B (2:53)

Great to be with you.

A (2:55)

On Monday, you announced a lawsuit from the state of Minnesota as well as St. Paul, Minneapolis, to stop Operation Metro Surge, which has brought thousands of federal immigration agents into the state since December. You Your argument is that the search is unconstitutional. Can you explain that?

B (3:11)

Well, I mean, there's a few grounds for the lawsuit. One of them is that, look, we're an equally sovereign entity as a state of the United States of America. And for the federal government to surge in this way, with this aggressive attitude is interfering with our ability to operate our state as a sovereign state. Things like downward pressure on school attendance, downward pressure on our economy, upward pressure on costs and expenses, millions of dollars being spent on overtime for policing, and then, you know, just intrusion on a mass scale of the civil rights of our citizens. So that's one basis. Another basis is the something called the Administrative Procedures act, which is a piece of legislation which says when a government agency like the Department of Homeland Security engages a policy, that policy cannot be arbitrary and capricious. Now, we say it's arbitrary and capricious because there's a lot of states that have far more immigrants than Minnesota does as a percentage of our population. But they're not there. They're here. And the president has said that he's mad at us because we haven't voted for him and that he argues that he should have won the state of Minnesota, but somehow it was deprived of him of those victories. So he's angry with us about that. And so those are the basis of our lawsuit.

A (4:39)

Going back to that lawsuit, you asked for a temporary restraining order to stop or limit Operation Metro Surge immediately. On Wednesday, a federal judge declined to make a decision on that request right away, instead giving the government until next Monday to respond. What was your reaction?

B (4:54)

Well, I was disappointed, but I would say that the judge has a wonderful reputation, very smart, very capable, and I think she's very thoughtful. And I think, look, if the federal government has a legitimate case to be made, why they're sending literally thousands of ICE agents into Minnesota who are doing everything from killing people to raiding high schools to depressing our economy and all the things that are in our lawsuit, well, they better Come to this judge with a legitimate explanation. She's going to give them a chance to explain themselves and there's an open question as to whether they'll be able to. I can't think of any legitimate reason they might give, but I think the judge has just given them an opportunity so that when she does rule, no one will be able to accuse her of being of not listening to both sides fairly and carefully.

A (5:48)

Operation Metro Surge has already led to the death of 37 year old Renee Goode, who was shot by an ICE agent last week. The next day the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced that the investigation would be led only by the FBI and Minnesota would, quote, no longer have access to the case materials, scene evidence or investigative interviews necessary to complete a thorough and independent investigation. What can the state do to investigate without federal resources?

B (6:14)

Well, we're actually doing a number of things. I'm working with our local county attorney and the state Bureau of Criminal apprehension is receiving information and cataloging that information. We're making it so that it's accessible when and if we can make a charging decision. I know a lot of your listeners like, well, how could you ever consider not taking action? Because as a prosecutor you supposed to gather the information then make a charging decision. We're doing the best we can given the obstruction of the federal government. By the way, there's even been more developments in that score. Six prosecutors just quit because when it was announced that the Department of Justice Civil Rights division was not going to do a death investigation, a use of force death investigation, people quit. There's gotta be a thorough independent investigation of the death of Renee Good. And that's just a fact. If the feds won't do it, the state must. And I just want to let people know that we're going to do everything we can do. And we know it might not be easy, but again, I'm not making a conclusion as to what the evidence is going to reveal. I will say, however, we're going to make sure that the memory of Renee Good is lifted up and that we're not gonna simply throw up our hands because the federal government is trying to throw up barriers.

A (7:43)

There have been reports from the federal government that the ICE agent who killed Renee Goode suffered internal bleeding. Of course, the Trump administration has defended his actions by saying she hit him with her car. But you and I have both seen the same videos. Videos don't show that. Have you heard anything about his alleged injuries after the incident?

B (8:04)

Well, let me put it like this. If they're making all These claims that he received these injuries, then they should publish all of his medical records to show that they should open up the file. We should have a joint investigation. What the federal government has done is said that the state cannot have access to the investigative file, that their DOJ is not going to do any sort of a use of force death investigation. Then they've released selected cherry picked video that does not stand for the proposition that they claim it does. And now they're making claims about injuries when the video looks like he was walking around pretty well to most people I've talked to who viewed it. And yes, I viewed it, but I'm not going to characterize it, but others have characterized it that way. So my thought is if he's suffered all these injuries, sure. I mean, release it, show it, open up the file, be transparent. So far it looks a little bit to me like they're trying to cover up, you know, what happened to Renee Good. And because if they weren't, I would expect them to do a joint investigation with the state, make sure that everybody's on the up and up, share information, operate in a transparent way. So far we haven't seen that.

A (9:23)

All of this comes after weeks of attacks from Trump on Minnesota, specifically its Somali population, but also pretty much the entire state.

B (9:32)

True.

