Yesterday, dozens of researchers, community leaders, and journalists came together for "Documenting the Impact of U.S. DHS in Minnesota," a full day of data, research, and conversations about the toll of this winter's federal immigration surge.

The wonderful @aaronrosenthal.bsky.social research director of @northstarpolicy.org and my coauthor, chairs the closing session.

Our RD on how Operation Metro surge impacted the Minnesota economy and hurt working Minnesotans. You can read our latest report here: northstarpolicy.org/leisure-and-...

Stacey Pelika, one of the main conference organizers, in dialogue with Fridley Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brenda Lewis. None of what DHS did on our school property involved proper warrants and coordination. It wasn't enforcement activity. It aimed to create terror among our families.

Today we convened researchers, advocates, and community partners at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School to document the impact of DHS activity in Minnesota. Grateful to The Advocates for Human Rights and everyone in the room working to bring data and accountability to this moment.

"AI represents a particular vulnerability to our economy" — North Star's Aaron Rosenthal on why MN white-collar-heavy headquarters economy is especially exposed to AI. New piece via @minnesotareformer.com: newsfromthestates.com/article/ai-could-upend-headquarters-economy-made-minnesota-rich

AI could upend the headquarters economy that made Minnesota rich

Several years ago, I spoke to Jawed Karim, a former St. Paul resident who co-founded YouTube before Google purchased it in 2005.A soft-spoken computer engineer who is part Bengali and German, Karim so...

newsfromthestates.com

New report: Minnesota school districts are still getting less state aid than they did in 2003 and the gains made in 2023 are on track to erode within two years. northstarpolicy.org/the-gap/

New report: our latest research finds rising student non-participation is making MCA scores a less accurate measure of school performance.

A pause in federal reviews of wind-energy projects has affected four proposed #Minnesota developments. A new analysis estimates 4,400 jobs could be lost and $1.6 billion in investment could be delayed or canceled as states challenge the freeze in court. #WindEnergy @northstarpolicy.org

Military's pause of wind farm reviews stalls MN projects

Minnesota is now part of legal action to jumpstart federal reviews of onshore wind projects. The Department of Defense hit pause on security checks and an independent think tank said

app.publicnewsservice.org

We’re proud to be co-planning Documenting the Impact of DHS Activity in Minnesota, a Sept. 22 research convening at the UMN. Seeking proposals on the impacts of DHS activity, including economic, public health, human rights, and community impacts Proposal deadline: Aug. 13 forms.gle/KEyfoix6ywP7...

Documenting the Impact of DHS Activity in Minnesota: Presenter and Attendee Interest Form

Due date for presentation proposals: 11:59 pm CT, Thursday, August 13, 2026. In December 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began a significant, sustained agent surge in Minnesota t...

forms.gle

North Star Policy Action's research is featured in recent coverage of the Pentagon's wind energy review freeze — and what it's costing Minnesota. 4,400 jobs. $1.6 billion in investment. Read more: minneapolisnews.net/news/279199959/military-pause-of-wind-farm-reviews-stalls-mn-projects

New North Star Policy Action research: the federal government's pause on onshore wind energy development is putting 1,200 Minnesota construction jobs and $1.6 billion in investment at risk.

New from North Star Policy Action: health care costs are rising for working Minnesotans and wages aren't keeping up. Our new report breaks down what's driving the increase.

🚨 New report Trump’s economic policies drove a historic spike in the cost of living for MN families in 2025 Minnesotans paid $4.6 BILLION more for basic necessities than they would have if costs had followed historical trends, as costs rose 6.1% across counties. northstarpolicy.org/affordabilit...

Study: Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota an estimated 4,600 hospitality jobs in 3 months minnesotareformer.com/briefs/study...

Study: Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota an estimated 4,600 hospitality jobs in 3 months • Minnesota Reformer

Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota’s leisure and hospitality sector an estimated 4,600 jobs and $71 million in wages, according to a new study. The analysis of the economic fallout from the unpreced...

minnesotareformer.com

New report from North Star Policy Action and the W.E. Upjohn Institute: Operation Metro Surge had devastating impacts on Minnesota’s Leisure and hospitality industry.

