iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

press release from rep. angie craig’s office: craig will campaign for flanagan this weekend in burnsville

BURNSVILLE, MN [10/12/26]—Congresswoman Angie Craig will campaign for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in Burnsville on Saturday, October 17 at 12:00 p.m. CT, kicking off a weekend of door-knocking for Flanagan's U.S. Senate campaign as Minnesota Democrats head into the final stretch before Election Day. The launch builds on an historic ground game. Flanagan and the Minnesota DFL Party have knocked more than 1.9 million doors this year, and early vote in Minnesota is up 28% over this point in 2022.

0398

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

reading undercover agents notes again

3190

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

what a treat to come home from a dinner reservation to this scoreboard

180

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Becca Good speaking for the first time publicly about her late wife Renee Good at a press conference announcing lawsuits against the U.S. government, ICE agent Jonathan Ross — who shot and killed Renee Good — and high-ranking Trump administration officials

141154221

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Becca Good speaks publicly for the first time

0100

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Brent Granger, brother of Renee Good, speaks alongside Good’s family at a press conference in Minneapolis announcing lawsuits against the federal government over Good’s killing

2222

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

demuth when @michellemgriff.bsky.social asked about golnick's role in her campaign at a press conference: "we have volunteers that are on our campaign" (and an excellent photo by the legendary glen stubbe of demuth complaining to golnick about malfunctioning clickers at the GOP convention)

Lisa Demuth complained to Ben Golnik (left), about malfunctioning clickers amid voting irregularities at the Minnesota Republican Convention in Duluth, Saturday May 30, 2026. (Photo by Glen Stubbe/Minnesota Reformer)

051

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

check on the packers fans in your life today

“On a scale of 1-10 how worried are you that the packers might lose to the falcons tn”
“11”

280

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

On vacation this week so I’m logging off this website. Back on Monday.

0150

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

my friend tom at the memorial to the disappeared

082

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

greg bovino on jan. 14 reporting a doxxing and complaining about the minnesota cold over email

From: Bovino, gregory
Sent: 1/14/2025 11:00 PM
Subject: Fw: [redacted] post
Sir

Good afternoon. Someone posted [redacted] my address. [Redacted]. Still here in Minneapolis- this place is COLD!!! (laughing face)

Gregory K. Bovino
Chief patrol agent
el centro sector

181

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

At the state Capitol for the first meeting of the Minnesota Truth Council, where we’ll be hearing testimony from people impacted by Operation Metro Surge and Operation PARRIS, which targeted refugees.

Several people sit around a semicircular desk in a room at the state Capitol.

15918

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Statement from AG Keith Ellison on today’s hearing in Texas over the extradition of Christian Castro, the ICE agent accused of shooting Julio Sosa-Celis. The judge didn’t allow remote attendees so I couldn’t listen in. We’ll have a decision from the judge on the TRO request in the next day or so.

“Today, my office vigorously argued Minnesota’s case in federal court in Texas. We argued once again that Texas Governor Abbott has no discretion in the matter of Christian Castro’s extradition to Minnesota. If Governor Abbott does not execute his legal and constitutional duty to return Castro to face justice here, Minnesota will suffer irreparable harm if Castro is instead set free and allowed to flee the country. We also argued that Governor Abbott’s claim that he needs to investigate whether Castro is a fugitive before signing the extradition order has no basis in law.

The Court said it hopes to issue a written order by tomorrow. I look forward to Castro’s mandatory extradition to Minnesota to face the criminal assault charges the State of Minnesota has laid against him here for his actions during Operation Metro Surge."

35414

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

there's a hearing scheduled for thursday afternoon in the "minnesota 15" case over the defendants' request for discovery related to DHS's surveillance of anti-ICE activists. the DOJ has asked that it be rescheduled because it only has one attorney available for the hearing.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
v.
ISAAC SANT, ET AL,
Defendants.
GOVERNMENT’S MOTION FOR
CONTINUANCE OF HEARING
The United States of America respectfully submits this motion to continue the hearing
currently set for Thursday, August 27, 2026. This case has been certified as complex. (ECF
Dkt. No. 205). Only one noticed Counsel for the United States is currently available for the
hearing docketed for August 27, 2026. The government and defense counsel conferred
regarding this motion and the defense objects. The government respectfully moves the Court
to continue this deadline to a date the week of August 31–September 4, 2026.
Dated: August 21, 2026
Respectfully Submitted:
DANIEL N. ROSEN
United States Attorney
s/ Tory Sailer
TORY R. SAILER
Assistant U.S. Attorney

1122

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

flock camera outside the new ICE detention center in appleton

1259

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

The Swift County Fair is going on next door to the prison

160

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

This is a Trump +27 city, and many residents are excited about the facility’s reopening. But even the Trump supporters have some concerns:

Some of the questions, however, underscored concerns held even by supporters of the Trump agenda: How much would the city have to raise taxes to fill the budget gap? Where will the employees live? Will detainees be released into the community? What would local officials do about an influx of protestors and negative press? What happens if this facility is sold again — as with a number of warehouses the Department of Homeland Security purchased last year? Or if the Democrats take the presidency in 2028?

