Minneapolis Protests ICE Shooting; Protests in Iran; States Preparing for Midterms

Summary

Up First from NPR — January 10, 2026

Overview

This episode of NPR’s Up First explores three major stories making headlines:

1. Ongoing protests in Minneapolis following a fatal ICE shooting.
2. Mass protests in Iran amid economic collapse and harsh government crackdown.
3. How states are preparing for potential federal interference in upcoming midterm elections.

The hosts, Scott Simon and Sacha Pfeiffer, are joined by on-the-ground NPR correspondents for insightful analysis, direct testimony from involved citizens, and expert contextualization. Below, each segment is broken down with key moments, notable quotes, and timestamps.

---

1. Minneapolis Protests Over Fatal ICE Shooting

Theme: Community outrage and grief after the shooting of Renee Goode by ICE agents, and the broader context of Minneapolis’ struggles with traumatic violence and federal immigration crackdowns.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Protest Dynamics & Public Sentiment

  • Hundreds marched downtown, protesting not only Renee Goode’s death but also federal immigration enforcement’s presence in Minneapolis.
    "Most people I talked to say they were out in the streets marching for two reasons. One was to honor the life of Renee Goode... The other... was to send a message to the Trump administration that Minnesotans do not want immigration agents in their city."
    — Sergio Martinez Beltran [02:23]
  • Protests included attempts to enter hotels where ICE agents were believed to be staying, leading to vandalism and arrests.

• Community Trauma & Resilience

  • The city is still dealing with pain from past violence, including mass shootings and the murder of George Floyd.
    "There's this feeling that this shooting could have the same effect and inflict as much trauma as the killing of George Floyd..."
    — Sergio Martinez Beltran [03:37]
  • Residents express exhaustion over repeated trauma, while also highlighting the city’s resilience.
    "No one is stronger than Minnesotans. We stand by each other, we protect each other, and we do right by each other."
    — Ashley Burris [04:08]

• Federal Actions & Community Pushback

  • President Trump’s surge of ICE agents is described as targeting Minnesota’s significant Somali community, citing unsubstantiated fraud allegations.
  • Community leaders emphasize strength and unity in the face of fear.
    "As Somali Americans...we're not going to fall for that. We're going to stand up because we're greater than fear."
    — Khalil Omar [05:00]
  • Ongoing ICE presence at protest memorials, creating ongoing tension.

Notable Quotes

• "The city is not safe right now with them here. I want my voice to be heard."
  — Dan Craigie, Minneapolis resident [03:00]

• "The administration claims they're making the community safer by launching this operation, and they're certainly not backing down ... surreal ... but this is Minneapolis right now."
  — Sergio Martinez Beltran [05:26]

Timestamps

• Start of segment: [02:04]
• Community trauma and memorial: [03:37] – [04:19]
• Somali community views & direct federal presence: [04:27] – [05:55]

---

2. Protests in Iran Amid Economic Crisis and Crackdown

Theme: Nationwide, anti-government protests intensify in Iran due to economic collapse, external pressures, and government violence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Scale and Targets of Protests

  • Despite a total internet blackout, massive protests break out across cities, including Tehran and Mashad.
  • Protesters chant “death to the dictator” targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader, while defiant acts include toppling statues and burning mosques.
    "They started earlier than normal and people were chanting death to the dictator, meaning Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei."
    — Jackie Northam [06:43]

• Government Crackdown

  • Security forces respond with violence; reports of deaths and detainments confirmed by rights groups.
  • Ayatollah Khamenei accuses protesters of catering to American interests and calls for an end to unrest.

• Origins and Uniqueness of These Protests

  • Triggered by shopkeeper-led economic protests driven by surging inflation (near 50%) and the collapse of the riel.
  • External pressures, especially Israeli strikes and the volatile geopolitical context, make the situation distinct from past uprisings. "Israel bombing Iran in the summer... killed many senior members of the security forces and intelligence services. That is a major differentiating factor..."
    — Gisu Nia (quoted by Jackie Northam) [08:38]

• International and U.S. Influence

  • President Trump warns of U.S. reprisals if Iran cracks down further.

