Minnesota and Illinois filed federal lawsuits on Monday aimed at stopping an influx of immigration enforcement officers into their states, following the fatal shooting of a Minnesota woman by an ICE officer last week. The states argue the deployment violates constitutional limits and has endangered residents.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison brought the action in federal court against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other senior immigration officials, asking a judge to rule that the enforcement surge is unlawful and to block it from continuing.
State officials said the administration is singling out Minnesota for political reasons and engaging in racial profiling. They said they plan to seek an emergency order as early as Tuesday, when a court hearing is scheduled.
“The deployment of thousands of armed, masked DHS agents to Minnesota has done our state serious harm. This is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities and Minnesota and it must stop,” Ellison said at a press conference, referencing Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Illinois launched a parallel lawsuit the same day, with Democratic Governor JB Pritzker accusing DHS of a “dangerous use of force.” The Illinois filing asks a judge to bar U.S. Customs and Border Protection from carrying out civil immigration enforcement in the state and to restrict practices such as deploying tear gas, entering private property without permission, and hiding license plates to obscure official activity.
Minnesota’s complaint also seeks specific limits on federal conduct, including prohibiting officers from threatening or displaying weapons toward individuals not subject to immigration arrest. It further asks the court to require visible identification, use of body cameras, and removal of face coverings that conceal officers’ identities.
The Department of Homeland Security rejected the lawsuit, accusing Ellison of putting politics ahead of safety. DHS pointed to Minnesota’s inclusion on a Justice Department list of jurisdictions it says obstruct enforcement of federal immigration laws.
“For years, these corrupt, activist politicians have refused to protect Minnesotans and are now proposing illegal actions to keep their stranglehold on control and continue stealing from American citizens. We will root out this rampant fraud, we will arrest the criminal illegal aliens hurting Americans with impunity, and we will hold those who aid and abetted this criminality accountable,” Noem wrote on X.
The administration has sent federal law enforcement personnel into several cities and states led by Democrats, a move President Donald Trump says is intended to combat illegal immigration and other crimes, including corruption. Democratic officials have countered that the deployments amount to a partisan misuse of federal power.
The dispute intensified last week after federal officers fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, during an enforcement operation in Minnesota. Noem labeled Good a domestic terrorist, alleging she tried to ram an officer with her vehicle, while opponents of the administration have organized protests condemning the shooting as unjustified.
Tensions flared again on Monday when roughly three dozen ICE agents confronted a crowd that gathered around officers questioning a Latino motorist, according to a Reuters reporter at the scene. After some in the crowd threw snowballs, agents fired tear gas, pepper balls, and chemical spray before withdrawing as onlookers cheered.
The motorist, Christian Molina, told Reuters the encounter began after an ICE vehicle struck his car from behind. He said officers then questioned him and his companion about their immigration status and called for reinforcements as the crowd grew upset.
In the months leading up to the shooting, Trump had repeatedly criticized Minnesota, targeting its Democratic leadership and large Somali-American population. He referred to Somali immigrants as “garbage,” highlighted a major welfare-fraud case in which at least 56 defendants have pleaded guilty, and mocked Walz, who ran on the Democratic ticket against him in the 2024 presidential race.
{Matzav.com}
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri launched a sharp attack on Monday evening, accusing activists associated with the Kaplan protest movement of financing demonstrations against Israel’s draft law within the chareidi public, as part of what he described as a coordinated effort to destabilize the government and dismantle the right-wing bloc.
Deri’s remarks came in response to the release of recorded footage featuring a Kaplan activist, the chairwoman of the group Mothers on the Frontline, who is heard admitting: “We worked to create chaos and to break up the chareidi public from within, using the draft issue.”
Speaking following the revelation, Deri said: “We knew this already, but this is clear proof. All the big money behind the campaigns against the draft law comes from Kaplan. The same funding that pays for signs and ads against the so-called ‘draft evasion law’ is also paying for the pashkevilim in chareidi neighborhoods warning about the ‘danger of the draft’ and ‘those destroying the Torah world.’ The goal is one and the same — to bring down the government and the right-wing bloc.”
Deri further claimed that the campaign was aimed at sowing internal discord within the chareidi community. “The objective of the Kaplan activists and the people of Bennett is clear,” he said, referring to former prime minister Naftali Bennett. “They are trying to infiltrate us — admittedly at the margins — through individuals with familiar faces and names. They will yet be exposed. They go to the homes of leading rabbinic figures, secretly record them, play divide-and-conquer, and cause a terrible chilul Hashem.”
According to Deri, the dual campaign — public protests against the draft law alongside targeted messaging within chareidi neighborhoods — is designed to inflame tensions, undermine communal cohesion, and inject chaos into chareidi society in order to achieve broader political aims.
{Matzav.com}A bus driver was taken to the hospital late Sunday night after his vehicle was attacked during a protest by several dozen extremists in Yerushalayim.
According to reports, the disturbance took place at the Shmuel HaNavi–Yechezkel junction, where demonstrators damaged a bus passing through the area and assaulted its driver. The driver required medical treatment and was evacuated to a hospital.
