Recent content from Maya Rao
2 men found guilty in deadly Minnesota border crossing case
A jury convicted two men on all counts for their roles in a human smuggling network that arranged the passage of a family of four migrants who froze to death as they got lost in a blizzard.
Jury to decide fate of two men charged with cold-weather deaths of family found at Canada-Minnesota border
Defense attorneys urged jurors to think critically about testimony and question whether sufficient evidence has been presented in the case.
Survivor of harrowing blizzard walk across Canada-Minnesota border testifies in smuggling ring trial
Migrant recalled that after walking five or six hours in the snow, he and only one other person made it to the van that was supposed to pick up all 11 from his group. One family of four did not survive the night.
Trial witness describes vast smuggling network that brought migrant family who froze to death to America
A convicted smuggler testified Tuesday that the family called a smuggler in Canada as they struggled to bear the cold weather and were told to come back to be picked up, but no one came.
Attorney for one man charged in migrant family's death on Canada-Minnesota border says he was duped
Lawyer for cab driver said co-defendant was "an unknowing participant" in smuggling enterprise.
Trial begins Monday in Fergus Falls, Minn., in case of Indian migrant family who froze to death at border
Two men are accused of participating in a large smuggling ring that brought people into the U.S.
Democrats lost support with Somali Minnesota voters in presidential election
Concerns about the Israel-Gaza war, the economy and not feeling heard contributed to shifting political tide.
Minnesota Muslims are divided over presidential race, with some abandoning Democrats over Gaza
The Abandon Harris movement, which started in Minnesota, is encouraging Muslims to cast a protest vote.
In Minnesota, Latino voters play a pivotal role in the election
They're driven by concerns over jobs and the economy, and their votes matter to both parties.
As Trump threatens mass deportations, some rural areas that back him rely heavily on immigrant labor
In the battleground state of Wisconsin, dairy farmers have to reconcile a need for workers with their allegiance to a candidate who's taking a tough anti-immigrant stance.
A guide to understanding immigration terms amid a heated election season in Minnesota
Hardships drive many to seek a new life in America. What's the difference between a refugee, asylum seeker and humanitarian parolee?
How a group of Russian and Ukrainian immigrants bonded around a Minnesota campfire
United in their opposition to war, they found solace and community on a camping trip in the woods.
Ellison announces settlement between asylum-seekers, law firm
When clients of DPB Legal learned that asylum information they'd received was incorrect, they dropped the Minneapolis law firm but did not receive a refund on their retainers.
How diverse is Minnesota? Here's a look at the numbers.
Our state is increasingly diverse, with immigrants powering our growth. But income disparities continue.
Minnesota tribes grapple with delayed food deliveries because of USDA 'mistakes'
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community has stepped in to help income-eligible tribal members hit hardest.
Black Minnesotans are mixed in their support for presidential candidate Kamala Harris
Some embrace the energy she's bringing to the Democratic Party; others question her track record and wonder if she'll bring substantial change.
Hope, limbo, despair: Mexican family living in Mpls. is deported after asylum bid denied
Family fled Mexico out of fear for their safety and waited for an immigration ruling for four years.
Bangladeshi Americans rally at the State Capitol to call for government reforms in their homeland
Authorities in the South Asia nation are cracking down on protesters against a quota system for government jobs.
Foundation: Minnesota housing finance agency is making racial segregation worse
Minneapolis-based Stairstep Foundation is also upset its concerns are not addressed in a report to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.
For immigrants seeking asylum in Minnesota, success depends partly on which judge they get
Disparities nationwide have created a system that some legal scholars have dubbed 'refugee roulette.'
U president says search for Holocaust center director will resume in 2025
The move comes one week after the university offered the job to Israeli historian Raz Segal.
University of Minnesota pauses search for Holocaust center director amid controversy
Two board members quit in opposition to the hiring of Raz Segal.
