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The 2025 legislative session concluded on May 19th. While several budget bills passed before adjournment, many bills did not make it across the finish line in time. This means a special session will be needed, which we are hopeful will commence soon to wrap up our budget work. Over the past week, we’ve made a lot of good progress towards a final budget agreement.
This past session has been an exercise in contrasts. I and my fellow Democrats have been striving to meet the moment and ensure that Minnesota’s workers and families are protected from the chaos happening at the federal level. Minnesotans are depending on us to work together to mitigate the effects of the Trump administration’s chaotic layoffs and cuts to programming. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the same level of urgency and commitment on the other side of the aisle in exploring creative and bold solutions to the looming gaps around healthcare, disability services, supports for our seniors and veterans, and educational infrastructure for students. Notably, we’ve instead seen efforts to hold up the budget in exchange for policy provisions – which are completely unrelated to the budget – that would undo our progress from last biennium.
While working groups continue to hash out the final details in each budget area, I’ve been able to dedicate more time to my “normal” job as an immigration attorney until it’s time to head to special session. While we fight to protect the progress we’ve made here in Minnesota, Donald Trump is continuing to take a wrecking ball to our systems, especially when it comes to immigrant communities. Recently, the Trump Administration has completely frozen student and visitor exchange programs. These programs not only support the funding of scholarships for our colleges and universities, but they directly cut to the heart of the research excellence that has defined American higher education for generations. I fear for the losses to medical advancement as talented researchers in areas such as Alzheimer’s and cancer are finding themselves unwelcome in the United States.
Trump has also completely defunded naturalization ceremonies for states they don’t like, which apparently includes Minnesota. These ceremonies recognize immigrants who have earned U.S. citizenship in the United States as they complete the process. These ceremonies are always a joyful and meaningful milestone and the pure cruelty of denying them to Minnesota’s newest citizens is a new low.
Whether I’m at the Capitol working with constituents or at my law office working with clients, I am actively pushing back on unfair restrictions and roadblocks meant to discourage us from fighting back. The Trump Administration is depending on us becoming too exhausted to fight – we must not hand them that win. I’d love to hear from you about how you’re fighting back and speaking up.
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Thank you to everyone who joined Rep. Ilhan Omar, my fellow north metro CD5 state legislators, and I in a town hall last week! We had a great turnout in spite of gloomy weather.
Together with the attendees, we created an environment of purpose and resolve. (As an added bonus, I got to say hi to my favorite Congressional staffer, Nicky, who advocates for Rep. Omar's immigrant constituents with a zealousness that is unparalleled!)
Last week, I also I visited Bemidji to participate in an event for the Beltrami County Historical Society's Menstruation Health Week, where we celebrated our recent legislative progress in addressing period poverty in Minnesota schools. It was inspiring to see how the momentum around the menstrual equity movement is picking up statewide!
I had the honor of meeting with students at Columbia Heights High School for their School Civics Day last week, bright and early during first period. I get a lot of joy out of meeting with young people and encouraging them to speak up and step up as community leaders. I hope these young people will stay in touch to share their thoughts!
I’m so excited to say that this week’s Eye of the Storm is a bucket list item I finally got to check off - we went to the Park and it was everything I dreamed it would be! What they lack in speed they make up in jowls. My rating is a 15/10.
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Unfortunately, due to technological restraints, replies to this inbox won’t reach me. If you have questions, ideas, or feedback that you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Email me at [email protected] or call (651) 296-4331. Also, you can follow my official State Representative Facebook Page.
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