A (9:33)

It's allegedly around the fraud scandal involving the state's social services program, though now it just has become, as you point out about the fact that Minnesota did not vote for Trump. It seems like the President has made this idea of corruption in Minnesota and just like the state of Minnesota, his new battle cry. What's your take on being the target of the President of the United States? Because you have some experience with this, especially after 2020?

B (9:56)

Well, we have had a few challenges. I mean, George Floyd was murdered here. I prosecuted the people who killed him. And then my dear beloved friend Melissa Hortman was shot down and killed by assassin. This last summer we had two precious beautiful children who were at prayer at their Catholic school, shot down and killed. And now we're dealing with Trump's escalation. And of course, Renee Goode. Well, let me tell you, we just have to carry on. I mean, I happen to be a Muslim person, but my mother, who was a devoted Catholic, rosary carrying type person, used to always say, do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. And she would say that to me, meaning that, look, bad things are going to happen. Don't allow them to overwhelm you. Do right no matter what, and overcome that bad with good. So what I'm doing is getting up every morning early, working hard all day, fighting for justice all day. We know we're being persecuted, but we're being persecuted for the sake of righteousness, right? We're being persecuted because we're a state that has rejected Trump and his racism and hatred three times in a row. Also, he's upset with us because we do have universal school meals, we do have paid family leave. We are working on making sure everybody can get the health care that they need. We are fighting for rural health care. We're standing up for consumers. We're suing people who steal wages from workers. We are a multicultural state, proud of it. We're a pro union state, proud of that. And so I think all these things together stand in stark opposition to every single thing Trump stands for, which is why he's persecuting us.

A (11:42)

Attorney General Keith Ellison, thank you so much for joining me.

B (11:46)

Always a pleasure and give me a call.

A (11:48)

That was my conversation with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. We'll get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe, leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads. What a Day is brought to you by bookshop.org where you shop for books Matters. When you purchase from bookshop.org, you're supporting more than 2,500 local independent bookstores across the country. Independent bookstores do more than sell books. They take care of and pour back into their communities, creating safe spaces that foster culture, curiosity and a love of reading. Whether you're searching for an incisive history that helps you make sense of this moment, a novel that sweeps you away, or the perfect gift for a loved one, bookshop.org has you covered. My favorite bookstore in Los Angeles is Chevalier's Books in Larchmont. It's a great small business and I love supporting it. Through bookshop.org use code WAD to get 10% off your next order@bookshop.org what a day is brought to you by Smalls. Cats are not big on daily news, but they are very big on their daily meals. Smalls cat food is protein packed recipes made with preservative free ingredients you'd find in your fridge and it's delivered right to your door. That's why cats.com named Smalls their best overall cat food. Starting with Smalls is easy. Just share info about your cat's diet, health and food preferences. Then Smalls puts together a personalized sampler for your cat. No more picking between random brands at the store. Smalls has the right food to satisfy any cat's cravings. After switching to smalls, 88% of cat owners reported overall health improvements. That's a big deal, and the team at Smalls is so confident your cat will love their product that you can try it risk free. That means they will refund you if your cat won't eat their food. Make 2026 your cat's healthiest year yet. Take advantage of their New Year's special and get 60% off your first order plus free shipping when you head to smalls.com wad one last time. That's 60% off your first order plus Free shipping when you head to smalls dot com wad well, the holidays have come and gone once again, but if you've forgotten to get that special someone in your life a gift, well. Mint Mob Mint Mobile is extending their holiday offer of half off unlimited wireless. So here's the idea. You get it now. You call it an early present for next year. What do you have to lose? Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch limited time 50% off regular price for new customers. Upfront payment required $45 for three months, $90 for six month or $180 for 12 month plan taxes and fees. Extra speeds may slow after 50 gigabytes per month when network is busy. See terms. Here's what else we're following today.

B (14:27)

Head of lines. You see that beautiful milk? That's what we're here for. We're going to be discussing milk and whole milk and how good it is.

A (14:39)

In between mulling over whether to bomb Iran or annex Greenland. Wednesday, Trump took a beat to acknowledge whole milk and how good it is. Whole milk is making its way back into school cafeterias after President Trump signed a bill reversing Obama era limits on higher fat milk options. I'll let Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Explain. Today, President Trump signs the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids act of 2025, a long overdue correction. Never mind, it's too painful. I'll explain. The new law lets schools serve whole and 2% milk again, ending a decade long rule that limited kids to skim or low fat options. Supporters say whole milk tastes better, gets kids to actually drink it and may even be linked to to lower obesity rates. Critics point out it rolls back parts of former first lady Michelle Obama's school nutrition overhaul, which aimed to cut calories and saturated fat. The change affects meals for about 30 million students and could show up in cafeterias as soon as this fall. Trump even took a moment to pretend as if he has ever interacted with groceries of any kind, ever.

