The Loons employ and embrace the most-diverse roster among Minnesota’s professional sports teams.

For instance, at Wednesday’s practice in Blaine, the majority of the 25 players on the field were legal immigrants to the U.S. As that training session started at the National Sports Center in Blaine, the players jogged together as a collective group, but they really represented a melting pot.

The eclectic team includes a talented trio from Argentina and a trio of tough defenders composed of players from Panama, Germany and Colombia. Also in the mix: the club’s grizzled captain from New Zealand; a promising young attacker hailing from Sierra Leone; a gregarious glue guy from South Africa; and a rising star midfielder born in Australia and representing his heritage on the Greece national team.

And the list goes on.

But the federal government’s current immigration enforcement crackdown in Minnesota has hurt MNUFC’s ability this winter to add more international players to its roster, and had a chilling effect on returning players who are wondering if they can live safely in the U.S.

Minnesota United defender Michael Boxall (15) gives fans the thumbs up after the loon beat the Seattle Sounders at Allianz Field in St. Paul on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. The Loons beat Seattle 3-3 (7-6) in a shootout to advance the semi-final round. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

‘People are scared’

Gifted playmaker Joaquin Pereyra moved to Minnesota from Argentina in the summer of 2024 in order to create a better life for him and his wife. Seventeen months later, he described the “tension” and “fear” he sees in his adopted home.

“People are scared. We are, too,” the 25-year-old midfielder told the Pioneer Press on Wednesday, which was translated from Spanish via club employees. “Fewer and fewer people want to be out on the streets because of what might happen to them.”

In order to move from South America, Pereyra followed the well-established customs protocol for foreign players coming to MLS. He initially receiving a P-1A Athlete visa and an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) in order to practice and play in matches. Similar to many players, he has since earned a Green Card, making him a permanent U.S. resident.

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Given the current political conditions, Pereyra said he carries his Argentine passport and U.S. green card on his person when in public.

“Whether I’m walking around the neighborhood, at the supermarket, anywhere,” Pereyra said. “… Obviously, that doesn’t guarantee me anything because we’ve seen on the news that people who have had their Green Card and passport in their car, or whatever, are still taken away or treated badly.”

Minnesota United leadership has held meetings with players on how to navigate potential interaction with immigration enforcement actions, but those safeguards can only go so far. The fear Pereyra described undercuts a primary reason foreign players came to the U.S. in the first place.

“In South America, I can tell you from experience, life is sometimes very difficult. There is a lot of poverty,” Pereyra said. “And for those of us from Latin America, coming here is a huge step up in terms of quality of life. So, the fact that they want to do what they’re doing, and in the way they’re doing it, is something I obviously don’t agree with at all.”

Pereyra enjoyed a strong season for the Loons in 2025, finishing second on team with 14 goal contributions (six goals and eight assists) in 33 regular-season games. He was a primary reason MNUFC advanced to the Western Conference semifinals for a second straight season. He wants to get back to focusing on his job.

“All I hope is that, as I said, this will finally end,” Pereyra said. “The mistreatment of people cannot exist anywhere in the world. I understand that it’s a position of authority that they take advantage of, but I think it’s a lack of respect for all people. Even the people of Minnesota, who were born here and are also having a hard time because I see that many people who are from here are protesting for the same reasons. Let’s hope this calms down for the good of everyone.”

Michael Boxall is the Loons’ longest-tenured player, joining the club in 2017, and he’s since becoming the club’s captain. The New Zealand native has not felt the need to carry his immigration paperwork in pubic, but his young children have asked questions on the topic.

“It’s just a failure of leadership at so many levels,” Boxall said. “Obviously federally, we’ve got a bunch of people here who aren’t capable of doing what they are meant to do. … They have been sent to what is now a high-stress environment and (are) not capable of doing their job properly.

“No one should be dead for just expressing their thoughts or peaceful protesting,” he continued. “There are instances with (Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey) as well, (who) seems to incite violence. … There is a lot of edginess all around, I think it leads to people ending up in circumstances (where) a lot of people are getting injured, which is awful to see.