151

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Packed house at the VFW in Appleton, MN for a round table with elected officials about the new immigrant detention center opening up in the former Prairie Correctional Facility.

14210110

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Abbott’s office initially sent me a “no comment.” They just followed up with this:

Reporter: Governor, could you comment on the pending lawsuit from Attorney General Keith Ellison concerning the extradition of Christian Castro?

Governor Abbott: Well, first of all, I don't trust Tim Walz on anything, let alone something like this. Well, listen. While they're making demands, I got a demand of my own, and that is, it's time for Minnesota to step up and repay the United States of America and Americans for all the fraud that they have committed in their state under federal programs. I will not respond to them at all until they step up and do what's right, and they acknowledge their fault in the fraud that took place, and they fully repay the United States of America for the fraud they committed.

1310525

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Minnesota AG Keith Ellison is suing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over his failure to extradite ICE agent Christian Castro to Minnesota, where he is charged in the nonfatal shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis.

August 18, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Today, Attorney General Keith Ellison sued Texas Governor Greg Abbott to compel him to extradite Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Christian Castro to stand trial in Minnesota for his alleged shooting of a victim during Operation Metro Surge. Today’s lawsuit follows letters from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty and Attorney General Ellison requesting that Governor Abbott fulfill his duty to extradite Castro. Attorney General Ellison’s letter, which was sent on Thursday, August 13, informed Governor Abbott that he would face legal action if he did not comply with his duty.

Attorney General Ellison will also be requesting the court grant a temporary restraining order barring the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office from releasing Castro and requiring Governor Abbott to sign the extradition warrant allowing Minnesota law enforcement agents to take custody of Castro.

1319

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

in today’s @minnesotareformer.com newsletter — klobuchar’s response to DHS’s surveillance operation, via @michellemgriff.bsky.social who asked her about it yesterday

Court documents filed Thursday illustrate how Homeland Security investigators secretly recorded conversations, infiltrated Signal chats and obtained financial records for labor unions and progressive groups as part of a wide-ranging surveillance effort, Madison McVan reported.
I was at a press conference with Sen. Amy Klobuchar Friday, and I asked her about it.
“This was very concerning. I mean, they can’t use their power to just surveil people they don’t agree with. That’s wrong. So, of course I am going to be asking for details on what they did. I don’t care if you are a Democrat or Republican, if you agreed with ICE or you didn’t agree with ICE, you can’t have people surveilled,” Klobuchar said. “This is reminiscent of things in the past, and it’s scary.”
Klobuchar said she will talk to people in the Department of Justice to demand more information about the surveillance effort.

270

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

one undercover agent attended a lefty boxing practice and had an oopsie

24310

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

an undercover agent's notes from an event in ann arbor called "breaking the ICE: lessons from the resistance in minnesota" hosted at a church

The presenters took turns describing the events that transpored in Minneapolis, Minnesota, leading up to the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. One of the female presenters recalled an incident where ICE agents were "allegedly" attacked by a man with a shovel. The presenter stated something to the effect of how she wished someone would attack ICE agents with a shovel. The presenters discused how they formed Rapid Response Networks that operated through the end-to-end encrypted application, Signal, to local and identify ICE agents in the greater Minneapolis area. The presenters also discussed their protests at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, describing a particular instance where protestors deployed copius amounts of sex toys.

76011

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

homeland security used clearview AI to compile photo dossiers of protesters

27020

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

attorneys saying that they believe DHS is withholding some ROIs (summaries of covert operations produced by undercover agents)

The government has produced ROIs that “summarize” HSI’s covert activity for the
weeks in December and January before HSI opened Operation Puppet Master. See Exs. 12,
23, 26. It is unclear if these ROIs reflect all the covert activity undertaken during these two
months, or just select activity memorialized because it discusses subjects and targets of the
two investigations. Given the number of UCAs, however, and the significant date gaps in
these summaries, it appears that there is additional surveillance and covert activity during
that time period that has not been disclosed. Further, ROIs generated after the investigations
formally opened document at least four different UCAs operating in the protester and
activist community, with minimal ROIs attributable to some of those UCAs, which
suggests additional surveillance activities were being conducted and documented that have
not been produced.

