Fa – the Green Dragon

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An Explanation of Law Enforcement in the USA

Overview of Law Enforcement Structure

Law enforcement in the United States operates through multiple groups, each with its own jurisdiction and responsibilities. These agencies are organized at federal, state, county, and city levels to ensure comprehensive coverage of law enforcement needs.

Federal Law Enforcement

At the federal level, law enforcement duties are partly assigned to agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI investigates crimes and pursues opportunities for crime prevention on a national scale, and sometimes internationally.

State Law Enforcement

Law enforcement affecting the general population is managed primarily at the state, county, and city levels. Every state has its own police force, which can be known by different names, such as the California Highway Patrol or Minnesota State Patrol. These state patrol agencies typically have jurisdiction over federal and state highways within their respective states.

County Law Enforcement

Each state is subdivided into counties, and each county is under the jurisdiction of a Sheriff. The Sheriff’s office has authority over county highways and is responsible for maintaining law enforcement across these areas.

Local Law Enforcement

Within every county, there are cities and towns, each governed by its own local police force. These departments enforce laws within the boundaries of their respective cities or towns.

Jurisdiction Example

To better understand how these jurisdictions work together, consider a drive from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Rochester, Minnesota. While driving within St. Paul, you are under the jurisdiction of the St. Paul Police Department. As you travel along the Lafayette Freeway to Concord Boulevard, jurisdiction is shared among several agencies: the State Patrol, the South Saint Paul Police, the Dakota County Sheriff, and the Inver Grove Heights City Police. The specific agency with jurisdiction depends on which part of Concord Boulevard you are traveling.

Jurisdiction in Minneapolis

In Minneapolis, the jurisdiction lies exclusively with the Minneapolis Police Department. However, support from state, county, or neighboring city agencies can be requested if needed.

This overview clarifies the structure and jurisdiction of law enforcement agencies throughout the United States.


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The Double Meaning of “Ice Out”

Understanding the Double Meaning of “Ice Out” in Minnesota

In Minnesota, the phrase “Ice Out” carries two distinct meanings, each deeply connected to the state’s unique climate and recent events. Traditionally, “Ice Out” refers to the official notice issued by the Department of Natural Resources, declaring that lakes and rivers are now free of ice. This announcement signals the end of the winter freeze and allows shipping on the Great Lakes to resume.

“Ice Out” as a Seasonal Marker

Northern states like Minnesota are known for their harsh winters, with extreme cold temperatures causing lakes and rivers to freeze over. Minnesota, famously called the land of 10,000 lakes, experiences these conditions every year. The Mississippi River, which has its source in Itasca, Minnesota, can freeze as far south as Saint Louis, Missouri, interrupting shipping traffic throughout the winter months. Duluth, Minnesota, stands as the most western city on Lake Superior, highlighting the state’s strong connection to major waterways.

These frozen lakes and rivers not only affect transportation but also create opportunities for popular winter activities such as ice fishing. However, the ice can be deceptive and dangerous; thin ice has tragically claimed many lives over the years when unsuspecting individuals have fallen through into the icy water below. This danger is well-documented, as seen in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s writings about her family’s crossing of the frozen Mississippi River at Lake Pepin during their journey from Wisconsin to Minnesota.

The Official “Ice Out” Notice

The Department of Natural Resources issues an official “Ice Out” notice when all rivers and lakes are confirmed to be ice free. This key announcement marks the reopening of shipping routes on the Great Lakes, restoring an important aspect of Minnesota’s economy and reconnecting the region to broader commercial activities.

“Ice Out” as a Protest Movement

In more recent times, “Ice Out” has taken on a different, protest-related meaning. The phrase has become a rallying cry against the presence and actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota, particularly in response to federal intervention and the deployment of troops in the state. This movement began after the discovery of a significant fraud scheme in which federal and state funds were diverted, leading to charges against about 67 individuals, including some of Somali descent. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the unjust scapegoating of the broader Somali community due to the actions of a few individuals.

Minnesota is typically known for its Democratic-leaning political tendencies and is currently governed by Tim Walz, a Democrat. Tensions escalated when the current president, who opposes Governor Walz, increased federal involvement in Minnesota’s affairs, including the deployment of approximately 3,000 federal troops and ICE detachments. This situation has caused unrest among many residents of Minneapolis and Saint Paul—the Twin Cities—who have responded with protest calls and signs demanding “ICE OUT,” expressing their opposition to ICE operations in their communities.

Further Reading

For more insights into Minnesota’s culture and communities, consider visiting the blog Minnesota Prairie Roots by Audrey Fletcher Helbing, who offers an authoritative perspective on the state.


