A Minnesota nonprofit and a St. Paul resident filed a class-action lawsuit this week saying she and others are being unlawfully held at the Whipple Federal Building.

The lawsuit challenges U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal security officials “for deliberately blocking access to counsel for immigrants detained at the most critical moments of detention,” according to a Wednesday statement. “Many are being transferred out of Minnesota or being pressured to abandon their rights before attorneys have any meaningful opportunity to reach them.”

The suit was filed by the Advocates for Human Rights, which is based in Minneapolis, and a woman identified in the lawsuit by the initials of L.H.M. She has lived in St. Paul since 2019. She is in removal proceedings and has a pending asylum application, according to the lawsuit.

As part of an order of supervision with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, L.H.M. went on Tuesday to the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program offices in Bloomington for a check-in. She was arrested after entering the offices and it’s believed she was detained at the Whipple Building at Fort Snelling.

The woman recently had cranial surgery “and has significant medical needs,” the lawsuit said.

L.H.M.’s family contacted her attorney in her removal and asylum proceedings, who immediately went to the Whipple Building to consult with her and planned to file a habeas petition to have authorities justify her continued confinement.

Officials “refused to allow L.H.M.’s attorney to speak with her,” the lawsuit says.

Federal officials had not filed a response to the lawsuit in federal court as of Wednesday afternoon and a DHS spokesperson did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Whipple Building said to lack beds, ‘adequate toilets’

People who’ve been detained at the Whipple Building “reveal violent arrests, extreme overcrowding, and constant shackling,” according to Wednesday’s statement about the lawsuit. “DHS is further perpetuating these horrific conditions by blocking detainees from accessing legal counsel to seek their freedom.”

Before federal officials started Operation Metro Surge in December, the Whipple Building was used for short-term holding, generally for under 12 hours, according to the lawsuit. It doesn’t have beds, “adequate toilets” or private phones for calls with attorneys, but federal authorities “are now holding some detainees in Whipple for days at a time,” the suit continues.

A 19-year-old reported he was thrown to the ground when he tried to show officers his immigration papers, was not offered an attorney, and was put on a bus and plane and transferred out of the state without being told where he was going.

A refugee living in Minneapolis said he was surrounded by about 20 officers, pulled from his car, mocked by agents and detained in a room that eventually filled with nearly 100 people. He said detainees were forced to sleep standing up near an overflowing toilet.

“He explained that ICE personnel pressured people to sign self-deportation papers and refused to let him speak with a lawyer, even though he believed — correctly — that his refugee status protected him from detention,” the statement said.

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Since at least Jan. 11, federal officials “have not provided detainees at Whipple with constitutionally adequate or statutorily compliant access to counsel,” the lawsuit said. They’ve informed detainees’ attorneys they need to make an appointment to schedule visits, but no one answers phone numbers associated with Whipple or responds to messages sent to their publicly-available email address.

The lawsuit alleges various violations, including of the First Amendment, which “guarantees all persons, including detained immigrants, the right to hire, consult, and communicate with an attorney” and the Fifth Amendment that “guarantees immigration detainees the right to a full and fair hearing in removal cases.”

The winners of Washington County’s third annual “Name a Snowplow” contest have been announced by the Washington County Department of Public Works.

More than 2,600 people voted in the contest, and the top two vote-getters were: Duck Duck Orange Truck (873 votes) and Blizzard of Oz (795 votes).

Blizzard of Oz will be seen working in the northern half of the county for the most part, whereas Duck Duck Orange Truck will be located in the southern part of the county, said Brian Kaufenberg, a spokesman for the county.

More than 1,400 names were submitted for consideration, and officials narrowed the list down to 10 finalists. The other finalists were: Kirill the Chill, Slick Seven, 67, Life of a Snowgirl, Plowasaurus Rex, Chuck the Plow Truck, K Pop Blizzard Hunter and Claire D. Way.

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By FATIMA HUSSEIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that his recent public comments against U.S. trade policy could backfire going into the formal review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the trade deal that protects Canada from the heaviest impacts of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

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Carney used a high-profile speech last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to condemn economic coercion by great powers on smaller countries and since then he has as since sparred with Trump and Bessent about related trade issues. Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada over a trade deal Carney is pursuing with Beijing.

“I would not pick a fight going into USMCA to score some cheap political points — either you’re working for your own political career or you’re working for the Canadian people,” Bessent said during a CNBC interview.

“I’ve seen what happens when a technocrat tries to pivot and become a politician.” Bessent added, in a reference to Carney’s background as a central banker. “It never really works out well.”

Trump and Carney spoke on Monday, after which Bessent told Fox News that the prime minister “was very aggressively walking back some of the unfortunate remarks he made at Davos.”

Carney had a different characterization the next day.

“To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the president, I meant what I said in Davos,” Carney told reporters.

The North American trade agreement signed in 2020 during Trump’s first term, but lately the Republican president has expressed indifference to it. Earlier this month, he said, “I don’t really care about it.”

Bessent, in his CNBC appearance, did say that in the end, “I think we will end up in a good place — may not be a straight line.”

A well-known BBQ chain is bringing potential competition in-house at its Highland Park location in order to stay in the black while meeting takeout demand.

Famous Dave’s on West Seventh Street is partnering with take-and-bake pizzeria Papa Murphy’s to better utilize its real estate footprint and offer more to customers, said Al Hank, the chief operating officer of Famous Dave’s.

The co-branded restaurant, located at 1930 W. Seventh St., opens Thursday with official grand opening festivities to follow next week.

The catalyst for the dual-restaurant initiative was a significant increase in off-premise revenue, which includes takeout and catering.

Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, off-premise sales made up about 30% of the restaurant’s revenue. “Today that sits at roughly 50%,” Hank said.

“When we’re doing half of our revenue out the side door, that leaves white space in the dining room,” he said. For the Highland park location, 1,000-square-feet of that white space is now a Papa Murphy’s.

The dual-concept restaurant is part of a new co-branded initiative from BBQ Holdings, the parent company of Minnetonka-based Famous Dave’s.

BBQ Holdings was acquired by Papa Murphy’s parent company, MTY Food Group, for about $200 million in 2022, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.

The Highland Park location, which was chosen in part due to its size, will be the first to launch the new format, Hank said. “That location in particular stood out to us as a high opportunity for Papa Murphy’s,” he said.

Additional co-branded locations are in development, including a Famous Dave’s in Tennessee that will soon offer ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery, Hank Said.

Founded in Hayward, Wis., in 1994 by Hall of Fame Pitmaster Dave Anderson, Famous Dave’s now has 107 locations in 30 states, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

As many as 20% of Famous Dave’s locations could be co-branded, Hank said. “This provides an opportunity for our franchisees to increase revenue at the store and bring in additional customers,” he said.

Future pairings could include other MTY brands like Wetzel’s Pretzels, Planet Smoothie and frozen yogurt brand Pinkberry, Hank said.

Based in Vancouver, Wash., and founded in 1995, Papa Murphy’s has more than 1,000 locations across 35 states, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. Minnesota is home to more than 70 Papa Murphy’s pizzerias including east metro locations in Eagan, Roseville, Woodbury, Apple Valley, West St. Paul and Cottage Grove.

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