“Being an immigrant myself, and coming from a country where there are a lot of immigrants, I know they bring a lot of value to a country. So, I just hope that things can be resolved in a way that there are no more lives lost, no more families hurt and separated needlessly.”

Foreign players saying no

The MLS primary transfer window officially opened last week, setting up a key period for clubs to improve their roster through March 26. The MLS season starts Feb. 21.

But the current immigration enforcement actions — which has led directly to the shooting deaths of two Minneapolis residents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti — has hurt MNUFC’s ability to bring in new players, sources told the Pioneer Press this week.

The Loons were negotiating transfer deals with Slovenian midfielder Tomi Horvat and Dutch defender Cherrion Valerius, but both players cited concerns about life in Minnesota for them and their families as why they declined contracts with MNUFC.

Horvat has since signed with English club Bristol City, and Valerius will remain with Netherland club NAC Breda.

The Loons also have been linked to Killian Phillips, a midfielder with Scotland club St. Mirren. The San Diego-born player of Irish descent is also mentioned as a target of San Diego FC and Portland Timbers. It’s unclear what the current environment in Minnesota does to his desire to possibly join the Loons.

MNUFC wanted to add approximately three or four new players this winter, but has completed only one new signing so far. The addition of Colombian attacking midfielder Mauricio Gonzalez was done weeks ago — before recent flashpoints with the immigration raids in Minnesota. Gonzalez, 21, still needs to receive his work visa before being eligible to play for the Loons, and it’s unclear how long that process might take now.

The current landscape in Minnesota has the Loons’ front office considering whether it makes more sense to table the remaining items on their wish list for new players. Perhaps the club will wait until the summer transfer window in hopes that the situation improves.

Seattle Sounders defender Travian Sousa (3) traps the ball between his knees against Minnesota United midfielder Joaquín Pereyra (26) in the first half of a MLS first round playoff match at Allianz Field in St. Paul on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

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A federal judge in Minneapolis has granted a temporary restraining order intended to prevent federal officers from arresting and detaining lawful refugees in Minnesota who have yet to receive their proof of permanent residency and have not been charged with criminal wrongdoing.

The 32-page order was issued Wednesday in response to a class action lawsuit against the Homeland Security initiative dubbed Operation PARRIS. It called for the immediate release of refugees detained in Minnesota, as well as the release within five days of those transferred to Texas.

“Refugees have a legal right to be in the United States,” wrote Judge John Tunheim, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for Minnesota, “a right to work, a right to live peacefully — and importantly, a right not to be subjected to the terror of being arrested and detained without warrants or cause in their homes or on their way to religious services or to buy groceries.”

“At its best, America serves as a haven of individual liberties in a world too often full of tyranny and cruelty,” Tunheim wrote. “We abandon that ideal when we subject our neighbors to fear and chaos.”

The decision, likely to be appealed by the federal government, was immediately criticized by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who posted on the social media platform X: “The judicial sabotage of democracy is unending.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had announced this month it would reevaluate the refugee status of 5,600 people who had applied for but not yet received their Green Cards, which provide proof of lawful permanent residency.

The pipeline cases, according to a Jan. 9 memo from DHS, would be put through “vetting enhancements,” including fresh background checks, re-interviews and merit reviews. Operation PARRIS, or “Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening,” was described in the memo as an offshoot of the federal fraud investigations that got underway last year in Minnesota.

In legal filings, immigrant and human rights advocates have said the initiative has translated into warrantless arrests featuring armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents going door to door, surrounding homes or entering with guns drawn.

Detainees are quickly sent to the federal Whipple Building at Fort Snelling, from where many are then flown out-of-state within 24 hours for federal processing in Texas, without access to an attorney. Those who are released end up on the streets of Houston and are not offered a flight home.

During their detention, according to the lawsuit, some refugees were subjected to intense questioning, imprisoned for more than a week and shuffled between facilities in shackles.

Tunheim’s order applies to lawful refugees who “have not been charged with any ground for removal under the Immigration and Nationality Act.” It calls for refugees to be released to legal counsel or a designated representative, and “they shall not be released at the out-of-district location of detention,” and “not left outside in dangerous cold.”

