By MARY CLARE JALONICK and JOEY CAPPELLETTI, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite rare negotiations between Democrats and President Donald Trump, a bipartisan agreement on new restrictions for federal immigration enforcement in the next two weeks will be exceedingly difficult — or even “an impossibility,” as Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Congress is discussing potential new rules for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection after officers shot and killed two Minneapolis protesters in January. The negotiations come amid some bipartisan sentiment that Congress should step in to de-escalate tensions over the enforcement operations that have rocked Minnesota and other states.

President Donald Trump last week agreed to a Democratic request that funding for the Department of Homeland Security be separated from a larger spending bill and extended at current levels for two weeks while the two parties discuss possible requirements for the federal agents. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said this weekend that he was at the White House when Trump spoke with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York and that they were “on the path to get agreement.”

But it’s unclear if the president or enough congressional Republicans will agree to any of the Democrats’ larger demands that the officers unmask and identify themselves, obtain judicial warrants in certain cases and work with local authorities, among other asks. Republicans have already pushed back.

And House GOP lawmakers are demanding that some of their own priorities be added to the Homeland Security spending bill, including legislation that would require proof of citizenship before Americans register to vote. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and other Republican senators are pushing for restrictions on sanctuary cities that they say don’t do enough to crack down on illegal immigration. There’s no clear definition of sanctuary jurisdictions, but the term is generally applied to state and local governments that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

It’s also uncertain if Democrats who are furious over the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement operations would be willing to compromise.

“We don’t need promises. We need law,” Schumer said, adding that Democrats would present Republicans with a “serious, detailed proposal” soon.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., center, confers with Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, talk following a Senate Democratic Caucus meeting, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A look at Democrats’ demands and what Republicans are saying about them:

Agreement on body cameras

Republicans say they are open to officer-worn body cameras, a change that was already in the underlying Homeland Security spending bill. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem backed that up on Monday when she ordered body-worn cameras to be issued to every Homeland Security officer on the ground in Minneapolis, including those from ICE. She said the policy would expand nationwide as funding becomes available.

The bill already directed $20 million to outfit immigration enforcement agents with body-worn cameras.

Gil Kerlikowske, who served as commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection from 2014 to 2017, said that most agents are “very supportive” of cameras because they could help exonerate officers. But he added that complex questions remain, including when footage should be released and when cameras must be activated.

“When do you turn it on? And if you got into a problem and didn’t have it on, are you going to be disciplined? It’s really pretty complex,” he said.

Schumer said Tuesday that the body cameras “need to stay on.”

Disagreement on masking

As videos and photos of aggressive immigration tactics and high-profile shootings circulate nationwide, agents covering their faces with masks has become a flashpoint. Democrats argue that removing the masks would increase accountability. Republicans warn it could expose agents to harassment and threats.

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“State law enforcement, local folks don’t do it,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the Committee for Homeland Security. “I mean, what’s so special about an ICE law enforcement agency that they have to wear a mask?”

But Republicans appear unlikely to agree.

“Unlike your local law enforcement in your hometown, ICE agents are being doxed and targeted. We have evidence of that,” Johnson said on Tuesday. He added that if you “unmask them and you put all their identifying information on their uniform, they will obviously be targeted.”

Immigration officers are already required to identify themselves “as soon as it is practical and safe to do so,” according to federal regulations. ICE officials insist those rules are being followed.

Critics, however, question how closely officers adhere to the regulations.

“We just see routinely that that’s not happening,” said Nithya Nathan Pineau, a policy attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.

Judicial vs. administrative warrants

Democrats have also demanded stricter use of judicial warrants and an end to roving patrols of agents who are targeting people in the streets and in their homes. Schumer said Tuesday that they want “arrest warrants and an end to racial profiling.”

Most immigration arrests are carried out under administrative warrants, internal documents issued by immigration authorities that authorize the arrest of a specific person but do not permit officers to forcibly enter private homes or other non-public spaces without consent. Traditionally, only warrants signed by judges carry that authority.

But an internal ICE memo obtained by The Associated Press last month authorizes ICE officers to use force to enter a residence based solely on a more narrow administrative warrant to arrest someone with a final order of removal, a move that advocates say collides with Fourth Amendment protections.

Democrats have not made clear how broadly they want judicial warrants used. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said that Democrats want to see “an end to the targeting of sensitive locations like houses of worship, schools and hospitals.”

Johnson said Tuesday that Democrats are trying to “add an entirely new layer” by seeking warrants signed by a judge rather than the administrative warrants that are signed by the department. “We can’t do that,” he said.

The speaker has said that an end to roving patrols is a potential area of agreement, but he did not give details.

Code of conduct and more accountability

Democrats have also called for a uniform code of conduct for all ICE and federal agents similar to that for state and local law enforcement officers.

Federal officials blocked state investigators from accessing evidence after protester Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent on Jan. 7. Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, demanded that the state be allowed to take part, saying that it would be “very difficult for Minnesotans” to accept that an investigation excluding the state could be fair.

Hoping for a miracle

Any deal Democrats strike on the Department of Homeland Security is unlikely to satisfy everyone in the party. Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts said she would never support an agreement that didn’t require unmasking.

“I ran for Congress in 2018 on abolish ICE,” Pressley said. “My position has not changed.”

Thune, of South Dakota, has repeatedly said it’s an “impossibility” to negotiate and pass something so complicated in two weeks. He said any talks should be between Democrats and Trump.

“I don’t think it’s very realistic,” Thune said Tuesday about finding quick agreement. “But there’s always miracles, right?”

Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana contributed to this report.

Fare For All, an affordable pop-up grocery store, is ending service to the metro after its February stops.

The program, which includes monthly stops in St. Paul, Eagan, White Bear Lake and six other locations in the Twin Cities, will continue serving nine sites in Greater Minnesota, The Food Group announced to shoppers on Monday.

The nonprofit’s traveling grocery store is open to everyone, selling packs of fresh produce and frozen meat at up to 40 percent off retail prices — especially helpful in recent times, with rising grocery prices.

Another program, Twin Cities Mobile Market — a grocery store bus that visits neighborhoods mostly in St. Paul and Minneapolis — will continue service, the Food Group said.

An email to shoppers who use Fare For All was sent on Monday explaining the change.

“With food prices remaining high, we need to invest our resources in communities that lack grocery store access,” the email stated. “We know this news may be disappointing, and we want to acknowledge the real impact this change may have for you and your household.”

The grocery landscape

The grocery landscape has changed since Fare For All began in 2002; it has operated under its current model (including no pre-registration required) since 2008.

“Having more affordable grocery options can really mean that we see fewer participating at Fare for All,” said Sophia Lenarz-Coy, executive director of The Food Group.

Aldi, the popular discount grocery chain, opened its first location in the Twin Cities in 2003. Consumers in the metro can also find grocery deals at Sam’s Club and Costco, in addition to other grocery stores and options such as Walmart and even Dollar chains. In the growing season, affordable produce can be found at farmers’ markets.

Recent events may have also played a role, Lenarz-Coy says.

“We’ve seen at several of our metro locations much less participation than a few years ago,” she says. “It was an interesting dynamic where, when COVID hit, there were obviously major disruptions, and many of our sites never got back to those pre-COVID levels in the metro.”

Before the pandemic, in 2018, Fare For All served 53,317 households. In 2025, it was 34,343, or a decrease of about 36%, according to the Food Group.

Food sourcing is also more challenging, she says, due to retail competition and inventory changes.

“Back in 2008, there were more ways we could find really good deals on things, especially frozen meat,” says Lenarz-Coy. “Our sourcing team has to work harder and harder.”

For all these reasons, in addition to rising costs, the nonprofit reassessed where this program is most needed.

“We started to think about, as an organization, how do we best invest our resources?” Lenarz-Coy says.

Early reaction

Reaction to the news was mixed on Fare For All’s Facebook page. They include:

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“I live on social security and this makes me very sad as it really helped me.”

“I’m so very saddened by this, as I’ve frequented the White Bear location for over 15 years! Thank you guys for all you’ve done!”

“The assumption that those using fare for all are all low income isn’t true.”

“Bad bad timing! I am positive that inner city folks could sure benefit from Fare for All services during this time! I think they should have thought this out better.”

“Thx for all the meals you made possible. I will miss you in the metro.”

Looking forward

The Food Group is larger than a couple of grocery store programs: The nonprofit partners with food shelves, community organizations and farmers across Minnesota, working toward food justice and equity.

As for the Fare For All program, metro shoppers can still stock up on the meat and produce deals for now.

“We will still have all our sites in February, so we’ll be sending staff to chat with people in person, answer questions and include a flier of other local resources at each of our sites, too,” says Lenarz-Coy.

The February schedule includes a stop at the West Seventh Community Center at 265 Oneida St. in St. Paul from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Feb. 13.

As of March, though, Fare For All will no longer make its nine metro stops in St. Paul, White Bear Lake, Eagan, South St. Paul, Burnsville, Fridley, Bloomington, Richfield and New Hope.

Stops will continue beyond the metro at nine sites in North Branch, Mankato, Hutchinson, Red Wing, Rush City, Buffalo, St. Cloud (two locations) and St. Joseph.

