Partial Drawdown In Minnesota, NPR Poll: Trump and ICE, Nuclear Treaty Expires

Summary

Up First – Episode Summary

Episode Date: February 5, 2026
Main Hosts: Leila Fadel, Steve Inskeep
Key Reporters: Meg Anderson, Domenico Montanaro, Charles Mains

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Episode Overview

This episode of NPR's Up First focuses on three major stories shaping US and international news:

1. The partial federal agent drawdown in Minnesota after high-profile confrontations involving ICE,
2. A new NPR/Marist poll showing public opinion swings against Trump and ICE enforcement tactics,
3. The expiration of New START, the last nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia, raising global security concerns.

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Segment 1: Partial Federal Agent Drawdown in Minnesota

[02:08–05:42]

• What Happened:
  700 federal agents, primarily from ICE, are leaving Minnesota in response to community unrest and two fatal shootings of US citizens by immigration agents.
• Current Situation:
  Despite the withdrawal, about 2,300 federal agents remain in the state—more than the entire Twin Cities police force and more than before the agent-surge started.
  • ICE Director Tom Homan wants to eventually revert to pre-surge numbers, citing a need to redeploy agents to other states facing similar problems.
• Jail Cooperation Issue:
  • Sheriff Deanna Witt (Hennepin County) clarifies that her jail honors signed judicial warrants from ICE but not administrative detainers; she’s open to negotiation:
    • “You’re going to have to show me how it's going to make Hennepin County residents safer, and you’re going to have to actually act good on what you say.” — Sheriff Deanna Witt ([04:34])
  • Ongoing negotiations with ICE, but she emphasizes due process and legal constraints.
• Community Reaction:
  • Local officials—like Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey—call the drawdown progress but "not enough."
  • Faith and community coalitions say the situation remains an emergency:
    • “There are still thousands of, quote, masked, unaccountable agents terrorizing the community.… People who are not white are carrying their passports around. Immigrants are sheltering in place. Children are not going to school.” — Meg Anderson ([05:06])

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Segment 2: Poll Shows Public Disapproval of Trump and ICE Tactics

[05:44–09:17]

• New Poll Findings:
  • 65% of Americans believe ICE has gone too far. Disapproval of the administration’s immigration tactics has jumped by double digits since last summer.
  • This shift comes after the shootings in Minnesota and ongoing ICE presence.
• Political Impact:
  • Domenico Montanaro (NPR): “That’s jumped double digits from last summer, you know, on something that really used to be Trump’s strongest issue here, immigration.” ([06:17])
  • Trump responds with a “softer tone,” hinting at lessons learned but defending tough stances:
    • “Maybe we can use a little bit of softer touch, but… you still have to be tough. These are criminal. We’re dealing with hard criminals.” — Donald Trump, reported by Montanaro ([06:48])
  • Notably, rhetoric remains harsh even though neither shooting victim matched Trump’s description of a “criminal.”
• Approval Ratings:
  • Trump’s overall approval is at 39%, with only 30% of independents approving. Disapproval of his economic policies and tariffs is high (60%), and the top public priority is lowering prices.
  • Headlines over the last month have been dominated by ICE, Venezuela military action, and Trump’s threats to take over Greenland.
• Foreign Policy:
  • Only 37% approve of Trump’s handling of foreign policy. Nearly 70% oppose the idea of “taking over Greenland.”
  • “Aside from Republicans… these policies and actions over the past month have been wildly unpopular…. The president’s actions tell us that he and the White House see he’s in a real vulnerable position here.” — Domenico Montanaro ([08:46])

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Segment 3: Expiration of the New START Nuclear Treaty

[09:26–13:02]