• Uncertain Outlook

  • While government is weak, past precedents suggest protests may fade or be violently suppressed.
    "These protests come at a time when the regime is particularly weak. So we could be seeing the beginning of the end. It's just as likely the regime could double down."
    — Jackie Northam [09:20]

Notable Quotes

• "There can be no doubt that the Islamic Republic officials are looking at [external pressure] and wondering what will happen if they engage in further violence."
  — Gisu Nia, Atlantic Council [08:38]

Timestamps

• Start of Iran segment: [06:08]
• Protests described, crackdown, geopolitical context: [06:33] – [09:38]

---

3. States Preparing for Potential Federal Election Interference

Theme: States (from both political parties) prepare for possible disruptions or interference as the first midterms of Trump’s second term approach.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Election Security and Federal Power

  • Concerns among state and local officials about new federal restrictions and potential federal troop deployment to polling places.
  • Secretary of State for Minnesota, Steve Simon, calls the possibility of federal government intervention a “threat” local officials must plan for. "We in the election space have to just use our imaginations as we would to be clear for any threat, whether it's from a foreign actor... This falls into that category, too."
    — Steve Simon [10:56]

• Potential Scenarios: Troops, ICE at Polls

  • Although the White House dismisses speculation about troop deployments as “baseless conspiracy theories,” they stop short of a categorical denial.
  • Discussion of possible ICE presence at polls, sparking fear and potential voter suppression.

• Limits of Presidential Power Over Voting

  • Emphasis on the Constitution giving states exclusive authority over voting processes; Trump’s rumored workaround via emergency powers lacks legal grounding. "The president's authority is limited, except that where there is a threat to the national sovereignty of the United States..."
    — Cleta Mitchell, quoted on another podcast [12:52]
  • Local officials (from both parties) are seeking legal protection in anticipation of federal attempts to access voting equipment or data.

• Why the Stakes Are So High

  • Trump’s party faces potential loss of the House, risking legislative paralysis and raising the stakes for the administration’s handling of elections.
  • Trump’s personal investment is highlighted—if Democrats win, he may face another impeachment, and has shown willingness to “mess with the democratic process."
    "He is willing to mess with the democratic process to advantage himself... this is not abstract or hypothetical"
    — Miles Parks [14:14]

Notable Quotes

• "It's noteworthy that you have a state voting official there referring to federal government action as a threat, in his words."
  — Sacha Pfeiffer [10:56]

• "Voters are concerned about scenarios that would clearly break federal voting laws... Even if this sort of scenario would clearly break federal voting laws."
  — Miles Parks [11:21]

Timestamps

• Start of midterms segment: [09:47]
• Discussion of election security fears: [10:11] – [14:26]

---

Memorable Quotes Overview

• Sergio Martinez Beltran:
  "There's this feeling that this shooting could have the same effect and inflict as much trauma as the killing of George Floyd..." [03:37]

• Ashley Burris:
  "We stand by each other, we protect each other, and we do right by each other." [04:08]

• Gisu Nia:
  "That is a major differentiating factor... officials are looking at [external pressure] and wondering what will happen..." [08:38]

• Steve Simon:
  "We in the election space have to just use our imaginations as we would to be clear for any threat..." [10:56]

• Miles Parks:
  "He is willing to mess with the democratic process to advantage himself... this is not abstract or hypothetical" [14:14]

---

Conclusion

This Up First episode highlights how the collision of local trauma, national policy, and global unrest is reshaping the American and international political landscape as 2026 begins. From Minneapolis’ grief and resistance, to the perilous protests in Iran, and onto the legal and administrative battles preparing for the midterms, the episode offers clear, concise reporting with voices from the street and the halls of government alike.

---

For more:

• Find upcoming episodes at NPR Up First
• Tune in on weekdays at 6:30 a.m. ET

Transcript

[Scott Simon]

Protests continue in Minneapolis over a fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Questions remain over the killing of Renee Good, and the community there wants answers.

[Scott Simon]

I'm Scott Simon.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

And I'm Sacha Pfeiffer. And this is up first from NPR News.

[Scott Simon]

This week's killing in Minneapolis was only the latest in a string of violent incidents in the state of Minnesota. Tell you how the community is trying to cope.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

And in Iran, protests continue to roil cities, fueled by the country's crumbling economy. We'll look at the regime's response.

[Scott Simon]

Also, how big a role will the federal government play in the upcoming midterm elections? We'll tell you how states are preparing.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

So stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend. This message comes from Carvana, who makes car selling easy. Enter your license plate or vin, get a real offer in minutes and have your car picked up from your door. Sell your car the easy way with Carvana. Pickup fee may apply. Netflix's Stranger Things has reached its end, and we're unpacking the biggest moments in the final season. We'll talk about what we thought of the finale, what happened to our heroes when they set out to battle the forces of evil one last time, and and, of course, the terrible wigs. Listen to pop culture happy hour in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. On NPR's wildcard podcast, heavyweight host Jonathan Goldstein talks about his early years as a writer. I was writing and no one was buying what I was selling. I just couldn't get anywhere. And I just kept doing it because I felt compelled to do it, like a spider spinning a web. Listen to that Wildcard conversation on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. President Trump's immigration actions in Minneapolis continue to draw protests after a fatal ICE shooting resulted in the death of a local woman, Renee Goode.

[Scott Simon]

Hundreds of people marched through the city's downtown district last night. More protests are expected today. NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran has been covering the story in Minneapolis and joins us now. Sergio, thanks so much for being with us.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

Glad to be with you, Scott.

[Scott Simon]

You were out in the streets last night. What did you hear from people?

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

Yeah, this particular protest I went to last night started outside a hotel where organizers say they believe ICE agents are staying, and it moved around downtown to a few other hotels. Some of the protesters tried to breach at least one hotel and vandalized at least one building, and that led to multiple arrests. Most people I talked to say they were out in the streets marching for two reasons. One was to honor the life of Renee Goode. They wanted to remember her and process her killing together as a community. The other reason was to send a message to the Trump administration that Minnesotans do not want immigration agents in their city. That's what Minneapolis resident Dan Craigie told me.

[Miles Parks]

The city is not safe right now with them here. I want my voice to be heard.

[Scott Simon]

I want my presence to be seen, and I want my daughters to see.

[Miles Parks]

What'S happening and to see what strength.

[Scott Simon]

And resilience looks like.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

Craigie also mentioned something others have told me. Scott the city of Minneapolis has gone through so much trauma in the last five years, and they're tired of fighting.

[Scott Simon]

Before the killing of Renee Goode, Minnesota had had several mass shootings just in the last year. And of course, we recall the murder of George Floyd at the hands of local police. Does this come up in conversations you have with residents?

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

100%. Residents here told me that they're sad and angry and hurt. And there's this feeling that this shooting could have the same effect and inflict as much trauma as the killing of George Floyd, which sparked some of the largest racial justice protests since the civil rights movement. Yesterday I went to the spot where Renee Goode was killed. It's now a makeshift memorial full of flowers, art and candles. And there I met Ashley Burris, who lives in Minneapolis. She says this moment is sad, but also heartwarming because the community is coming together.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

We saw it happen after the murder of George Floyd. We're seeing it happen again. No one is stronger than Minnesotans. We stand by each other, we protect each other, and we do right by each other.

[Scott Simon]

Sergio, remind us why President Trump sent a surge of immigration agents into the city in the first place, mostly to.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

Target the Somali community in Minnesota, which is the largest in the US Last month, Trump called Somalis, quote, garbage and said he does not want them in the country. And right wing influencers and other conservatives have been accusing Somalis of committing fraud in the state. Now, those allegations gain traction within the Trump administration and are part of the reason for the surge in immigration agents. However, despite all of this, the Somali community continues to push back. That's what Khalil Omar, a Somali activist, says. This administration is bringing a lot of fear, and I think that's their goal. But as Somali Americans, as Minnesotans, we're not going to fall for that. We're going to stand up because we're greater than fear. We believe in that. You know, this storm is going to pass. Omar says the Somali American community is also standing up for Renee Good.

[Scott Simon]

And Sarah, the Trump administration has said it will continue its crackdown in Minnesota, right?

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

Yes. The administration claims they're making the community safer by launching this operation, and they're certainly not backing down. Scott. In fact, I witnessed something kind of surreal happen yesterday. A rally was taking place where Renee Goode was killed and at least one SUV with federal immigration agents drove by the memorial. That SUV was drilled by a car with anti ICE activists who were honking. Again, surreal. But this is Minneapolis right now.

[Scott Simon]

NPR Sergio Martinez Beltran in Minneapolis, thanks so much.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

You're welcome.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Internet access remained shut down in Iran after the government there imposed a blackout.

[Scott Simon]

This came after tens of thousands of people took to the streets and cities across the country chanting anti government slogans.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

A number of protesters have been killed by security forces, according to rights groups, with hundreds more being detained.

[Scott Simon]

NPR senior international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam has been following developments, joins us now. Jackie, thanks for being with us.

[Jackie Northam]

Morning, Scott.

[Scott Simon]

It sounds as if the protests have grown increasingly large and more urgent since they started nearly two weeks ago. What do we know about last night's?

[Jackie Northam]

Well, as you mentioned, there is an Internet blackout in Iran, but there are still ways to get messages and videos out. And our contacts are saying last night's protests were huge, especially in the capital, Tehran. They started earlier than normal and people were chanting death to the dictator, meaning Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The protests were actually many parts of the country, including Mashad, where Khamenei comes from. You know, people have been pulling down statues of Iranian leaders and generals. And last night some mosques were set on fire. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the former shah, has been urging on the protesters, but, you know, it's unclear how much support he has. It does look like the security forces have started to crack down now. There are videos showing dead bodies on the ground and at hospitals. And yesterday Khamenei, in a national address, warned the protesters to stop saying they were destroying public property to try and please President Trump. But more protests are expected later today.

[Scott Simon]

And Iran has had many protests over the past decade and even longer. What seems to have begun this one and what are protesters calling for?

[Jackie Northam]

Well, this one started at the end of December when shopkeepers turned out in large numbers to protest against the economy. Inflation is red hot, close to 50%, and the local currency, the riel, has lost half its value since September. But, you know, the economy is often the trigger for protests in Iran, but this one quickly spread. I spoke with Gisu Nia, and she's a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, but she's also a human rights lawyer who works on Iran. And Nia says Iranians want regime change. She says these are the largest protests in years, but what's different this time around is the external pressures. You know, not only Israel bombing Iran in the summer, but those strikes also killed many senior members of the security forces and intelligence services. Here she is here.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

That is a major differentiating factor than prior rounds of protests that we've seen because there can be no doubt that the Islamic Republic officials are looking at that and wondering what will happen if they engage in further violence.

[Jackie Northam]

And then, Scott, of course, we have President Trump weighing in, saying the US Will hit hard if Iran kills protesters. And after the Venezuela operation, you know, this cannot be taken as an empty threat.

[Scott Simon]

As you know, the protests have been going on since the end of December. We have seen uprisings of this order in the past, only to have them dissipate over time. Any sense of these ones will take hold.

[Jackie Northam]

It's impossible to say. You know, there's been protests over the years where hundreds of people have been killed but then fizzled out. These protests come at a time when the regime is particularly weak. So we could be seeing the beginning of the end. It's just as likely the regime could double down.

[Scott Simon]

NPR's Jackie Northam, thanks so much for being with us.

[Jackie Northam]

Thank you, Scott.

[Scott Simon]

The earliest of midterm elections this year begin in March, but already a lot of attention is focused on the polls. Who can vote, when and how can people vote, and to what extent might the federal government interfere?

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

That's right. And at this point, election officials are considering every possibility. NPR's voting correspondent Miles Parks has been looking into how how states are preparing for the midterms, and he joins us now. Hi, Miles.

[Miles Parks]

Hey, Sasha.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Miles, your reporting shows that voting officials are already preparing for the possibility of federal interference. Tell us about that prep process.

[Miles Parks]

Yeah, so, I mean, early last year, it became clear to local officials, and I should say from both parties, that the federal government helmed by President Trump wanted a bigger role in local processes. Just two months into his second term, he signed an executive order aimed at adding new voting restrictions, for instance. Most of that has been blocked by the courts at this point. But he also his administration laid off much of the election security staff, the Department of Homeland Security, and I was talking about all of that with the secretary of state of Minnesota, Steve Simon, who's a Democrat. And he said the idea of federal interference is on Election officials minds as they game plan out every scenario. We in the election space have to.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Just use our imaginations as we would to be clear for any threat, whether it's from a foreign actor, whether it's a natural disaster that we can't quite predict. This falls into that category, too, Miles. It's noteworthy that you have a state voting official there referring to federal government action as a threat, in his words. Did the Minnesota Secretary of State say what specifically he's worried about?