“The refugees impacted by this order are carefully and thoroughly vetted individuals who have been invited into the United States because of persecution in the countries from which they have come,” the judge wrote.

The class action lawsuit was filed by a group of refugees represented by the International Refugee Assistance Project, the law firm of Berger Montague and the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law. The Advocates for Human Rights, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that provides legal representation to refugees in Minnesota, is the organizational plaintiff.

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By CORA LEWIS, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Tax filing season is underway, and the IRS expects 164 million people will file returns by April 15.

The average refund last year was $3,167. This year, analysts have projected it could be $1,000 higher, thanks to changes in tax law. More than 165 million individual income tax returns were processed last year, with 94% submitted electronically.

People with straightforward returns should not encounter delays, but because of an exodus of IRS workers since the start of the Trump administration, the national taxpayer advocate has cautioned that the 2026 tax filing season is likely to present challenges for those who run into problems filing.

While last year IRS employees were not permitted to accept a buyout offer from the Trump administration until after the taxpayer filing deadline, many of those customer service workers have now left. The IRS started 2025 with about 102,000 employees and finished with roughly 74,000 after a series of firings and layoffs led by the Department of Government Efficiency.

Here’s what to know:

When refunds will go out

If you file electronically, the IRS says it should take 21 days or less to receive your refund. If you choose direct deposit, it should take even less time. If you file a paper return, the refund could take four weeks or more, and if your return requires amendments or corrections, it could take longer.

The IRS cautions that taxpayers not rely on receiving a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills.

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How to check the status of your refund

Taxpayers can use the online tool Where’s My Refund? to check the status of their refund within 24 hours of e-filing and generally within four weeks of filing a paper return. The “Where’s My Refund?” tool will also provide projected deposit dates for most early EITC/ACTC refund filers by Feb. 21, according to the IRS.

Information related to this tool is updated once daily, overnight. To access the status of your refund, you’ll need:

Your Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)

Taxpayers can also consult the IRS2Go app, or their IRS Individual Online Account, to check their refund status.

How tax refunds work

If you paid more through the year than you owe in tax, due to withholding or other reasons, you should get money back. Even if you didn’t pay excess tax, you may still get a refund if you qualify for a refundable credit, like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Child Tax Credit. To get your refund, you must file a return, and you have three years to claim a tax refund.

Who qualifies for the Earned Income Tax Credit

To qualify for the EITC, you must have under $11,950 in investment income and earn less than a specific income level from working.

If you’re single with no children, your income level must be $19,104 or below. And if you’re married filing jointly with three or more children, you must make $68,675 or below. To determine if your household qualifies based on your marital status and your number of dependents you can use the online EITC Assistant tool.

Who qualifies for the Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit

If you have a child, you are most likely eligible for the Child Tax Credit. The credit is up to $2,200 per qualifying child. To qualify, a child must:

Have a Social Security number
Be under age 17 at the end of 2025
Be your son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of one of these (for example, a grandchild, niece or nephew)
Not provide more than half of his or her own support for the tax year
Have lived with you for more than half the tax year
Be claimed as a dependent on your tax return
Not file a joint return for the year (or filed the joint return only to claim a refund of taxes withheld or estimated taxes)
Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or a U.S. resident alien

You qualify for the full amount of the Child Tax Credit for each qualifying child if you meet all eligibility factors and your annual income is not more than $200,000 ($400,000 if filing a joint return).

You qualify for the Additional Child Tax Credit if ($1,700 per qualifying child) if you meet these factors and have little or no federal income tax liability. You must have earned income of at least $2,500 to be eligible for the ACTC.

When the tax credits will become available

The IRS expects most refunds for the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit to be available in bank accounts or on debit cards by March 2 for taxpayers who choose direct deposit. Some taxpayers may receive their refund earlier, depending on their financial institution.

What’s different this year

This year, most taxpayers must provide their routing and account numbers to receive refunds directly deposited into their bank accounts. That’s because the IRS began phasing out paper tax refund checks on Sept. 30 in accordance with an executive order.

