By Blois Olson, morning take

“MORRISON/MCCOLLUM: “Congresswoman Kelly Morrison will be accompanied by Colin Hortman, the eldest child of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman, who were assassinated in a horrific act of politically motivated gun violence last June. Congresswoman Betty McCollum will be accompanied by Colin Hortman’s wife, Alina Bachman Hortman.'“

By Christopher Vondracek, The Minnesota Star Tribune

“The trade acrimony has threatened Minnesota’s uniquely robust relationship with Canada, said Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat representing St. Paul and surrounding suburbs.”

By Ana Radelat, MinnPost

“Meanwhile, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, said she was glad the Supreme Court recognized it was the authority of Congress, not the White House, to impose tariffs.

‘Today, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the Constitution and Article I, which gives Congress the authority to set tariffs, and stops President Trump’s illegal and reckless attempt to impose his own import taxes,’ McCollum said.”

By Blois Olson, morning take

“ISRAEL: via Rep. Betty McCollum advisory, VERBATIM: ‘Congresswoman Betty McCollum today re-introduced The Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act. … The legislation would prohibit Israel’s government from using U.S. taxpayer dollars in the Occupied West Bank for the military detention, abuse, or ill treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention; the seizure and destruction of Palestinian property and homes in violation of international humanitarian law; or any assistance or support for unilateral annexation of Palestinian lands in violation of international humanitarian law.’”

By Blois Olson, morning take

“MORE: via Rep. Betty McCollum advisory, VERBATIM: ‘On Thursday, Congresswoman Betty McCollum announced her support for legislation introduced by House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro which would fund critical components of the Department of Homeland Security without providing additional funding for ICE or Customs and Border Protection.’ QUOTE: ‘Congress needs to fund FEMA, disaster relief, cybersecurity, and other functions of the Department of Homeland Security that keep Americans safe. But I refuse to vote for another penny for ICE and Border Patrol while they bring chaos to our state.’”

By St. Catherine University

“The ceremony packed The O’Shaughnessy with over 1,300 St. Kate’s students, alumni, faculty, staff, as well as public figures Representative Betty McCollum ’87, Minnesota Senate majority leader Erin Murphy MAOL’05, Saint Paul Public Schools superintendent Stacie Stanley ’97, ’02, MAED’05, EdD, and Senator Amy Klobuchar.”

By Josh Skluzacek, KSTP

“Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.): ‘For months, the Trump administration has inflicted a reign of terror and chaos through Operation Metro Surge. The fact that the administration says that it ‘yielded the results they came for’ is a flashing red light warning to our entire nation. What are their results? Renee Good and Alex Pretti were shot dead by federal agents. A 5-year-old boy was snatched from his own driveway — despite his family’s pending asylum case and no prior orders for deportation. A Saint Paul Hmong elder who is a U.S. citizen was dragged out of his home into the cold by masked agents in front of a frightened child because federal agents acted on erroneous information. A 23-year-old Saint Paul woman and U.S. citizen was taken from her car as she was warming it up in front of her house and detained for two days — shackled by her wrists and ankles, called a racial slur, and suffering a concussion and a seizure. Just days later, she was rearrested on baseless charges, then released. A Saint Paul man suffered eight skull fractures after being unlawfully arrested by federal agents. Just yesterday, federal agents forced a highspeed chase through Saint Paul’s Cathedral Hill neighborhood that resulted in injuries and extreme danger to residents. For months, Minnesotans’ constitutional rights have been violated. Thousands have been detained unlawfully. Children are afraid to go to school. Businesses are closing — some permanently. Local communities are facing mounting bills as their public safety budgets are stretched to the breaking point. The damage inflicted by this devastating surge in Minnesota is clear proof that President Trump’s immigration policy is nothing but a campaign of terror and retribution against Americans he doesn’t like, and it is being implemented by an inept, out of control, and cruel Department of Homeland Security. Minnesotans have suffered the reality of thousands of incompetent, undertrained, and unidentifiable federal agents who have been roaming our neighborhoods and acting with brutality and impunity. In the face of these extraordinary challenges, Minnesotans have responded admirably by caring for our neighbors and looking out for one another. It’s up to Congress and the courts to stop these operations. It’s up to Congress to fix the mess that Trump has created. No community in America should have to face the carnage and lasting damage inflicted on Minnesota communities by the Trump administration for years to come.’”

By Aki Nace, WCCO

“Rep. Betty McCollum: Trump administration inflicted ‘a reign of terror’

Rep. Betty McCollum issued a statement Thursday morning:

‘For months, the Trump administration has inflicted a reign of terror and chaos through Operation Metro Surge. The fact that the administration says that it 'yielded the results they came for' is a flashing red light warning to our entire nation. What are their results?’ said McCollum.

She said that it's ‘up to Congress and the courts to fix the mess that Trump has created,’ and said no other community in the country should experience ‘the carnage and lasting damage’ that Minnesota has faced over the last few weeks.”