2648

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

just gonna share some paragraphs that jump out at me.

At Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Roseville, agents captured license plate
information of attendees during a meeting of anti-ICE protesters and activists. Agents then
used this information to obtain the names of the attendees, searched social media for
pictures of these individuals, and compiled an “intel workup” that included names, photos,
addresses, personal information – including family and employment information – and
vehicle registration information, for each meeting attendee. None of these individuals did
anything other than engage in protected First Amendment speech in a church meeting
room. Yet now their personal information is memorialized in a DHS dossier

213338

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

h mart potentially coming to midway?? sign me up

041

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

also, boss said i'm right and put it in writing

Reformer reporter Madi McVan kept predicting a big DFL turnout activated by Operation Metro Surge. She was right. The DFL Senate vote total was about 700,000 voters. The 2018 DFL governor’s race primary total was about 583,000, which was a big number!

2193

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

four adult women won their primaries in statewide races last night and this is the headline in my inbox this morning

2121

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

ron latz fends off a strong primary challenge from lynette lungay dumalag in the west metro

Ron Latz - 10,876 votes - 59.77%
Lynette Lungay Dumalag - 7,321 votes - 40.23%

030

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

while we’re posting our stickers — ask me for one of these if you see me

040

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

The U visa program strengthens public safety by creating trust between police and immigrant communities. Until 2012, the visas had bipartisan support — but then Republicans began to view it as an easily exploited pathway to legal residency. Eliminating U visas is part of Project 2025.

Republican politicians have long criticized the U visa program, arguing that the list of qualifying crimes — blackmail, domestic violence, obstruction of justice and felonious assault among them — is too broad. In 2012, when the Violence Against Women Act was up for renewal, GOP members of Congress soured on the legislation in part because of its protections for immigrant crime victims.

“(Violence Against Women Act) is meant to protect victims of violence. It shouldn’t be an avenue to expand immigration law or to give additional benefits to people here unlawfully,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, said in a 2012 Judiciary Committee hearing before Congress ultimately renewed the law without major changes to the U visa provisions.

Project 2025, the roadmap for President Donald Trump’s second term, called for the total elimination of U and T visas.

1195

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

this is exactly what happened in Broadview case right before a judge found that the DOJ illegally manipulated the grand jury process and inappropriately redacted transcripts to hide their conduct from the judge. capitolnewsillinois.com/news/transcr...

Fort’s attorneys suspect federal prosecutors erroneously told the grand jury that Fort participated in protest chants to help secure an indictment. In at least 15 search warrants — including for Fort’s work product — the federal government falsely said she chanted along with protesters despite ample video evidence to the contrary.

Prosecutors later conceded Fort did not chant, and the judge has taken the unusual step of reviewing the grand jury transcript, which is typically sealed.

The case has been beset by a series of errors by prosecutors, detailed by the New York Times, which reported 29 defendants were offered a deal to plead to just one misdemeanor. (Fort was not among those offered a deal, according to her attorney.)

0386

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Chris Madel, former GOP candidate for governor and the attorney representing St. Paul police in their sexual harassment allegations against Mayor Kaohly Her, sent this text to Star Tribune columnist Rochelle Olsen after her column questioning the motivation of the allegations:

103211

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Nathan Hansen, the right-wing poster and conspiracy theorist turned immigration judge, has announced his resignation. My story on Hansen from April: minnesotareformer.com/2026/04/09/r...

I resigned as a US Immigration Judge because the time commitment it requires kept me away from my family too much. I support the mission and I can't say if I was in charge that I would run it much differently than the people running it right now within the constraints they are working under. People working at the Immigration Court are working very hard. I am back practicing and taking on new cases.

2241

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

i wrote a bit about the walz/flanagan rift last summer: minnesotareformer.com/2025/09/02/l...

After nearly a decade joined at the hip, Walz and Flanagan stopped appearing together in public. Flanagan wasn’t in attendance at Walz’s homecoming speech or routine events she had attended in the past.

Walz administration officials, granted anonymity by the Star Tribune, said in December that Walz wasn’t happy with the steps Flanagan took to prepare for governorship, including planning for a potential run in 2026 and tapping into Walz’s campaign funds without authorization for some campaign work. (Walz publicly downplayed the division and praised Flanagan; Flanagan never commented publicly on the rift, and says she’ll support Walz with his next steps.)

And then, in February, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith announced she won’t seek re-election in 2026, creating an opportunity for Flanagan to set out on her own.

170

madi mcvan @madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

could be — haven’t seen the ad you’re talking about, but the Flanagan campaign put this out during the debate

110