By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and STEVE KARNOWSKI

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Justice Department has charged a man who squirted apple cider vinegar on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at an event in Minneapolis, according to court papers made public Thursday.

The man arrested for Tuesday’s attack, Anthony Kazmierczak, faces a charge of forcibly assaulting, opposing, impeding and intimidating Omar, according to a complaint filed in federal court.

Authorities determined that the substance was water and apple cider vinegar, according to an affidavit. After Kazmierczak sprayed Omar with the liquid, he appeared to say, “She’s not resigning. You’re splitting Minnesotans apart,” the affidavit says. Authorities also say that Kazmierczak told a close associate several years ago that “somebody should kill” Omar, court documents say.

It was unclear if Kazmierczak had an attorney who could comment on the allegations. A message was left with the federal defender’s office in Minnesota.

The attack came during a perilous political moment in Minneapolis, where two people have been fatally shot by federal agents during the White House’s aggressive immigration crackdown.

Kazmierczak has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive of President Donald Trump, a Republican.

Omar, a refugee from Somalia, has long been a fixture of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. After she was elected seven years ago, Trump said she should “go back” to her country. He recently described her as “garbage” and said she should be investigated. During a speech in Iowa earlier this week, shortly before Omar was attacked, he said immigrants need to be proud of the United States — “not like Ilhan Omar.”

Omar blamed Trump on Wednesday for threats to her safety.

“Every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket,” Omar told reporters.

Trump accused Omar of staging the attack, telling ABC News, “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”

Kazmierczak was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989, has been arrested multiple times for driving under the influence and has had numerous traffic citations, Minnesota court records show. There are also indications he has had significant financial problems, including two bankruptcy filings.

In social media posts, Kazmierczak criticized former President Joe Biden and referred to Democrats as “angry and liars.” Trump “wants the US is stronger and more prosperous,” he wrote. “Stop other countries from stealing from us.”

In another post, Kazmierczak asked, “When will descendants of slaves pay restitution to Union soldiers’ families for freeing them/dying for them, and not sending them back to Africa?”

Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, peaking in 2021 following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters before dipping slightly, only to climb again, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Capitol Police.

Officials said they investigated nearly 15,000 “concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against Members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex” in 2025.

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Richer reported from Washington

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Follow the AP’s coverage of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at https://apnews.com/hub/ilhan-omar.

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.