if you can.
- Volunteer with local nonprofits and mutual aid groups in the community.
- Support and promote your favorite local businesses, and let them know you appreciate them.
- Exercise your First Amendment rights by participating in peaceful demonstrations, rallies or marches.
The Message of January 23
January 23rd is a moment of collective care and collective power, a day to say that constitutional rights, family unity, and community safety must come before federal intimidation.
When communities and workers stand together, they have the power to stop harm and demand a different future.This is a demonstration of collective refusal, a way to show how deeply federal enforcements disruption in our city has affected workers, students, families, and entire communities.
By pausing work, school, and commerce, participants aim to:
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Draw attention to the human and economic cost of ICE operations here in Minnesota
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This is about fixing broken systems, not targeting communities. Immigration policy should be humane, coordinated, and constitutional, not chaotic and harmful.
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Assert the right to free speech, peaceful assembly, and community self-determination
Leaders emphasize that when workers are unsafe, entire workplaces and industries are destabilized, making immigration enforcement not just a moral issue, but a labor and economic one.
Reporting suspicious vehicles
Residents and community members can report suspicious vehicles on city streets. If you see an unmarked vehicle without front and rear license plates, you can report it to 311.
 Minneapolis — With dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills settling over the region this week, residents are urged to take extra precautions to stay safe during prolonged exposure to extreme cold.
According to the City of Minneapolis, frostbite can occur in just minutes when wind chills reach extreme levels. City officials are reminding residents that cold-related injuries are serious but preventable with preparation and care.
How to Stay Safe During Extreme Cold
Residents are encouraged to limit outdoor exposure whenever possible and take the following steps to protect themselves and others:
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Stay indoors as much as possible and keep trips outside brief
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Dress in warm layers, including hats, gloves, scarves, and insulated footwear
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Cover all exposed skin to reduce the risk of frostbite
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Keep clothing and shoes dry, as moisture increases heat loss
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Take warming breaks if you must be outside
Look Out for One Another
Extreme cold can be especially dangerous for older adults, people living alone, and those without stable housing. Residents are encouraged to:
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Check in on family, friends, and neighbors, particularly older adults or anyone who may need assistance
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Help connect people to warming spaces or resources when possible
Know the Warning Signs
Understanding the symptoms of cold-related illness can save lives:
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Frostbite: numbness, pale or waxy skin, tingling or burning sensations
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Hypothermia: intense shivering, confusion, slurred speech, exhaustion
Anyone experiencing severe symptoms should seek medical attention immediately or contact their health care provider.
Be Prepared on the Road
If you need to travel, keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle, including blankets, warm clothing, water, snacks, and a phone charger. Preparation can make a critical difference if you become stranded.
Additional cold weather safety tips and preparedness resources are available through city and public health channels.
Your safety matters. Taking precautions and checking in on one another helps keep our community strong during extreme weather.
Minneapolis Police (MPD) has continued to make significant progress in combating serious violent crime and removing illegal firearms from city streets during Operation Metro Surge, despite unprecedented operational demands and ongoing staffing challenges among MPD members.
Over the past seven weeks, MPD officers and investigators have demonstrated sustained, data-driven enforcement, focusing precisely on violent offenders, gun crime, and repeat offenders while maintaining professionalism, constitutional policing, and community safety.
Violent Crime Is Down
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5 of 7 homicides during this period have already been cleared by criminal complaint
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9 arrests made in connection with 6 separate shooting investigations
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20 people injured by gunfire citywide, which is a major reduction compared to past years:
These drops reflect more focused enforcement, stronger investigations, and strategic deployment of officers.
Illegal Guns Removed
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74 illegal firearms recovered
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26 arrests tied directly to firearms
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241 proactive patrols conducted in areas with higher gun-crime activity
Arrests & Public Safety Activity
Over the seven-week period, MPD made 849 total arrests, including:
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214 domestic-related arrests, with 34 involving aggravated domestic assault
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24 aggravated assaults outside of domestic situations
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17 robbery arrests, including:
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128 warrant arrests
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82 narcotics arrests
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27 DWI arrests
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9 arrests related to criminal sexual conduct
On January 21, 2026, multiple search warrants were executed as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation. As a result of the search warrants, three firearms were recovered along with 130 grams of Fentanyl. One man has been arrested in connection to the investigation. This case represents just one example of the continued work our officers do every day to keep Minneapolis safe.
These arrests reflect a sustained focus on individuals posing the greatest risk to public safety.
Professional Policing Under Pressure
The disruptions caused by Operation Metro Surge has heightened citywide policing demands, increased protest-related deployments, and subjected our members to extended tours of duty, multiple days off being cancelled, and multiple emergency recalls. MPD remains down approximately 300 officers from our peak strength of around 900 while thousands of federal agents have been deployed to the area. Already limited resources have been stretched even more thin by increased demands. Despite these challenges, MPD personnel have remained disciplined, mission-focused, and committed to fighting serious crime while earning community trust.
Crime is down across the board in Minneapolis!
The MPD will continue to deploy targeted enforcement strategies, prioritize violent crime investigations, and work in partnership with community members and regional law-enforcement agencies to sustain these gains.
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