Podcast Summary: Reveal – "Minnesota’s Attorney General Isn’t Backing Down"

Podcast: Reveal (The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX)
Host: Al Letson
Guest: Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General
Release Date: April 8, 2026

Episode Overview

This gripping episode centers on Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s turbulent year marked by federal immigration raids, high-profile congressional hearings, and persistent attacks on his integrity and state. The conversation delves into the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge, policing reform in Minnesota, the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, and the resilient fight for truth and justice amid mounting political pressure.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Aftermath of Operation Metro Surge

[01:55]–[05:49] – Discussion of Immigration Raids in Minneapolis

• Context: Late 2025, Minneapolis was the focal point of massive federal immigration raids (Operation Metro Surge) by the Department of Homeland Security, leaving immigrant families disrupted and businesses devastated.
• Ellison’s Response: The state, under Ellison's leadership, alongside Minneapolis and St. Paul, sued the DHS, arguing that thousands of armed, masked, and poorly trained federal agents caused deep harm in Minnesota.

“I think we have to admit that some things have gotten worse… More collaboration in violence and crime reduction. There’s less tolerance for bad police conduct. But… we’re starting all over again when it comes to other forms of policing. For example, immigration. So immigration, ICE and border agents, a lot of the things that they do are things that a lot of officers would look back on and say, that's bad policing.” – Keith Ellison [03:10]

Improvements in Minneapolis Policing:

• Movement from a siloed police department to an integrated Department of Public Safety.
• Stricter oversight and regulation of police misconduct through state reforms, including bans on no-knock warrants.
• Still, many issues persist, especially in federal immigration enforcement.

2. Why Minnesota Became a Target

[06:14]–[09:25] – Ellison’s Theory on Trump’s Focus on Minnesota

• Ellison posits that Trump chose Minnesota for Operation Metro Surge as retribution for the state’s progressive values, political opposition, and demographic diversity.

“There’s a lot of things about Trump that he just doesn’t like about Minnesota… We have a large Somali community. We embrace our community, all of our immigrant communities. ... He’s kind of punishing us because we didn’t vote for him.” – Keith Ellison [07:48]

• Minnesota’s track record: highest voter turnout, pro-labor laws, progressive representation (e.g. Ilhan Omar), and holding police accountable after George Floyd’s murder—all in stark contrast with Trump’s political agenda.

3. Living Under Siege

[09:25]–[15:16] – The Human Cost and Federal Obstruction

• Ellison describes the period as feeling like a "siege," impacting everyone, regardless of background.
• Federal agents refused to cooperate with local investigations into civilian deaths, such as those of Renee Goode and Alex Preddy.

“Preddy and Good were both white American citizens killed, shot down, dead, graveyard dead. And all they were ever doing is trying to stand up for their neighbors peacefully… The federal government is like, no, no, we’re not [investigating]. And they denied us access to the investigative file, to the evidence.” – Keith Ellison [10:36]

• Community organizing (via chats and mutual notifications) helped limit metro raids, pushing ICE operations into rural Minnesota, where networks are weaker.

The Lasting Damage

[13:46]–[15:16]

• Major economic impact: businesses and schools suffered, especially in immigrant communities.
• The City of Minneapolis alone estimates a $203 million loss.
• Rise in racial profiling; widespread distrust and trauma remain.
• Steps toward healing: state and city are initiating truth and reconciliation processes.

4. Defending Truth in a Time of Disinformation

[15:16]–[29:06] – Congressional Hearings, Racism, and Public Smears

Identity and Political Targeting

[16:12]–[19:29]

• Ellison recounts persistent racism and Islamophobia since his election as the first Muslim member of Congress in 2006.
• He sees a clear throughline between then and now: attacks are less about personal animosity and more about politicians “tapping into hostility that they hope is out there towards the other.”

“Is it a line or is it a steel cable? ... They're never going to say, we are manipulative ... They're going to say, you're morally bad, you're a bad religion, you're bad. They're going to cast outward.” – Keith Ellison [18:04]

The Feeding Our Future Fraud Case

[19:29]–[27:00]

• In 2021, Ellison met with individuals posing as legitimate businesspeople who were later revealed to be fraudsters behind the Feeding Our Future scandal—a COVID-19 relief fraud case.
• Senator Josh Hawley confronted Ellison in a congressional hearing, accusing him of helping fraudsters and implying corruption using a secretly recorded tape.
• Ellison clarifies:
  • He meets with constituents regularly as part of his job.
  • He never took contributions from those individuals and actively rejected campaign donations in the recorded meeting.
  • The tape, if fully heard, vindicates him—he welcomes its disclosure.

“I don't know too many politicians who turn down campaign donations, but I'm on tape doing it because that was not what that meeting was for.” – Keith Ellison [27:00]

• Larger issue: Republicans have exploited the fraud case to stoke anti-immigrant sentiment by unfairly scapegoating the Somali community.

Fighting Smears & The Age of Disinformation

• Ellison outlines his approach:
  • Appear openly at hearings.
  • Publish op-eds detailing the facts.
  • Stay transparent and let voters decide, emphasizing the need for honest public dialogue—even as lies and smears dominate political discourse.

“We live in a world, man, where honest people are accused of being... are called liars, dishonest people get to be president. You know, we’re in a world where victims of sex abuse are insulted, where sex abuse actors are exalted. I mean, we are in the Upside Down.” – Keith Ellison [27:52]

5. Onward: Ellison’s Political Future

[29:06]–[30:00]

• With Governor Walz not seeking re-election, Ellison confirms he’s running for a third term as Attorney General, determined to stand firm under pressure.

“I don’t believe politicians should stay in office forever. But I am not going to abandon my post in the middle of this Trump onslaught. I will not. Absolutely not.” – Keith Ellison [29:25]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I wish I could give you a definitive it’s better, it’s worse, but it’s kind of mixed.” – Keith Ellison [05:49]
• “We prosecuted the people who killed George Floyd.” – Keith Ellison [08:05]
• “It felt like a siege, man. It felt like nobody was safe.” – Keith Ellison [10:08]
• “Why am I sitting here? ... This is clearly a lie. It is clearly a smear. It’s not my first rodeo.” – Keith Ellison [27:30]

Important Timestamps

• 01:55 – Introduction: aftermath of Operation Metro Surge
• 03:10 – Reflections on police reform and accountability
• 06:25 – Why Minnesota was targeted by immigration raids
• 10:00 – Emotional impact; federal obstruction of investigations into deaths
• 13:46 – Community trauma and economic fallout
• 15:21 – On defending one’s truth amidst attacks
• 18:04 – Racism, Islamophobia, and political targeting
• 20:12 – Feeding Our Future fraud scandal detailed
• 27:00 – Fighting smears and defending public integrity
• 29:25 – Ellison’s commitment to seek a third term

Tone and Style

The conversation maintains a candid, persistent, and sometimes biting tone, with deep concern for justice, honesty, and democratic values. Ellison’s language is direct, at times emotional, and unwaveringly combative against what he sees as both federal overreach and political smear campaigns.

Episode Takeaway

Through personal stories, institutional critique, and unwavering resolve, Keith Ellison presents a portrait of an embattled public official refusing to yield in the fight for Minnesota’s communities, democratic commitments, and his own reputation. This episode offers a nuanced, inside look at the intersection of immigration policy, racial justice, political attacks, and the ongoing battle against disinformation in American public life.