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the USA needs your help

Robert Reich wrote the following and I am reposting it here for my friends who live in other countries.

Friends, I’m addressing this letter especially to those of you who live in other lands. As you probably know, we here in the United States are facing the biggest emergency in the history of our democracy, and we need your help.

Trump and other members of his regime (Elon Musk, JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Kash Patel, Pete Hegseth, Pam Bondi) are actively undermining our system of government — usurping Congress’s power to fund the government, saying they “don’t care” what judges say, arresting peaceful protesters, investigating Trump’s “enemies,” siding with Putin against Ukraine, encouraging bigotry, and sowing widespread fear.

Please know that the Trump regime doesn’t represent the majority of Americans. Trump won the 2024 presidential election by a razor-thin (1.5 percent) margin, but half of all Americans didn’t vote, including many who voted for Biden in 2020. Polls consistently show most Americans do not support what Trump is doing.

How can you help us? Like most bullies, Trump can be constrained only if everyone stands up to his bullying — including you.

First, if you are thinking about a trip to the United States, please reconsider. Why reward Trump’s America with your tourist dollars? Spending by non-Americans in the United States is a significant source of tax revenue and a major “export” of this nation. There’s no reason for you to indirectly support Trump’s economy. Many international travelers concerned about Trump’s authoritarianism have already canceled trips to the United States. I suggest you do so, too.

Last week, Trump threatened a 200 percent tariff on European wine and alcohol after calling the European Union “one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World.” Why reward this bellicose rhetoric? Many Europeans are already skipping trips to Disney World and American music festivals. Travel from China, a frequent target of Trump’s contempt, is down 11 percent. Chinese travelers are choosing to vacation in Australia and New Zealand instead of visiting U.S. national parks. Our dear neighbors north of the border, who have long been the major source of international travel to the United States, are deciding to visit Europe and Mexico instead. In response to Trump’s repeated desire to make Canada a “51st state,” Canada’s former prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has urged Canadians not to vacation in America. An informal boycott by Canadian travelers has begun. The number of Canadians returning by car from visits to the United States already fell by 23 percent in February, and air travel by Canadians returning from the United States was down 13 percent relative to last year, according to Statistics Canada. Overall, it’s expected that international travel to the United States will drop at least 5 percent this year. Although we have loved (and profited from) your visits, I urge you to join many of your compatriots and at least for now decide not to come to the United States.

Second, if you are thinking about coming to the United States on a student or even on an H-1B visa, which allows highly skilled foreign citizens to live and work here, you should also reconsider. Perhaps wait a few years until, hopefully, the Trump regime has ended. It is not entirely safe for you to be here, in any event. Dr. Rasha Alawieh, 34, a kidney transplant specialist and professor at Brown University’s medical school, who has been in the United States legally on an H-1B visa, was just deported without explanation — even though a court had blocked her expulsion. Dr. Alawieh had traveled last month to Lebanon, her home country, to visit relatives. When she tried to return from that trip to the United States, she was detained by U.S. customs and immigration officials and put on a flight to Paris, presumably on her way to Lebanon. Lebanon is not even on a draft list of nations from which the Trump administration is considering banning entry to the United States. Even if there’s a shortage in America of skilled workers in your specialty, you could be deported at any time, for any or no reason.

Likewise, if you are considering coming to America on a student visa, you might consider the risk at this time. A Columbia University graduate student was arrested and detained for no reason other than that he peacefully protested Netanyahu’s policies in Gaza. The administration of Brown University is advising foreign students, ahead of spring break, to “consider postponing or delaying personal travel outside the United States until more information is available from the U.S. Department of State.”

It is not just the risk. It’s also the circumstances. If you care about democracy, this is not the time to come here on a student or H-1B visa because the Trump regime is riding roughshod over the Constitution of the United States.

On Sunday, the Trump regime deported hundreds of Venezuelan nationals from the United States under the centuries-old Alien Enemies Act — which until now has been used only in times of war — even though a federal judge blocked the decision and ordered planes carrying some of the Venezuelans to turn back to the United States. On Sunday night, Trump told reporters that the Venezuelans he sent back to Venezuela were “bad people. “But no one can take Trump’s word that these were “bad” people. Trump routinely uses the term “bad people” to refer to those who oppose or criticize him, or whom he dislikes. Whatever your reason for wanting to come to the United States — as a visitor, a student, or an H-1B skilled worker — you might reconsider your plans. Deciding not to come would send a signal that you’re justifiably worried about your safety and security here and you are as repulsed by the Trump regime’s attacks on democracy as are most of us Americans.