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... meanwhile, we've raised over $2,500 to help equip volunteer ICE Air observers in other states with the sort of equipment we're lucky to have here in MN. We're off to a great start, but we could absolutely use more help: ottergoose.net/ice

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Of recent interest here in Minnesota is that ICE is releasing detainees to satisfy Habeas requests, and then immediately detaining again. This really ought to be national news.

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These people were being flown to Alexandria, Louisiana, where Markwayne Mullin was doing a glamour shots session with shackles. I don't believe I've seen this particular fat GEO Group contractor chaining folks here in Minneapolis, but I might be mistaken.

Immigrants are chained up in front of a Global X A320

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40 people on today's ICE flight out of Minneapolis, 38 men, and two women. If a loved one may have been aboard, full footage of the loading can be seen here: youtube.com/watch?v=UaNQj8rTpJo

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Gillian Brockell @gillianbrockell.com · 02/10/2026

That chart is updated in near real-time here: ottergoose.net/ice-flights-...

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Reposted by Nick Benson

This is a better epilogue to my January story about the private equity firm profiting off of ICE's cruelest flights than I could have ever possibly hoped for. CHICAGO: You went to the mat and protected (at a minimum!) thousands of immigrants from torture. Take a bow. prospect.org/2026/10/02/i...

prospect.org

The City That Brought Down an ICE Airline - The American Prospect

In Chicago, progressive alderpeople held up a contract until a private equity firm was forced to dispatch Omni Air International, protecting thousands of immigrants from deportation.

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Minnesota 50501 @mn50501.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Thank you to everyone who’s contributed to our ICE Air observer fundraiser! We’re working to get specialized zoom cameras, like the ones we have here in Minneapolis, to our neighbors doing this work in other states. Please chip in if you can, thanks! ottergoose.net/ice

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toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton @tobysackton.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

proud to be working with Minneapolis and others watching ICE Flights. Please donate if you are able.

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Gillian Brockell @gillianbrockell.com · 01/10/2026

ICE has expelled people from all over the world to Costa Rica every Thursday or Friday since April. Last week's flight was canceled due to the First Circuit's ruling in DVD vs. DHS. But with SCOTUS's outrageous stay on Tuesday, this week's third-country removal flight appears to be in progress.

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Nick Benson @ottergoose.net · 01/10/2026

In addition to camera equipment, we'll be supporting habeasflightwatch.org, an automated, volunteer curated system that keeps tabs on the dozens of ICE Air flights that take place every day.

A map showing dozens of ICE Air flight tracks across the US

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Nick Benson @ottergoose.net · 01/10/2026

This work is tremendously important; now that ICE is dropping people with removal orders from their online tracking system, footage from volunteers is sometimes the last clear indication loved ones will get of where a family member is before being released - a process that can take months.

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Nick Benson @ottergoose.net · 01/10/2026

Please help us get camera gear, pay airport parking fees, and take care of infrastructure costs for the volunteers documenting ICE Air across the country. We're fortunate to be well-equipped here in Minnesota; we need to help out our neighbors in other states. If able: ottergoose.net/ice

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JJ in DC @jjindc.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Gee, I wonder why nobody wants to visit us?

Reposted by Nick Benson

Peter Sagal @petersagal.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The Attorney General just announced that the DOJ has filed a formal complaint against Federal District judges in Minnesota -- all but one of them, in fact -- because they did interviews with the NYTimes for this article. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/u...

nytimes.com

Trump’s Minnesota Surge Threatened Democracy, Judge Warns (Gift Article)

In a rare interview, Patrick Schiltz, who served as the federal court’s chief judge last winter, called the administration’s actions “a grave threat to the rule of law.”