The Associated Press receives support from the Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.

By AAMER MADHANI and SUSIE BLANN

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin not to target the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv for one week as the region experiences frigid temperatures.

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The call for a pause in attacks on Ukraine’s capital comes as Russia has been pounding the country’s critical infrastructure, leaving many around the country without heat in the dead of winter.

“I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week during this … extraordinary cold,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

Trump added that Putin has “agreed to that,” but there was no confirmation of that from Russia.

The Republican U.S. president added that he was pleased that Putin has agreed to the pause. Kyiv is forecast to enter a brutally cold stretch starting Friday that is expected to last into next week.

“A lot of people said, ‘Don’t waste the call. You’re not going to get that.’” Trump said of his request of Putin. “And he did it. And we’re very happy that they did it.”

Meanwhile, a Russian drone attack killed three people in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region overnight, authorities said Thursday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow is planning another large-scale barrage despite plans for further U.S.-brokered peace talks at the weekend.

The Zaporizhzhia strike caused a major blaze in an apartment building, according to emergency services.

Firefighters also worked through the night to put out fires in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, where two people were injured, officials said.

Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence reports indicate Russia is assembling forces for a major aerial attack. Previous large attacks, sometimes involving more than 800 drones as well as cruise and ballistic missiles, have targeted the Ukrainian power grid.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Odesa region, Ukraine, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

The ongoing attacks discredit the peace talks, Zelenskyy said. “Every single Russian strike does,” he said late Wednesday.

Russia’s daily bombardment of civilian areas behind the roughly 600-mile front line has continued despite international condemnation and attempts to end the fighting almost four years after Russia launched its devastating all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine is working with SpaceX to address the reported use of its Starlink satellite service by Russian attack drones, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Thursday on the Telegram messaging app.

He said that his team contacted the American aerospace company run by Elon Musk and “proposed ways to resolve the issue.” Starlink is a global internet network that relies on around 10,000 satellites orbiting Earth.

Fedorov thanked Musk and SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell for their “swift response and the start of work on resolving the situation.”

Musk and SpaceX have sought to steer a delicate course in the war.

Shotwell said a year after the invasion that SpaceX was happy to provide Ukrainians with connectivity “and help them in their fight for freedom.” At the same time, the company sought to restrict Ukraine’s use of Starlink for military purposes, she said.

The Russian drone attacks on Ukraine’s electricity network are denying people heating, light and running water during the coldest winter in years, and the hardship is set to get worse. Severe frost is expected to hit Ukraine in early February, with temperatures in some areas dropping to minus minus 22 Fahrenheit, the State Emergency Service warned.

Negotiations between the two sides are poised to resume on Sunday amid doubts about Moscow’s commitment to a settlement.

The European Union’s top diplomat accused Russia of not taking the talks seriously, calling Thursday in Brussels for more pressure to be exerted on Moscow to press it into making concessions.

“We see them increasing their attacks on Ukraine because they can’t make moves on the battlefield. So, they are attacking civilians,” Kaja Kallas said of Russia at a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

She stressed that Europe, which sees its own future security at stake in Ukraine, must be fully involved in talks to end the war. The push for a settlement has been led over the past year by the Trump administration, and European leaders fear their concerns may not be taken into account.

The number of soldiers killed, injured or missing on both sides during the war could reach 2 million by spring, with Russia sustaining the largest number of troop deaths for any major power in any conflict since World War II, according to an international think tank report published Tuesday.

Russia launched over 6,000 drones at Ukraine over the past month alone, according to Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Russia is constantly improving its drones and its tactics, he said late Wednesday, prompting Ukraine to shift its air defense strategy, though he gave no details of the changes.

Meanwhile, Russia handed to Ukraine around 1,000 bodies of its soldiers killed in the war, Ukrainian authorities said.

At the same time, Russia received the bodies of 38 of its fallen soldiers, Russian lawmaker Shamsail Saraliev, who has been involved in exchanges of fallen soldiers’ bodies between Russia and Ukraine, told the RBC news outlet.

Madhani reported from Washington. Kamila Hrabchuk in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine