Amanpour – "The State of Minnesota" (January 28, 2026)

Host: Paula Newton, sitting in for Christiane Amanpour
Podcast: Amanpour by CNN
Theme: The episode delves into the escalating immigration crackdown in Minnesota under President Trump, the future of Haitians in the U.S. facing deportation, the complexities of U.S. policy in the Western Hemisphere, the haunting legacy of genocidal hate radio in Rwanda, and the rise of federal surveillance technology enabling mass deportations.

Overview

This episode centers around intersecting crises: the tension in Minnesota amid President Trump’s aggressive immigration policies, the perilous fate of the Haitian-American community as their protected status is revoked, debates on the U.S. response to instability in the Western Hemisphere, the power of hate media in inciting violence, and how surveillance tech is supercharging federal immigration enforcement. The program features on-the-ground reporting, sharp interviews with experts and policymakers, and even a discussion on documentary theater's role in reckoning with historic atrocity.

1. Minnesota: Epicenter of Trump’s Immigration Crackdown

[00:28–08:27]

Key Points

• Backdrop of Tension:

  • Minnesota, particularly Minneapolis, is the national focus after an ICU nurse, Alex Petty, is killed—worsening the climate of fear and unrest.
  • Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey refuses to let local police enforce federal immigration law. President Trump warns Frey is “playing with fire.”

• Republican Fractures:

  • Senator Thom Tillis publicly criticizes both Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem and Trump aide Stephen Miller for “incompetence” (02:06), stating:

    “Stephen Miller never fails to live up to my expectations of incompetence.” (Thom Tillis, [02:06])

  • Tillis argues the administration’s approach has “destroyed” the GOP’s claim to strong immigration policy.
  • Other GOP leaders like John Too withhold support for Noem, signaling cracks among Republicans.

• Federal Response and Local Resistance:

  • National correspondent Kevin Liptak shares updates:
    • ICE continues aggressive sweeps, including an attempted raid at the Ecuadorian consulate.
    • Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, is now overseeing Minnesota operations, favoring targeted enforcement over broad sweeps.
    • Meetings between Homan and local leaders showed momentary promise, but Trump’s provocative messaging threatens renewed clashes.

    “The changes in the pivot that President Trump seems to have been putting in place is not a change in policy. It seems to be a change in tactics.” (Kevin Liptak, [03:32])

• Loyalty vs. Dissent:

  • Despite some Republicans’ criticism, major Trump loyalists remain silent, signaling limited immediate change at the top.

2. The Fate of Haitian Americans and the Crisis in Haiti

[08:27–22:28]

Key Points

• End of Protected Status:

  • 350,000 Haitians in the U.S. risk deportation as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) expires; DHS offers $1,000 for self-deportation.
  • The United Nations and U.S. lawmakers warn this amounts to a death sentence given Haiti’s spiraling security and humanitarian crises.

    “This is a death sentence.” (Amanpour introduction, [00:24])

• On-the-Ground Reality:

  • Brian A. Nichols (former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs) describes dire conditions:
    • Gangs control up to 90% of Port-au-Prince.
    • Over half the population needs aid; remittance loss would devastate Haiti’s economy.

    “The impact of removing 350,000 Haitians to their own country would also be a tremendous economic blow to Haiti…” (Nichols, [10:13])

• Context for the Crisis:

  • Haiti’s troubles stem from elite exploitation and a legacy of international debts, as well as contemporary failures of governance.
  • Nichols credits recent increases in UN-backed gang suppression and international pressure but stresses that far greater humanitarian aid is needed.

• Political Vacuum and Instability:

  • Haiti’s transitional presidential council faces legitimacy challenges, with five of seven members attempting to oust the prime minister ahead of the council’s mandate expiring.
  • The council’s failure threatens prospects for free and fair elections.

    “The first step to an election in Haiti is restoring security... Doing so prematurely would mean that gang leaders are able to control the political environment…” (Nichols, [15:04])

• Regional Policy – "Don Roe Doctrine":

  • Nichols critiques the Trump administration’s revival of the Monroe Doctrine, cautioning against an overbearing U.S. posture in the hemisphere:

    “To force our will upon the other countries in our hemisphere and to exert violence and force to achieve our goals harkens back to the worst times…” (Nichols, [19:21])

  • Diplomatic engagement should focus on democracy and partnership, not coercion or short-term strategic interests.

• Venezuela Spotlight:

  • Nichols supports diplomatic outreach to Venezuela but urges U.S. support for democracy over oil-driven engagement with Maduro’s authoritarian regime.

3. Hate Radio and the Rwandan Genocide

[22:44–34:48]

Key Points

• Introduction to Hate Radio:

  • The episode features playwright and director Milo Rau, whose “Hate Radio” reenacts broadcasts from Rwanda’s notorious RTLM, a key driver of the 1994 genocide.

• The Mechanics of Manipulation:

  • RTLM disguised hate speech and incitement within pop culture, humor, and relatable hosts:

    “It started with little jokes, racist jokes... in the end, it was really a kind of a station to kind of command the killings.” (Milo Rau, [25:43])

  • The broadcasts dehumanized Tutsis, using terms like “cockroaches,” and issued real-time kill orders.

• Staging and Survivor Involvement:

  • Rau’s production casts survivors as the perpetrators, highlighting the psychological complexity and the enduring trauma.

    “The victims are playing the perpetrators, telling them why they should commit genocide against themselves.” (Milo Rau, [25:43])

• Power and Danger of Language:

  • The program stresses how hate speech, especially when blended with entertainment, can normalize atrocity. The production seeks to immerse audiences in this gradual descent, making the audience realize how easily people can be swept up.

    "You understand the power of hate speech really by living its atmosphere." (Milo Rau, [33:48])

  • Rau quotes a survivor:

    "I don't believe in an end to genocide... If there was one genocide, then there will be many more." ([33:00])

4. US Surveillance Tech and the ICE Deportation Machine

[35:57–50:37]

Key Points

• Tech-Driven Raids:

  • Joseph Cox (404 Media) exposes how ICE uses Palantir’s “ELITE” tool to identify and target potential deportees, blending data from health, immigration, and other agencies.

    "Palantir is working on a tool for Immigration and Customs Enforcement that populates a map with potential deportation targets... and provides a confidence score..." (Joseph Cox, [35:57])

• How ELITE Works:

  • ICE agents can draw target areas on a map, survey “target-rich” neighborhoods, and prepare dossiers including photographs and confidence scores derived from multiple databases.

• Data Sharing and Consent:

  • Data intended for taxes or health services now feeds ICE’s targeting algorithms, raising ethical and privacy concerns.

    "When somebody goes to pay their taxes and they provide an address to the irs, they don't believe... that could end up being used for immigration enforcement." (Cox, [49:17])

• Palantir’s Role and Internal Controversy:

  • Despite employee dissent regarding involvement in ICE raids and deportations of US citizens, Palantir’s leadership supports strong cooperation with government agencies.

• Faulty Technology, Civil Liberties Risks:

  • ICE’s use of "Mobile Fortify" facial recognition can override birth certificates and misidentify individuals—especially people of color—fueling wrongful detentions.

    “ICE believes that a result from that app is definitive proof of someone's status and it overrides a birth certificate.” (Cox, [45:38])

• Legislative Pushback:

  • Democratic lawmakers, like Rep. Bennie Thompson, propose limiting field use of such tech, restricting it to ports of entry and preventing its rollout to local law enforcement.

    “DHS should not be conducting surveillance by experimenting with Americans faces and fingerprints in the field, especially with unproven and biased technology." (Rep. Bennie Thompson, paraphrased by Cox, [47:26])

5. Challenger Anniversary: The Memory of National Tragedy

[50:44–52:19]
Brief Segment

• Eyewitness and national trauma around the Challenger shuttle disaster, which killed all seven crew including Christa McAuliffe, first teacher in space.

  “The idea that seven astronauts could die live on television… seemed totally inconceivable.” (Adam Higginbotham, [51:38])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Senator Thom Tillis on Trump Immigration Policy:

  “They have destroyed that for Republicans, something that got the president elected. They have destroyed it through their incompetence.” ([02:41])

• Brian A. Nichols on Deporting Haitians:

  “The impact of removing 350,000 Haitians... would also be a tremendous economic blow to Haiti because many... provide economic remittances... The economy there is already in a serious recession.” ([10:13])

• Milo Rau on the Power of Hate Radio:

  “It was just like jokers first. Then it became more serious and serious, and in the end, it became very clearly, you have to kill them now...” ([31:23])

• Joseph Cox on Palantir’s ICE Tools:

  “This is hearing from ICE officials themselves about how they're using this tool, what it's useful for... because this is hearing from ICE officials themselves about how they're using this tool, what it's useful for.” ([40:13])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Minnesota Immigration Showdown: 00:28–08:27
• Haitian Deportation & Crisis: 08:27–22:28
• Hate Radio & Rwanda: 22:44–34:48
• ICE Surveillance Tech & Palantir: 35:57–50:37
• Challenger Disaster Reflection: 50:44–52:19

Tone & Takeaways

The episode balances factual reporting with empathetic, often urgent, discussion. The language is candid, occasionally emotional, and direct—especially regarding human consequences of policy decisions (“death sentence”; “destroyed for Republicans”). Interviewees’ analysis is rich in context, history, and personal experience, making the stakes clear for both policymakers and affected communities.

Summary

This compelling episode connects the local, national, and global implications of U.S. immigration and foreign policy, from Minnesota’s embattled streets to the streets of Port-au-Prince, from the horror of Rwandan media-driven genocide to the technological underpinnings of America’s current deportation apparatus. With first-person testimony, expert analysis, and deeply human perspectives, the episode underscores how official policy, political rhetoric, and new technologies intertwine—to shape lives, fuel fear, and motivate both resistance and reckoning.