B (15:42)

I open a refrigerator, I say milk with rice and milk with water and milk with everything.

A (15:47)

Milk with water. We came here following a number of, how should I put it, remarkable public comments on Greenland and Arctic security. That's one extremely polite way to put it. Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Luka Rasmussen and Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Muhsfeldt met with Vice President J.D. vance at Secretary of State Marco Rubio for highly anticipated talks at the White House on Wednesday. The conversation about President Trump's relentless and very weird desire to acquire Greenland for what he calls national security purposes. Trump, who did not attend the meeting, said on Truth Social ahead of the talks that NATO should be helping the US take over the island. Why NATO would do that is beyond me. The outcome? Well, here is Rasmussen talking to reporters after the meeting. Ideas that would not respect territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of self determination of the Greenlandic people are of course totally unacceptable and we therefore still have a fundamental disagreement. But we also agree to disagree. But Rasmussen said they would create a working group to figure out a way forward. And as everyone knows, a working group is the the best way to slow walk a no. The US said Wednesday that the Israel Gaza ceasefire is entering a critical next phase. Phase two consists of three objectives, three objectives that sound simple but are actually riddled with question marks. The most immediate and difficult objective is disarming Hamas. Questions about Hamas's willingness to disarm have grown after the group reasserted control in parts of Gaza following the ceasefire's first phase. The second objective is rebuilding Gaza. The United nations has estimated the price tag at more than $50 billion and says the work could take years. The final objective is installing a committee of Palestinian experts who would assume day to day governance over Gaza. Things like providing basic services to over 2 million people there. The names of said experts and which governments would approve them remains unclear. Hamas said Sunday it would step aside once a new Palestinian leadership body is in in place, but offered no timeline. The US also says Hamas must immediately return the remains of the final Israeli hostage under the deal, warning of serious consequences if it does not. As global temperatures keep climbing, the US is choosing to disengage. Last week, the Trump administration said it would withdraw from the UN's main climate agreement and cut support for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, removing the country from key international climate efforts. It's part of a broader approach that's turned Trump's Environmental Protection Agency into something of an oxymoron, an agency increasingly focused on rolling back the environmental conversation at home while the US Retreats from climate leadership abroad. What a Day's Matt Berg spoke with Gina McCarthy, former EPA administrator under President Obama, about what climate cooperation looks like when the US Pulls back.

C (18:48)

Because this president dismantled all of our relationships with the UN and all of these really important efforts, it doesn't mean that the United States isn't going to keep being at the table as much as possible. And thankfully, the people I'm reaching out to are not starting off by saying what an ass you are. Instead, they're saying, how do we work together here?

A (19:15)

Things are undoubtedly bleak right now. New data shows the last three years were the hottest on record. Global temperatures are hovering dangerously close to and in some analyses, exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold. Scientists warn this could trigger even more extreme heat, floods, fires and storms. Yes, it's grim, which is why Matt asked McCarthy how she stays optimistic despite it all.

C (19:38)

Well, I drink a lot, Matt. No, no, I'm just kidding. I actually don't do that.

A (19:44)

That's good, Gina, she continued.

C (19:47)

Optimism is what makes people move. Negativity does not. And I am never going to give up on the climate fight and positioning it as a way to protect our people and our environment.

A (20:02)

And that's the news. Before we go, make sure to check out one of my favorite crooked shows, Hysteria, where hosts Aaron Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco break down the news through a feminist lens. In the latest episode, they examine the ice shooting in Minnesota and why misogyny is central to the story. Then Reshma Sojani joins to unpack New York's new childcare announcements and what they mean for women and families. Listen to Hysteria wherever you get your podcasts. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review. Think about new research that indicates dogs learn new words by eavesdropping on their people. And tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about how scientists showed that dogs could learn the names of new toys by listening to their owner talk about that toy with another person, even if they couldn't see the toy like me, Whataday is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and subscribe@cricut.com subscribe I'm Jane Coston, and this all goes to show one dogs are geniuses. Except when they're complete idiots. What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producers are Emily Foer and Chris Allport. Our producer is Kaitlyn Plummer. Our video editor is Joseph Tutra. Our video producer is Johanna Case. We had production help today from Ethan Oberman, Greg Walters and Matt Burke. Our senior producer is Erika Morrison. And our senior vice president of news and politics is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Kyle Murdoch and Jordan Kanter. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East. We know you'll always find ways to look out for the people you love. And with Amica Life Insurance, we'll help build a plan to make sure you always can. Visit amica.com and get a quote. Today. New Year, New gear. Thousands of fresh, active styles are at Nordstrom Rack stores. Now save on top brands like Nike, Puma and Freepeople. People starting at just $35.

B (22:31)

How did I not know Rack has Adidas?

A (22:33)

Because there's always something new. Plus, join the Norty Club to shop new arrivals first, unlock exclusive discounts and more. Great brands, great prices. That's why you Rack.