• What is New START:
  • Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) limited US and Russian nuclear warheads to 1,550 each and enabled mutual inspections of nuclear facilities.
  • Signed in 2010 by Obama and Russia’s then-President Medvedev, intended to “build trust but verify.”
• Treaty’s End and Its Consequences:
  • The end has raised alarm about a new global arms race.
  • Russia’s President Putin offered to extend compliance for another year—if the US reciprocated—but President Trump declined, following his own “timeline.”
  • “Without New START, we’re entering into a more dangerous world, and many arms control experts agree.” — Charles Mains ([10:49])
  • Expert Dmitri Stefanovich (Primakov Institute, Moscow) warns: “Without New START, it’s coming. Both countries will plan for the worst-case scenario… you need tenfold of what you have now to somehow hedge against such a possibility.” ([11:37])
• Why Did Talks Fail?
  • Both sides accused each other of “not living by the letter” as they developed new nuclear-capable weapons.
  • COVID-19 suspended inspections.
  • Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine broke diplomatic trust: “With the clock ticking on New START, Russia refused to engage… because the US was supporting Ukraine militarily.” — Charles Mains ([11:49])
• What’s Next?
  • Trump claims New START is “outdated” and wants limits expanded to include other nuclear powers (China, UK, France, North Korea, India, Pakistan), which experts say is logistically unwieldy.
  • Fact: the US and Russia still account for nearly 90% of global nuclear weapons stockpiles, so bilateral leadership remains crucial.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “You’re going to have to show me how it's going to make Hennepin county residents safer, and you’re going to have to actually act good on what you say.” — Sheriff Deanna Witt ([04:34])
• “Maybe we can use a little bit of softer touch, but… you still have to be tough. These are criminal. We’re dealing with really hard criminals.” — Donald Trump, via Domenico Montanaro ([06:48])
• “Aside from Republicans… these policies and actions over the past month have been wildly unpopular.… The president’s actions tell us that he and the White House see he’s in a real vulnerable position here.” — Domenico Montanaro ([08:46])
• “Without New START, we’re entering into a more dangerous world, and many arms control experts agree.” — Charles Mains ([10:49])
• “Both countries will plan for the worst-case scenario. And the worst-case scenario is always your adversary is capable of magic tricks, and you need tenfold of what you have right now.” — Dmitri Stefanovich ([11:37])

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Quick Reference: Key Timestamps

• Minnesota ICE Drawdown and State-Federal Tensions – [02:08]–[05:42]
• Poll on Trump & ICE Public Opinion, Political Implications – [05:44]–[09:17]
• New START Treaty Expires, Nuclear Arms Control Tensions – [09:26]–[13:02]

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This summary captures the core stories, insights, and public sentiment explored in the February 5th, 2026 episode of NPR’s Up First – providing a clear guide to today’s headlines, their context, and why they matter.

Transcript

[Leila Fadel]

700 federal agents are leaving Minnesota.

[Steve Inskeep]

The agents who remain want more access to a local jail. Does the administration have a plan for immigration enforcement with less chaos?

[Leila Fadel]

I'm Leila Fodel. That's Steve Inskeep. And this is up first from NPR News. Surveys used to show that border enforcement was the president's strongest issue. Now that Americans see how the administration is operating, two thirds disapprove. Even the president said briefly that he learned from the public response.

[Domenico Montanaro]

I learned that.

[Meg Anderson]

Maybe we can use.

[Domenico Montanaro]

A little bit of softer touch, but.

[Meg Anderson]

You still have to be tough.

[Steve Inskeep]

Also, the last major nuclear arms treaty between the US And Russia expires today. What happens now? Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day.

[Domenico Montanaro]

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[Leila Fadel]

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[Meg Anderson]

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[Leila Fadel]

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[Meg Anderson]

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[Leila Fadel]

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[Meg Anderson]

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[Joanna Strober]

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[Steve Inskeep]

Holman says 700 federal agents will be leaving Minnesota.

[Leila Fadel]

It's the beginning of a retreat from a state where federal agents confronted protesters and killed two Americans. But most agents that were brought in are still there. And Homan says any further drawdown would depend on state and local cooperation.

[Steve Inskeep]

Let's talk about that with NPR's Meg Anderson, who's in Minneapolis. Meg, good morning.

[Meg Anderson]

Good morning.

[Steve Inskeep]

How much is really changing?

[Meg Anderson]

Yeah. So the numbers don't point to a big change. It still leaves around 2300 federal agents here. That's still more than the combined Twin Cities police force. It's more than the number they originally brought in before Renee Macklin Good was killed by an ICE agent. Homan did say he wants to see the presence of ICE officers in the state go back to what it was before the surge began. And he said he wants that partly because ICE has plans for operations in other parts of the country.

[Steve Inskeep]

You got agents here from LA, NY and Portland. There's problems there, too. So we want to get people back to their home station, enforce immigration laws in those areas.

[Meg Anderson]

Homan specifically zeroed in on the cooperation of sheriffs. That makes sense. Sheriffs run county jails, and around the country they've played a key role in holding undocumented immigrants for ice.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay, so he wants more state and local cooperation. But I feel we have to talk about this. Federal authorities have complained that state and local officials do not turn over people for with deportation orders who turn up in jails or who are convicted of something and are in prison. State authorities say that's not true. Actually, they do cooperate, and the feds pretend they don't. The state's turning over people from prison and from many jails, but there was one big jail that limited its cooperation up to now. What do you hear from them?

[Meg Anderson]

So I spoke with that jail system. I spoke with Hennepin county sheriff Deanna Witt. That's the county that includes Minneapolis. And she said she has had, quote, healthy conversations with Homan. She expects them to continue. And she stressed that, you know, if ICE has a signed judicial warrant for someone in her jail, her officers do already honor those, like you said. But often ICE does not have that. And so whit is required by law to release those people. Jail is pre trial detention. Right? You can't hold those people indefinitely. She also said her office does not honor administrative detainers. That's when ICE asks a jail to hold someone, but doesn't have that warrant signed by a judge. But sheriff Witt told me she's considering changing that policy if that were to change.

