What A Day – "Mayhem In Minneapolis" (January 27, 2026)

Host: Jane Coaston (Crooked Media)
Main Guests: Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Monica Byron (President, Education Minnesota)

Episode Overview

This episode dissects the rapidly intensifying backlash against DHS, ICE, and Border Patrol in the U.S., following the high-profile killing of ICU nurse Alex Preddy by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. Host Jane Coaston interviews Representative Jamie Raskin about congressional efforts to curb federal overreach, examines the political consequences for both parties, covers the personal and community toll in Minnesota, and speaks with teacher union leader Monica Byron about the impact on students and schools.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

National Outrage Over Federal Actions in Minneapolis

• Jane opens by highlighting unusually bipartisan consensus among major newspapers condemning DHS and ICE after the killing of Alex Preddy, underscoring growing, widespread public distaste.
• CNN’s poll analyst Harry Enten confirms:

  "What's going on in Minneapolis is not popular at all." (01:14)

• Discussion of how the Trump administration’s tone and actions fuel the unpopularity, with even some Republican figures, like Ted Cruz, urging restraint:

  "[The administration] should be more measured... we don't want anyone’s lives to be lost." – Sen. Ted Cruz (01:42)

Legislative Stakes: DHS Funding and Possible Shutdown

• The government faces a looming shutdown deadline, with Congress debating a funding package including DHS/ICE.
• Senate Democrats, feeling pressure post-Preddy shooting, signal willingness to risk a shutdown to force policy changes.

Interview: Congressman Jamie Raskin on Congressional Response

On Shutdown Ramifications and Public Mood:

• Raskin notes both the harm a shutdown would cause and the overwhelming constituent demands for accountability:

  "The whole country suffers in a government shutdown... [but] my mail and my calls overwhelmingly are running in favor of holding the Trump administration to account for the bloody assault on Minneapolis..." (03:42)

• Shutting down government seen as a last-ditch tool, alongside calls for massive organizing and general strikes to push back against "authoritarian tactics." (04:43)
• Raskin highlights bipartisan outrage, including Second Amendment advocates, as Preddy was disarmed and compliant at time of his shooting.

What Must Change for DHS Funding:

• Raskin calls for “dramatic and draconian restrictions” on ICE—body cameras, identification, stop to circumventing constitutional rights, and violence restrictions. (06:43)

  "At this point, [ICE] is a menace and a danger to the American people." (07:27)

Judiciary Committee's Role:

• House Judiciary Democrats, though in the minority, actively investigate ICE violence (08:06), but lacking majority power they’re limited to gathering testimony and public education.

Raskin on ICE’s Reformability and Impeachment:

• Skeptical that ICE or DHS can be truly reformed under current leadership, focuses instead on strict constitutional constraints. (09:31)
• Strongly supports impeachment of Trump administration officials for "high crimes and misdemeanors," but cautions about overestimating its immediate effects given GOP control in the House:

  “Impeachment is part of a panoply of options… The critical thing is for us to win back the House.” (10:15–11:52)

• Warns against viewing impeachment as a “magic wand” and stresses need for electoral change. (12:08)

Political Fallout and Public Opinion

• Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Mattel suspends his campaign in protest, describing ICE’s tactics as “an unmitigated disaster... sown fear among citizens of color.” (16:53)
• Notable polling shows nearly half of Americans, including a significant share of Trump voters, think Trump's mass deportation campaign is "too aggressive." (17:30)

U.S.-Iran Tensions and Middle East Update

• U.S. military build-up in the Middle East as Trump administration considers strikes on Iran; Iran warns of “worst-case scenario” in retaliation. (18:20)
• Israel announces recovery of the final hostage’s remains, paving the way for Rafah border crossing to re-open for humanitarian needs. (19:14)

The Impact on Minnesota Schools: Interview with Monica Byron

• Monica Byron, president of Education Minnesota, details trauma in schools:

  "Educators... are experiencing a lot of anxiety, some fear. But… are showing up…to make sure students…are safe." (21:56)

• Dramatic increase in absenteeism and subdued classrooms, particularly in middle schools:

  "Our hallways are quiet, our classrooms are quiet, and that's just not right..." (22:40)

• Many districts implement voluntary remote learning; daunting logistical challenges exist for terrified families needing access. (23:53)
• Warns that viral social media clips only scratch the surface:

  "The tactics that are being used are changing every day... It's agents showing up and knocking on doors and asking for directions… then they'll run into the house." (25:14)
  "If you're a person of color, you can be picked up in this state right now and it doesn't matter because they're not following any rules right now." (26:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On bipartisan condemnation:
  "It's not often that the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and the New York Post all agree on something." — Jane Coaston (00:35)

• Ted Cruz on the Trump administration's ICE tone:
  “Escalating the rhetoric doesn't help and it actually loses credibility. … We don't want anyone, anyone's lives to be lost.” — Ted Cruz, podcast clip (01:42)

• Rep. Jamie Raskin on ICE's constitutional violations:
  "These masked, anonymous ICE agents are acting like police officers, which they're not. Prosecutors, which they're not. Judges and juries, which they're not, and then executioners, which they're not. But that's certainly what they're acting like." (05:44)

• Monica Byron on the climate in Minnesota schools:
  "You can't learn when you're terrified of masked men with guns roaming your neighborhoods, circling schools, stalking bus stops." (22:18)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Start & Episode Set-up: 00:00–01:13
• Media and Politicians React to ICE Killing: 01:14–03:10
• Interview – Rep. Jamie Raskin: 03:21–13:12
• Political Fallout & Polling on Deportations: 16:29–17:47
• U.S./Iran/Israel Updates: 18:20–19:45
• Interview – Monica Byron, Education Minnesota: 21:45–26:34

Language & Tone

The tone is direct, urgent, and, at times, deeply frustrated—mirroring the seriousness of the events and the outrage among both the public and the podcast’s guests. Jane Coaston often injects dry wit and sarcasm in asides, especially when commenting on Republican rhetoric or journalistic consensus. Both Raskin and Byron speak with passionate urgency and moral conviction, emphasizing the real-world consequences for everyday Americans.

Summary Takeaways

• Public and bipartisan elite opinion has shifted sharply against ICE/Border Patrol after a series of high-profile killings.
• Congress faces an intense showdown, with Democrats considering risking a shutdown to force dramatic DHS reforms.
• There’s skepticism on whether ICE and DHS can be fixed, with growing calls for stricter oversight and even abolition.
• Community trauma in Minnesota is acute, with schools suffering, students fearful, and teachers improvising under strain.
• Both Democrats and some Republicans are publicly criticizing current immigration enforcement tactics, reflecting a nation at a moral and political inflection point.

End of summary.