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We asked if participation is also down at these “rural” sites.

“It is slightly lower at our rural FFA (Fare For All) sites today than in the metro,” said Emily Eddy White, director of advancement and culture, in an email to the Pioneer Press. “However, the main driver of the decision to continue the program in Greater Minnesota is about equitable grocery access. We are also differentiating our two affordable grocery programs geographically with Twin Cities Mobile Market remaining in the metro.”

For the complete schedule and more info on Fare For All, visit thefoodgroupmn.org/groceries/fare-for-all/schedule/.

Message to Fare For All shoppers

Here is the email sent to shoppers on Monday for the St. Paul stop with the subject line of “Important Update: Fare For All Services in the Metro Area”:

Dear West 7th FFA customer,

We hope you’re doing okay during these challenging and heavy times in our community. We are writing to share an important and difficult update about Fare For All services in the metro area. After thoughtful consideration, The Food Group has made the difficult decision to close metro Fare For All sites. With this change the Fare For All program will be focused on rural communities. We will continue to operate and invest in Twin Cities Mobile Market as our metro affordable grocery solution. Fare For All services at metro sites will close after February 2026.

We know this news may be disappointing, and we want to acknowledge the real impact this change may have for you and your household. We also want to acknowledge the difficulty of this news while we navigate such a challenging and heavy time in our community. Please know that this decision was not made lightly. We know that this directly impacts families who rely on Fare For All at West 7th to put food on the table each month. For many years, it has been our privilege to serve metro communities by providing access to affordable, nutritious food. We are deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in us and for the relationships built through Fare For All.

Both Fare For All and Twin Cities Mobile Market have the mission to make foods more accessible and affordable. We are needing to focus on program efficiency, differentiating geographically, and setting these programs up for long term success. With food prices remaining high, we need to invest our resources in communities that lack grocery store access. While Fare For All will no longer operate at metro sites, during these challenging times we remain committed to food access and to serving communities in meaningful ways. We will continue to support communities through our mission and programs which include rapidly responding to ensure fear is not a barrier to immigrant communities accessing food.

2/13/2026 will be the final distribution at the West 7th Fare for All location.

Thank you for being part of the Fare For All community. We truly appreciate the opportunity to have served you.

Today is Wednesday, Feb. 4, the 35th day of 2026. There are 330 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Feb. 4, 1974, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst, 19, was kidnapped in California by the radical Symbionese Liberation Army. Hearst was caught on camera participating in a bank robbery with the extremist group that April and subsequently found guilty of bank robbery and sentenced to seven years in prison. (President Jimmy Carter commuted her sentence, and she was later pardoned.)

Also on this date:

In 1789, electors unanimously chose George Washington to be the first president of the United States.

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In 1801, John Marshall took office as chief justice of the United States, a position he would hold for 34 years.

In 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin began a wartime conference at Yalta.

In 1976, more than 23,000 people died when a severe earthquake struck Guatemala with a magnitude of 7.5.

In 1997, a civil jury in Santa Monica, California, found O.J. Simpson liable for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, ordering Simpson to pay $33.5 million to the victims’ families.

In 2004, Facebook had its beginnings as Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg launched “TheFacebook.”

In 2013, British scientists announced that skeletal remains they had discovered during an excavation beneath a Leicester, England parking lot were, beyond reasonable doubt, the remains of 15th century monarch King Richard III.

In 2023, the U.S. shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean, saying it was equipped with high-tech gear for a military-linked aerial surveillance program. China denied the balloon was used for spying on sensitive North American military sites, insisting the flyover was an accident involving a weather balloon.

Today’s birthdays:

Former Argentine President Isabel Peron is 95.
Rock singer Alice Cooper is 78.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is 73.
Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor is 67.
Country singer Clint Black is 64.
Boxing Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya is 53.
Singer Natalie Imbruglia is 51.
Rapper Cam’ron is 50.
Singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw is 49.
Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Carly Patterson is 38.
Actor Edvin Ryding is 23.

Police arrested a driver after they say he fatally struck a pedestrian in St. Paul on Tuesday night.

Officers responded to Front Avenue and Grotto Street in the Como neighborhood shortly before 6:30 p.m. and found a man lying in the street with severe head injuries, according to Nikki Muehlhausen, a St. Paul police spokesperson.

St. Paul Fire Department medics pronounced the man dead at the scene.

Preliminary information suggests the driver, after striking the pedestrian, did a U-turn and parked on the other side of the street, Muehlhausen said. Officers found the man there. He was taken into custody on suspicion of criminal vehicular homicide.

The police department’s Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Unit is leading the investigation.

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