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Bomb threat prompts school closures in Columbia Heights
Police confirmed no explosives were found after a bomb threat targeted schools in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights on Monday. Authorities described the threat as credible but said no suspicious packages or devices were located.
Columbia Heights Public Schools opted to close all facilities as a precautionary measure. Officials announced classes would resume on Tuesday.
ICE crackdown fuels tensions in Minnesota
The closures coincide with ongoing protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota. Federal agents have detained multiple students in the district in recent weeks, including five-year-old Liam Ramos, whose detention sparked national outrage.
Ramos and his father were released from a Texas detention center over the weekend after a federal judge granted an emergency request from their attorney. The child had been photographed in a blue bunny-eared hat while being held by ICE agents, an image that circulated widely on social media.
Arrests and charges amid protests
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of two individuals-Ian Davis Austin and Jerome Deangelo Richardson-on Monday in connection with an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church last month. Bondi stated on social media, "If you riot in a place of worship, we WILL find you."
Separately, former CNN journalist Don Lemon and eight others face charges related to a January protest at Cities Church in St. Paul. Lemon, who was covering the event as an independent journalist, was released after appearing in court on Friday. Protesters alleged a church pastor was collaborating with immigration enforcement.
Federal surge and civilian casualties
Over 3,000 federal immigration officers have been deployed in Minnesota as part of a nationwide crackdown ordered by President Donald Trump. While the operation targets undocumented immigrants, evidence suggests U.S. citizens have also been detained.
In January, two Minnesota residents-Renee Good and Alex Pretti-were fatally shot by federal agents during protests against ICE actions. Pretti's death was ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, who cited "multiple gunshot wounds" as the cause. Two Customs and Border Protection agents involved in the incident have been placed on leave, and the Justice Department has launched a civil rights investigation.
Nationwide protests continue
Demonstrations against the immigration crackdown persisted over the weekend in Minneapolis and other major U.S. cities, including Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and Portland. On Friday, thousands participated in a "no work, no school, no shopping" strike to protest the administration's policies.
"Their deaths have galvanized opposition to the federal surge," said a local organizer of Saturday's march in Minneapolis.