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Nick Benson @ottergoose.net · 30/09/2026

Anyway, the local observation here at MSP is all done by volunteers, yours truly included. If able to help cover our parking fees, we'd appreciate it: mn50501.org/donate MSP stats and info: ottergoose.net/ice-flights-msp Real-time tracking: habeasflightwatch.org

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Nick Benson @ottergoose.net · 30/09/2026

The big news of the day in this sphere is the Supreme Court allowing ICE to resume sending people to countries other than their nation of origin, known as a "third-country removal." Two lower courts said it was wrong, as does international law, but SCOTUS continues to disappoint.

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Nick Benson @ottergoose.net · 30/09/2026

24 detainees were flown out of Minnesota today by ICE Air, two women, and 22 men. Each of them had to stand in the rain for a few minutes while they were frisked and had their shackles checked. If a loved one may have been aboard, full video is here: youtube.com/watch?v=gxeMuYDJ3Ns

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Nick Benson @ottergoose.net · 29/09/2026

Supreme Court rules US can deport people to countries other than their nation of origin, overruling two lower courts. This, of course, is bullshit.

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We had someone look up at the "Freedom of Expression" sign on Thursday, then at us, back up at the sign, and then express bewilderment that he agreed with something being said at one of these booths - a first for both of us.

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Gillian Brockell @gillianbrockell.com · 28/09/2026

We’ll see; operating a charter airline is challenging even when the world isn’t on fire. I’d guess Omni swirls into the toilet, with their aircraft getting sold back to former parent and converted to freighters or scrapped for parts, or bouncing over to Eastern, which will use ‘em for ICE.

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Reposted by Nick Benson

ICE’s charter airlines are basically impossible to boycott, because only one also offers ticketed commercial flights. But there are other ways to affect their bottom lines. We have a working theory of the case, y’all. Hit them in the pocketbook, and suddenly the “impossible” is possible.

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This is a BFD - one of the charter airlines doing ICE flights has been sold off, thanks to pressure from smart folks with spines. Raise a glass to the financial misfortune of those who’ve been profiting off of ICE’s detention apparatus; may they not be the last.

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JJ in DC @jjindc.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

I’m not sure what was going on Thursday, but we had more conversations during this session than we had in the previous 7-8 combined - people are amped up. Might be elections taking place, might be no kids, who knows, but engagement is good. We’ll be back on Oct 18, 22, and 25 (Sun, Thu, Sun).

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“Every single ICE flight that lands in Denver may violate local health and safety laws. I urge the council to do anything and everything it can to monitor these flights, even if it can't prevent them, and to hold accountable ICE's collaborators, including Key Lime Air/Denver Air Connection.”

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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Now *this* is some amazing kitsch political messaging.

A big foot holds a sign about missing Pete Stauber.

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Reposted by Nick Benson

Back online this morning and here is another update that was posted late last night. Fox News reporter Bill Melugin got Trump himself on the phone late last night to confirm that this policy, whatever it was (they’re calling it a miscommunication), was going to be overturned.

Bill Melugin @BillMelugin• 9h
I've spoken on the phone with President Trump and nine ICE & DHS sources about this today. Here's what l've learned.
Yes, this verbal guidance did go out to ICE offices across the country last night. I've spoken with ICE agents who received it & were shocked & frustrated by it. It's unclear who it started with. However, I'm told it's erroneous, was some type of
"miscommunication" during conversations about prioritizing "worst first", and there is no change in immigration enforcement policy.

President Trump tells me anyone in the country illegally remains "on the table" for ICE arrest & deportation. I'm also told new guidance went out to ICE field offices tonight to reaffirm this and that yes, arrests of illegal aliens and "collaterals" without additional criminal history will continue. ICE sources confirm to me they received the new guidance.
I'm not really sure what happened here - but everyone is on the same page, including President Trump, in telling me that his immigration enforcement agenda isn't scaling back.