Elizabeth 'Betty' Grant, co-founder of Amigos del Mercado in Minneapolis, dies at 77
The organization helps immigrants navigate life in Minnesota; "Betty's dedication to the center was really amazing."
'Democrats will learn a lesson': Some Muslims work to defeat Biden
Opposed to the president's actions in the Israel-Hamas war, some activists are working to defeat him in November.
Day of remembrance honors George Floyd nearly four years after his killing
Community leaders warned against being complacent about making change during one of several events in Minneapolis Friday hosted by the nonprofit Win Back.
Asian Americans have the most income mobility in Minnesota
Asian Minnesotans have higher income mobility rates than not only other racial groups in the state but also Asian Americans in other states.
Advocates move to protect Ecuadorian migrants' status in Minnesota
They are joining a national movement to advocate for a federal designation that would allow Ecuadorians to have work permits and deportation protections.
He grew up legally in Minnesota, but immigration law gap may one day force student to leave
The conundrum illustrates the obstacles many legal immigrants face seeking a path to long-term stability in the United States
Two men plead not guilty for alleged role in freezing deaths of Indian family at border
The pair are accused of conspiring to transport undocumented immigrants into the U.S.
Two men indicted in case of four Indian nationals who froze to death at border
The superseding indictment includes more extensive criminal allegations against Steve Shand, who had been scheduled to face trial in Minnesota, and Harshkumar Patel.
St. Croix County pauses refugee resettlement
The vote follows months of controversy over plans to bring 75 refugees to the Chippewa Valley.
Refugee resettlement in western Wisconsin sparks backlash
"The whole process has just been horrible," says one county supervisor.
Hennepin County Attorney's Office to ease path for immigrants to receive crime victim visas
Proponents say the new policy will make communities safer.
Minnesota court interpreters go back to work
After a seven week work stoppage, interpreters say it's time to collaborate with the judiciary in seeking more compensation.
Minnesota letter campaign aims to support political prisoners in Russia
Russian-Americans in Minnesota are trying to channel anger over Putin's Russia into a letter-writing campaign to political prisoners there.
Migrants face tough competition for cash day jobs on one Minneapolis corner
Without work permits, the new arrivals hustle for work even as Minnesota's official labor market faces a shortage.
'It makes me stronger': How one Minneapolis family navigated two wars
Mohamed and Olena Khuder last year resettled in Minnesota from Ukraine.
Minnesota court interpreters support continuing work stoppage long term
State Sen. Ron Latz plans to hold a legislative hearing.
Minnesota is a top destination for migrants accepting free tickets to leave New York
The state ranks fifth in places asylum-seeking migrants went after landing in New York City.
State asks Minnesota court interpreters to keep working without pay resolution
Certified interpreters threatened to stop work on Monday.
Minnesota court interpreters threaten work stoppage, calling for higher pay
The interpreters sent a letter to State Court Administrator Jeff Shorba saying that a new compensation policy is "entirely unacceptable."
Number of refugees resettling in Minnesota rising, and more on way
More than 1,500 resettled in the Gopher State in the 2023 fiscal year, almost triple the amount from 2022.
Disadvantaged homeowners in Minneapolis get help paying for diseased tree removal
The Park Board says it's still seeking money for people whose trees were removed before 2022.
New Minnesota law will ban employers from asking a job candidate's salary history
Advocates say the law that takes effect Jan. 1 will close the pay gap for women and people of color.
Minnesota Ukrainians worry what's next in war amid faltering aid
Multibillion-dollar aid packages for the country from Congress and the European Union have recently faltered.
Recent migrants fill a third of Hennepin County family homeless shelter system
As Ecuadorians come to the U.S. seeking asylum, the shelter system is turning people away.
Lawsuit: North Mpls. residents claim bias in unfair housing code enforcement by city
The suit, filed Tuesday in Hennepin County, claims enforcement is lax, especially for rental properties, in areas with high populations of people of color.