[Miles Parks]

Well, something Simon talked about, and this is also something I've heard from a number of other Democrats that they're concerned about as well, is the possibility of federal troops being deployed to polling places this year. I asked the White House about this. A spokesperson, Abigail Jackson, referred to these sort of scenarios as baseless conspiracy theories in a statement to npr, but she didn't categorically rule it out. And the National Guard deployments last year obviously crystallized this as a thing that local officials feel like they need to prepare for. Even if this sort of scenario would clearly break federal voting laws. The other possibility that voting officials are talking about is immigration enforcement. It is already illegal for non citizens to vote in federal elections. But people in Trump's orbit have toyed with the idea of having ICE agents at polling places or involved in the election in some other capacity to guard against non citizen voting. And any of these scenarios obviously could potentially have a suppressive effect if they make anyone scared to vote.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

President Trump has talked a lot about wanting to ban mail in ballots voting by mail. What power, if any, does he have over the rules of how people will vote this year?

[Miles Parks]

Essentially none. The Constitution is very clear on this. States set the rules for how their voters vote, and Trump's allies have acknowledged this. But in the fall, Cleta Mitchell, who's a notable far right election attorney, indicated that Trump could consider a sort of workaround by declaring a national emergency based on election integrity. Here's Mitchell talking on the podcast Washington Watch with Tony Perkins.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

The president's authority is limited, except that where there is a threat to the national sovereignty of the United States, then.

[Scott Simon]

I think maybe the president is thinking that he will exercise some emergency powers.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

To protect the federal elections going forward.

[Miles Parks]

Legal experts I've talked to say there's no way this could actually work in practice. But I have heard from voting officials, including local Republicans, who say they're shoring up their relationships with their local and state attorneys offices in preparation for the potential of legal fights. They're preparing for the possibility of attempts to access their election equipment. And I'll also note that more than a dozen states are already engaged in lawsuits with the Justice Department over requests the Trump administration has made for their voter data.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Miles, a bigger picture question. Trump is not on the ballot, of course. Lay out why he's so interested in how local officials conduct elections.

[Miles Parks]

I mean, at the most basic level, if Republicans lose control of the House of Representatives in midterms, it just becomes very, very difficult for the Trump administration to get anything done legislatively. But this week, Trump also made it clear that his investment in the midterms is personal. He said he thinks that if Democrats win, he will be impeached for a third time. And he's also made it clear that he is willing to mess with the democratic process to advantage himself. Right. I mean, we just had the anniversary, the five year anniversary of January 6th and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. And even this cycle we saw Trump spur on this unprecedented mid decade redistricting. And so for many local election officials, this is not abstract or hypothetical, this idea that Trump would mess with a.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

System to advantage himself, that is NPR's Miles Parks. Thanks for covering this. And we'll keep talking throughout the year.

[Miles Parks]

Thanks, Sasha.

[Scott Simon]

And that's up first for Saturday, January 10th, 2026. I'm Scott Simon.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

And I'm Sascha Pfeiffer.

[Scott Simon]

Dave Misjtich produced today's podcast with help from Gabe o', Connor, Danny Hensel and Lynn Tvorek. It was edited by Dee Parvez along with Jacob Fenston, Benjamin Swayze, James Heider and Gigi Doban.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Andy Craig is our director. Our technical director was David Greenberg with engineering support from J. Siz, Zoe Van Genovan, Damien Herring and Simon Laszlo Jansen.

[Scott Simon]

Our senior supervising editor is Shannon Rhodes. Evie Stone is our executive producer and Jim Cain is our deputy managing editor.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Tomorrow on the Sunday Story, Aisha Rascoe speaks to NPR's Frank Langfit about growing numbers of liberals in the U.S. buying guns because they fear unrest.

[Scott Simon]

And for all the news, you need stories that maybe you had no idea you ever needed or wanted. Tune into NPR. You could can find your local station at stations.npr.org.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Want to hear this podcast without sponsor breaks? Amazon prime members can listen to up first sponsor free through Amazon Music, or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get up first [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org have you ever thought about leaving the U.S. starting over somewhere new? Well, I have.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

And according to one poll, 40% of.

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Young women said they'd move to another country permanently if they had the chance.

[Miles Parks]

But why?

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

Where to start?

[Sacha Pfeiffer]

Listen to the It's Been a Minute podcast on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Miles Parks]

NPR's podcast, Trump's terms, is your source for same day updates on big news about the Trump administration. Short, focused episodes, one topic at a time, about five minutes or so. We carry out reporting from across all of NPR's coverage, so you are always getting the biggest, most urgent stories. Listen to Trump's Terms on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.