ICE’s Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota thousands of jobs between December 2025 and February 2026 impacting workers, families, and businesses across the state. Our report on the economic impacts was featured by COURIER at their new MN newsroom: couriermn.com/news/how-ope...

How Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota thousands of jobs - Courier Minnesota

ICE’s Operation Metro Surge turned many local Minnesota businesses upside down as employers, employees, and customers feared for their safety.

couriermn.com

A recent Star Tribune headline declared the $15 minimum wage in the Twin Cities caused "higher pay, fewer jobs" — citing research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, pushed by the industry group Hospitality Minnesota.

The grades are in — Minnesota just got its ASCE Infrastructure Report Card, and the results aren't good. The MN Senate has a bonding bill on the table right now. This is how we change the grade. #MNLeg #MNSenate #northstarpolicyaction

Our latest analysis featured in the Minnesota Reformer: ICE is bad for business. New data show Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota thousands of jobs, including 5,700 in hospitality and 4,400 in construction. minnesotareformer.com/2026/04/23/r...

Report: Operation Metro Surge cost Minnesota thousands of jobs in hospitality, construction • Minnesota Reformer

Federal employment data shows Minnesota lost 5,700 hospitality jobs and 4,400 construction jobs from December to February.

minnesotareformer.com

This Tax Day, we’re thinking about how working families are paying the price for Trump’s massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, offset by nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts.

“Most of the human cost of the past few months cannot be undone through state assistance. But the economic damage from Operation Metro Surge provides an opportunity for the state to take meaningful, reparative action.” 👏👏👏 — @aaronrosenthal.bsky.social, Research Director at NSPA Source: WCCO

NEW REPORT: State data confirms that Operation Metro Surge had a damaging impact on Minnesota’s economy, particularly for workers and businesses in the Twin Cities. northstarpolicy.org/metro-surge-...

We testified in the MN Senate today in support of commonsense protections for workers as AI rapidly reshapes the workplace. Our research shows that though 1 in 3 Minnesota workers are at high risk of exposure to generative AI, women and workers in low-union occupations still face the highest risk.

Today we’re testifying in support of a bill to ban surveillance-based wage discrimination in the Minnesota House. Here’s what that means:

Today we testified before the MN House Workforce, Labor & Economic Development Committee on our research on Generative AI’s impacts on MN workers. The testimony comes as lawmakers introduce bills to set guardrails for AI in the workplace. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh4B...

Minnesota and AI Worker Protections

YouTube video by North Star Policy Action

youtube.com

800,000 Minnesota workers are at high risk of exposure to generative AI. AI is rapidly reshaping workplaces but Minnesota lawmakers have yet to pass any AI regulations or worker protections. Our Research Director outlined the paths for moving forward on WCCO: www.youtube.com/shorts/lsCLK...

What path is Minnesota going to take?

YouTube video by North Star Policy Action

youtube.com

$106 million. That’s how much workers in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area lost in wages during Operation Metro Surge according to our new research at North Star Policy Action. This week, Planet Money’s The Indicator broke down our findings. Listen to the clip: youtube.com/source/UbdcS...

MN Workers Lost Over $100 million from Operation Metro Surge

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Yesterday on Fox 9, our Research Director @aaronrosenthal.bsky.social, broke down what MN lawmakers can do to regulate AI and protect workers. 1 in 3 MN workers face high exposure to Generative AI yet Minnesota has not passed laws governing AI’s use in the workplace. m.youtube.com/shorts/TXUyB...

How can Minnesota Regulate Generative AI in the workplace?

YouTube video by North Star Policy Action

m.youtube.com

This is such important work, and practically in real time, which is very important. Also, shows economists can apply our skills to aid the resistance!

Aaron Rosenthal@aaronrosenthal.bsky.social · 7mo ago

New research with @aaronsojourner.org of the @upjohninstitute.bsky.social posted on @northstarpolicy.org's blog. We find that Operation Metro Surge caused declines in employees working, hours worked, and businesses open, leading to an estimated $106 million wage loss for Twin Cities workers.