[Charles Mains]

And that's a if. Right. You're going to have to show me.

[Meg Anderson]

How it's going to make Hennepin county.

[Charles Mains]

Residents safer, and you're going to have to actually act good on what you say.

[Meg Anderson]

You know, she said these are ongoing negotiations and no one is going to get everything they want.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay. So she says she is open to a change in course. How are other local leaders responding to the new leadership, at least in Minnesota, from immigration authorities?

[Meg Anderson]

Right. So the consensus so far is that this drawdown is progress, but it's not enough. Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison called it a step in the right direction, but that the Surge needs to end. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry also called for it to end, saying it's been catastrophic for residents and businesses. A coalition of Minnesota Faith, labor and other community groups dismissed the announcement. In a statement, they said there are still thousands of, quote, masked, unaccountable agents terrorizing the community. And, you know, it is very much still an emergency here for many people. People who are not white are carrying their passports around. Immigrants are sheltering in place. Children are not going to school.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR's Meg Anderson in Minneapolis, thanks for the update. Really appreciate it.

[Meg Anderson]

You're welcome.

[Steve Inskeep]

65% of Americans, 65% say immigration and Customs Enforcement has gone too far. That is according to a poll released today by NPR PBS News.

[Leila Fadel]

And Marist, this increased concern about ICE comes on the heels of the FATA shootings of two US Citizens in Minnesota at the hands of federal immigration agents.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro takes us through the numbers very often and once again this morning. Domenico, good morning.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Hey there.

[Steve Inskeep]

Two thirds of Americans disagree with the administration. That sounds like a lot.

[Charles Mains]

Yeah, I mean, that's jumped double digits from last summer, you know, on something that really used to be Trump's strongest issue here, immigration. So, you know, no surprise we've seen changes from the Trump administration. Trump reassigned Greg Bovino, who was in charge of operations Minnesota. The administration is now pulling 700 agents from the state as well. And there's been a different tone. I mean, here's Trump yesterday with a decidedly different tone in an interview with NBC News after being asked what he'd learned from Minneapolis.

[Domenico Montanaro]

I learned that.

[Meg Anderson]

Maybe we can use.

[Domenico Montanaro]

A little bit of softer touch, but.

[Meg Anderson]

You still have to be tough.

[Domenico Montanaro]

These are criminal. We're dealing with really hard criminals.

[Charles Mains]

So he's not completely backing down there from the tough rhetoric. I mean, despite neither American who has killed Renee Macklin, Goode or Alex meeting Trump's description of criminals and his Vice President, J.D. vance yesterday refused to apologize to Preddy's family for amplifying claims countered by video that Preddy was a, quote, would be assassin. But Trump's tone is a definite adjustment and it's pretty rare to hear him reflect and even give an iota of admitting a mistake, even if he effectively.

[Steve Inskeep]

Took it back in the next phrase. Yeah, how are people viewing the president's job overall?

[Charles Mains]

It's really low. I mean, his approval is overall is just 39% with 30% of independents approving and they' key in those swing districts. His approval rating has now been below 40% in the Marist poll since November on the economy, which is what got Trump reelected in the first place. Six in 10 disapprove. Trump's tariffs are playing a big part in that. A majority think that they're hurting the economy. And far and away, people say Trump's top priority should be lowering prices. And yet what's gotten the most buzz and dominated the news and headlines over the past month, Ice, military action in Venezuela and Trump's threats to take over Greenland.

[Steve Inskeep]

Oh, I'm glad you mentioned that. How are people viewing the president's foreign threats on Greenland and everything else?

[Charles Mains]

Only 37% are approving of his handling of foreign policy. You know, when it comes to Venezuela and Greenland, a solid majority say the president should have to go to Congress before taking military action. Almost 7 in 10 oppose the idea of taking over Greenland. And that repeated threat was upsetting NATO allies and led to a decline in the stock market. Overall, when it comes to NATO, two thirds in this poll say that the US has benefited from that alliance. So, you know, with all of that, you can see maybe why Trump backed off from those Greenland threats.

[Steve Inskeep]

The president backed off, but also said that taking over Greenland was a popular idea. Do they know something we don't?

[Charles Mains]

You know, I like to say that you don't have to believe the polls. Watch what politicians do. And for someone like Trump, who usually caters to his base and rarely dials things back, these shifts are pretty significant. And it shows the reality that, aside from Republicans who've steadfastly stood by Trump, these policies and actions over the past month have been wildly unpopular. And what has been revealed here is that underneath all the lies and boasts and threats to sue the pollsters, the president's actions tell us that he and the White House see that he's in a real vulnerable position here.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR's Domenico Montanaro. Thanks so much.