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𝓙𝓮𝓭𝓲 𝓢𝓴𝔂𝔀𝓪𝓵𝓴𝓮𝓻 🇺🇸 🌊🌊🌊 @fafo-ez-one.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Ms. Rachel: “We’re putting kids in detention centers where they have water that makes them sick and they’re being traumatized and the pediatricians I’m talking to are saying they’re being tortured. We’re torturing kids 0-3 when their brain’s rapidly developing. It’s a choice”

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Stacy Kess: the revolution will be accessible. @stacykess.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Ahh yes, famous sanctuary cities such as *checks notes* Dodge City, KS.

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Thank you for the observation / reporting work. 🫡

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Here’s a deeper dive on my MAC/MSP concerns; I don’t think we’ll get anything done until the next session.

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Last time I saw him here he flew in on a 747 and picked up his kids and some golf clubs (really).

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HF 4970 Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

When the legislator returns to session, tell your house and senate members to revive Berg’s bill. … it had 34 coauthors, the maximum number the system can handle, I believe, it should sail to the governor’s desk if we get a DFL trifecta. www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/202...

revisor.mn.gov

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MAC’s board has about a dozen folks appointed/reappointed by the governor, along with one each from mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul. If you’d like to speak to them, public comment at board meetings is open: metroairports.org/resources/co...

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24/7 MSP Webcam - Minneapolis / St. Paul Airport - You Control The Cams!

A USAF C-32, which would incorrectly/colloquially be referred to as “Air Force 2,” has landed at MSP, and went to the Reserve Base. Would guess Hegseth related. 📡 adsb.lol/?icao=adfeba 📺 youtube.com/live/wWm-kbryDDQ

youtube.com

YouTube video by MNCam

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In Minnesota, Kaela Berg (also an AFA flight attendant) got a bill written up, but we were too late in the session to get it through committee - GOP would have blocked it anyways. It’s not all fault of GOP though; our airport authority (MAC), appointed by Democrats, is spineless.

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It’s an honor to know Dana Miller, and the other folks in Denver, who are getting shit done. DEN will likely be the next airport, following Seattle, to mandate ICE flights are loaded and unloaded on camera, and provide stats that aren’t coming from activists/labor. MSP will get there, eventually…

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Just like everyone else at MN50501, I do this work as a volunteer. If you're able to help cover some of our parking fees, we'd sure appreciate it: mn50501.org/donate Real-time stats for ICE flights here at MSP can be found here: ottergoose.net/ice-flights-msp Thank you, fuck ICE.

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Delta Corporate Actions Toolkit Call to Action Tell Delta and the other Big 4 Airlines: Live up to your stated values against family separation and for democracy Sign the Petition to tell Delta and...

We're also working on applying pressure to Delta, and the other major airlines, to use their lobbying power for good - they were happy to support the Big Beautiful Bill which gave ICE a blank check, but when it comes to flying kids like Liam to prison camps, can't be bothered to do or say anything.

docs.google.com

Delta Corporate Toolkit

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Our flight tracking work was also included in an Amnesty International report that was published yesterday and concluded ICE should be abolished.

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Earlier this week, we presented our flight tracking work at a conference at the University of Minnesota; it was amazing to speak to a room full of researches, reporters, lawyers, and legislators.

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MSP Airport's strategy with ICE is to keep their mouths shut, defer comment to DHS, and let the hippies and unions handle the tough talking points. ... as such, we'll be back again on October 18, MEA Sunday, one of the busiest travel days of the year here in Minnesota.

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What's happening here in Minnesota with ICE Air is horrific, it's not unique to us - it's happening across the country in dozens of cities. If you're interested in observing flights at your airport, check out habeasflightwatch.org, which is curated in real-time by volunteer trackers.

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When a detainee's nation of origin is too dangerous, ICE just deports them somewhere else - a process called a "third-country removal." This horrible process has now been halted, thanks in part to reporting from @gillianbrockell.com.

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Detainees with removal orders are now being dropped from the online tool that lawyers and families use to keep track of their clients and loved ones - it's possible people could be detained for months without any method to find them. ... this is a particularly big fucking deal.

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