Minnesota leads nation in new effort to welcome refugees through private sponsor groups
The state already is home to 10 private sponsor circles in the new Welcome Corps program.
Minnesotans gather to show support for Israel, Palestinians
Two Jewish organizations held distinctly contrasting remembrances for those lost in the Hamas attack and Israel's response.
'Bless this water': Indigenous Peoples' Day ceremony honors creek in Golden Valley
A water ceremony honored the west metro creek known to Indigenous people as Ȟaȟa Wakpadan.
Authorities won't deport St. Paul resident back to Mexico — but won't renew his work permit
The conundrum is one many unauthorized immigrants could be facing, their attorneys say.
Federal prison in Waseca faces lawsuit claiming Muslim woman forced to remove hijab for photo ID
The lawsuit alleges that the prison made her carry an ID displaying the picture.
Unauthorized immigrants eligible for Minnesota driver's licenses now
The law went into effect Sunday. Here's what applicants need to know.
Selling for survival: Migrants peddle fruit on Twin Cities streets
Recent arrivals, mostly from Ecuador, skirt city regulations to make a living as they apply for asylum.
Second man charged in high-profile Minnetonka carjacking
The August carjacking, which took place in the front yard of a residential home, riled the Minnetonka community.
New census data is the deepest look yet at Minnesota's racial and ethnic diversity
Community leaders and policymakers hope the new detail will help them better serve subgroups.
Through the eyes of a refugee: Minnesota State Fair inspires awe
Some Minnesotans are taking Ukrainian refugees to the fair this year for a taste of our state's traditions.
'I felt desperate': Journey from Ecuador to Minnesota marked by poverty, exploitation and hope
Fort Snelling immigration court sees 12-fold surge in Ecuadorian cases since 2018.
Two years later, a renewed push to help Afghan evacuees gain citizenship
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and others have introduced legislation.
How far does Supreme Court decision on web design for gay couples reach in Minnesota?
Groups in the state are still parsing out the effects on Minnesota's law prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations
Families, community call for independent investigation of crash that killed 5
Muslim leader says they want to know more about circumstances surrounding the collision.
Reckless drivers killed their loved ones. Families say such drivers aren't punished enough
The horror of Derrick Thompson's crash that killed five in Minneapolis has rekindled outrage over those who kill with vehicles.
After hitting pedestrian in California, Derrick Thompson complained he was charged too harshly
Depositions in a civil case show how Thompson's reckless driving left a wake of destruction long before the crash that killed five women in Minneapolis.
Results of federal investigation into Minneapolis police met with hope, skepticism
The question on many people's minds is whether the eventual consent decree will prompt meaningful change.
Record Minnesota immigration court backlog leads to long waits and frustration
With more than 23,300 pending cases, immigrants often wait years for a decision.
Customs and Border Protection app for asylum seekers jammed by heavy use
Russian hoping to reach Minnesota has tried to schedule an appointment for nearly two weeks.
War in Sudan hits hard for immigrants who now live in Minnesota
A group gathered Saturday in Minneapolis, sharing stories of family and loved ones scrambling for safety in Sudan.
Four things Minnesota Somalis want to see from the Legislature this year
Somali community leaders marked first Somali Day at the Minnesota State Capitol on Tuesday
Minneapolis geologists' plans to explore for gold in Black Hills raising environmental concerns
The company has emphasized it is only exploring for gold and that its proposals do not involve mining. Environmentalists aren't buying it.
![Men participate in Friday prayers at Masjid Omar Islamic Center on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minn. ] LEILA NAVIDI • leila.navidi@startr](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/UAN4AGA3WCKJXZAWCR7CNXIZ4E.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Muslims express confidence, concerns in the wake of Minneapolis mosque arsons
Worshipers at both mosques reflected a mix of fear and resolve.
Rescue of migrants shows rise in Minnesota, N.D. border crossings
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports significant spike this year, compared with two previous years.