[Charles Mains]

You're welcome.

[Steve Inskeep]

The last nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia expires today.

[Leila Fadel]

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as New Start, put limits on the nuclear arsenals of the former Cold War superpowers, and its demise has raised fears of a new global arms race.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR's Russia correspondent Charles Mains is on the line from Moscow. Hey there, Charles.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Good morning.

[Steve Inskeep]

What did Start actually do?

[Domenico Montanaro]

Well, you know, New Start was signed in 2010 by President Obama at a time when his message of hope and change included resetting relations with Moscow. You know, this was also a period when Vladimir Putin had at least nominally given up the Russian presidency to his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, who was then seen as something of a liberal modernizer. And the treaty itself, it capped nuclear weapons warheads for both Russia and the US at 1550 apiece. It also critically allowed for each country to carry out regular on site inspections of each other's nuclear facilities. So it really was built on the same trust but verify formula that was baked into earlier arms control agreements with Russia and the ussr, none of which now exist. A new start was the last.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay, so each country still had enough weapons ready to incinerate the planet if necessary. But they were trying to make things regular, trying to make things transparent, a little bit more calm. How are people responding where you are in Moscow to this treaty going away?

[Domenico Montanaro]

Well, officially, Russia was trying to keep the treaty alive until the last minute. Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to de facto continue to observe the limits of the treaty for a year. That was if Washington agreed to do the same. The idea being that it would allow negotiators to work out a new agreement. But President Trump didn't seem all that interested. A White House official told NPR Trump had his own timeline when it came to nuclear security. The Kremlin, meanwhile, is warning that without newstart, we're entering into a more dangerous world. And many arms control experts agree. Dmitri Stefanovich of the Primakov Institute here in Moscow tells me that an arms race won't start tomorrow. But without newstart, it's coming. Both countries will plan for the worst case scenario. And the worst case scenario is always your adversary is capable of magic tricks and you need tenfold of what you.

[Meg Anderson]

Have right now to somehow hedge against such a possibility.

[Domenico Montanaro]

And this is where we are heading.

[Steve Inskeep]

Other than hearing that the President of the United States was not that interested in the treaty. I don't understand where things went wrong here.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Well, you know, there were always accusations that one side or the other wasn't living by the letter of the agreement, particularly as both the US And Russia developed next generation conventional weapons that could be retrofitted as nuclear capable. The COVID pandemic, frankly, didn't help. It saw the suspension of inspections. But. But Steve, the real nail in the coffin was Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. With the clock ticking on new start, Russia refused to engage the then Biden administration on arms control negotiations because the US Was supporting Ukraine militari. In fact, Putin suspended Russia's participation in the treaty as a result in 2023.

[Steve Inskeep]

Oh, that's helpful context. So what is the US proposing now?

[Domenico Montanaro]

Well, Trump says he wants limits on nuclear weapons, but that new start is just outdated, particularly in a world where you have new emerging nuclear powers like China. So, so Trump's looking for a better deal, in his words. But even there, Moscow's view is, well, then, okay, let's talk about caps on the arsenals of other nuclear powers like the UK Or France. Meanwhile, we have Pakistan, India and North Korea. So this gets unwieldy. Very. And meanwhile, the fact is that Russia and the US have close to 90% of the world's nuclear weapons. So their leadership, or lack thereof on this issue really matters.

[Steve Inskeep]

Charles Means in Moscow, thanks so much.

[Domenico Montanaro]

Thank you.

[Steve Inskeep]

And that's up first for this Thursday, February 5th. I'm Steve Inskeep.

[Leila Fadel]

And I'm Layla Faldel. Today's episode of up first was edited by Eric Westervelt, Dana Farrington, Robbie Griffiths, Mohamed Alberdisi and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Butch and Nia Dumas. Our director is Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Stacy Abbott. And our technical director is Carly Strange. Our deputy executive producer is Kelly Dickens. Join us again tomorrow.

[Steve Inskeep]

Are you on tomorrow, Leila?

[Leila Fadel]

I am. Are you on?

[Steve Inskeep]

Then I will join you.

[Leila Fadel]

Okay, good, good, good, good.

[Joanna Strober]

This message comes from Rosetta Stone, the trusted leader in language learning. Choose from 25 languages, receive 50% off a lifetime membership with unlimited access to 25 language courses for life. Visit rosettastone.com NPR this message comes from IXL, an award winning online learning platform helping kids learn with instant feedback. Get IXL now. Receive an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when you sign up [e-mail] NPR this message comes from Rosetta Stone, the trusted leader in language learning. Choose from 25 languages, receive 50% off a lifetime membership with unlimited access to 25 language courses for life. Visit rosettastone.com.