By Blois Olson, morning take

“OVERSIGHT: Via Bring Me The News, DFL Rep. Kelly Morrison made another oversight visit to the Whipple Federal Building last week, this time unannounced. Fellow DFL Reps. Angie Craig and Betty McCollum accompanied her, but they were denied entry despite a recent judicial order allowing unannounced visits. VERBATIM: ‘Speaking to the media after the visit, Rep. Morrison – who is a physician – shared major concerns about the conditions facing those being held in the facility, as well as raising alarm over the lack of clear procedures to prevent an outbreak of measles. … It’s not clear why Craig and McCollum were denied entry.’

MORE: Rep. Betty McCollum released a statement questioning why the Whipple Federal Building denied entry to her and Rep. Angie Craig last week. STATEMENT: ‘As Members of Congress, it is not only our right, but our responsibility to ensure our constituents held in ICE detention facilities are being treated with the dignity and humanity they deserve. Still, we were denied entry. … This will not be the last time we show up to conduct our oversight duties.’”

By Henry Redman, Minnesota Reformer

“According to McCollum, whose district encompasses St. Paul, officials told the two members of Congress they wouldn’t be allowed to see the full facility because of a cap of 13 visitors. She added that this ignores the law prohibiting Homeland Security from barring members of Congress from conducting oversight of federal detention centers.

‘Their little rule keeping the two of us out is also against the law, and we’re going to speak up, and we’re going to speak out and do everything we can to make sure that the next time we come back, we’re in there to do our duties of oversight,’ McCollum said.”

By Kyle Brown and Richard Reeve, KSTP

“‘Minnesotans deserve to know the truth. This will not be the last time we show up to conduct our oversight duties,’ Craig and McCollum said in a joint statement. ‘We will continue to demand transparency on behalf of Minnesotans and fight this administration’s cruel and lawless immigration enforcement actions at every turn.’”

By Madison Hunter, FOX 9

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - U.S. Representatives Kelly Morrison, Angie Craig and Betty McCollum made an unannounced visit to the Whipple detention facility, highlighting concerns over conditions and health protocols.

By Steve Karnowski, Associated Press

“Craig and Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum said they were turned away despite the court order when they tried to visit the facility overnight.

‘We have heard countless reports that detainees are being held in unlivable conditions at Whipple,’ the two representatives said in a statement. ‘We have every reason to believe that this administration is once again lying through their teeth and trying to hide what we all know to be true -- that they are ignoring due process and treating immigrants as political pawns, not people.’”

By C-SPAN

“Minnesota Democrats Reps. Angie Craig, Betty McCollum and Kelly Morrison held a news conference after conducting an oversight visit at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Minneapolis. McCollum and Craig were denied entry to do their oversight visit but Morrison was allowed in. She described ‘people in leg shackles’ inside the facility with no beds. She said officials clarified the facility is a ‘holding center’ and not a "detention center" and therefore not subject to the specific oversight requirements Morrison, Craig and McCollum claim they have the right to conduct. All three members took questions from reporters about their visit.”

By FOX 9

“Rep. Angie Craig and Rep. Betty McCollum said they were denied access to the Federal Whipple Building after trying to conduct federal oversight.”

By Blois Olson, morning take

“SHUTDOWN: via MinnPost, VERBATIM: ‘The clock is ticking on Congress to negotiate how ICE and Border Patrol agents execute the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown. Reforms under discussion include de-escalation training, a ban on masks, requiring judicial warrants to enter a home, a mandate to wear body cameras, the establishment of a code of conduct governing the use of force, and the end of roving patrols to pick up migrants. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, supports all of those proposed reforms, as well as others. … McCollum also said she ‘has colleagues who want to claw back some of the funding’ that has greatly expanded the number of ICE and Border Patrol agents and detention facilities, ‘but I don’t know if we can.’’”

By Ana Radelat, MinnPost

“Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District, supports all of those proposed reforms, as well as others, including requiring labeled uniforms or vests that clearly identify the agency a federal agent belongs to and ‘clear standards’ on investigations into misconduct.

She said the FBI has routinely cooperated with local law enforcement, yet it has failed to do so after the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. In addition, the Justice Department decided against investigating Good’s shooting.

‘And there’s more to talk about,’ McCollum said.”

By Brian Arola, MinnPost

“$3.125 million for St. Paul’s Hayden Heights Library construction project, requested by Klobuchar, Smith, and Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District.”

By Blois Olson, morning take

“CD4: DFL Rep. Betty McCollum raised $794,668 with $628,814 on hand. No GOP challengers raised money in this race last year.””

By Stacy Dahl, The Stillwater Gazette

“‘I heard from many families in the community who called and sent letters and had their families do the same,’ [McCurdy-Yates] said. ‘I heard from Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s office, Sen. Tina Smith’s office and Rep. Betty McCollum’s office that they heard our community voices loud and clear.’”