Police forces were dispatched to the scene and acted to restore order and disperse those involved. In a statement, Israel Police said officers from the Yerushalayim District responded after rioters blocked traffic lanes, behaved violently, set trash containers on fire, and disrupted normal life in the area.
Police stressed that “violent disturbances, blocking major traffic routes, and the actions of lawbreakers constitute serious criminal offenses, endanger human life, and could lead to a major disaster.”
{Matzav.com}
An emotional reception was held Sunday night at Yeshiva Orchos Da’as in Yerushalayim for yeshiva bochur Michoel Atlan, who was unexpectedly released from military prison last Friday, earlier than his scheduled release.
The event took place at the yeshiva’s campus in the Bayit Vagan neighborhood, where talmidim and rabbeim escorted Michoel with singing and dancing, lifting him on their shoulders in a powerful display of joy and solidarity.
During the gathering, the rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Shaul Gabay, delivered emotional remarks and broke down in tears as he spoke. He revealed that he had written a personal letter to Michoel while he was incarcerated, but prison authorities refused to allow it inside.
“I want to read a letter I wrote to Michoel, but the prison would not permit it to be brought in,” Rav Gabay said. “They understood very well why — because this letter speaks directly to the deep and true meaning of the Torah world.”
In the letter, Rav Gabay wrote that the reality of Torah students being imprisoned in Eretz Yisroel for learning Torah defies all logic and human understanding. “Hashem allows them to make such mistakes. They think they are acting for harm, but Hashem intends it for good, with one purpose — lehachayos am rav,” he said, invoking the concept of sustaining and giving life to the Jewish people.
Rav Gabay noted that many of those detained come from the Sephardic community, explaining that they possess a unique warmth and love for Torah and a natural ability to draw others close.
He further explained that while yeshiva bochurim are not normally sent out of the beis medrash to strengthen others — a role usually reserved for older figures — in this case, it was a clear act of Divine providence. “If Hashem sends someone against nature, against all logic, there is only one reason: lehachayos am rav. We saw his conduct in prison — learning, completing masechtos — and how it influenced others around him.”
The rosh yeshiva also described a special gift prepared for Michoel by the yeshiva: a booklet listing the personal kabbalos accepted by the bochurim over the past two weeks in his merit. According to Rav Gabay, prison officials initially refused to allow the gift inside, fearing it would strengthen the spirits of the inmates.
“They were afraid of how it would uplift the prisoners when they saw what Orchos Da’as sent him,” he said. “There is no doubt that his early release was above nature and came in the merit of your commitments and chizuk.”
Rav Gabay emphasized that the episode strengthened the inner essence of Torah learning — not learning because it is comfortable, but mesirus nefesh for Torah.
Also addressing the gathering was Rav Yitzchak Abadi, one of the yeshiva’s rabbonim who accompanied Michoel throughout his imprisonment. Rav Abadi stressed the elevated status of a ben Torah, calling him the crown of creation. “They call us draft dodgers,” he said, “but the truth is that they are the ones dodging the beis medrash.”
The evening concluded with Michoel himself making a siyum on Maseches Megillah, which he completed while behind bars.
{Matzav.com}
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri delivered another blunt message to his coalition partners on Monday, warning that any attempt to advance the state budget before the completion of discussions on the draft law will be blocked.
Speaking at a Shas faction meeting, Deri made it clear that budget legislation will not move forward until deliberations on the conscription bill are finalized. “The draft law is advancing in committee,” Deri said. “As you can see, it takes time, but it is moving forward.”
During the meeting, one Knesset member raised the possibility that the coalition intends to place the state budget on the Knesset agenda for a first reading as early as Thursday, with a vote planned for next week.
Deri dismissed the idea outright. “In their dreams,” he said. “There will be no vote on the budget before the discussions on the draft law are completed.”
As previously reported last month, Shas and Degel HaTorah had already conveyed a clear message to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and coalition leaders that they would not support the budget in its first reading until the draft law clears the relevant Knesset committee.
{Matzav.com}Rav Yitzchok Moshe Kook zt”l, a respected talmid chochom in Bnei Brak and the author of the sefer Siach Yitzchak, passed away suddenly on Monday night at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. He was 78.
He had been hospitalized earlier in the day after feeling unwell and was niftar shortly after his arrival.
Born in England in 1948, Rav Kook was the son of Rav Yosef Chaim z”l and Mrs. Sheindel a”h.
In his youth, he studied at Yeshivas Gateshead, where he absorbed Torah from its roshei yeshiva, Rav Leib Lopian and Rav Aryeh Zev Gurwitz.
He later continued his learning at Yeshivas Telz in Cleveland, where he learned under the roshei yeshiva Rav Chaim Stein, a close relative, and Rav Mordechai Gifter. Upon reaching marriageable age, he married his wife, from the Cohen family of Cleveland.
Following the guidance of the Steipler Gaon, Rav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, and Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach, Rav Kook moved to Eretz Yisroel in 1983. He joined Kollel Chazon Ish and developed a particularly close relationship with Rav Shach, whom he would visit frequently. He davened regularly at the beis medrash of Yeshivas Ponevezh.
After the passing of the Steipler Gaon, Rav Kook joined the regular Yerushalmi shiur of Rav Chaim Kanievsky. At the conclusion of the year of aveilus for the Steipler, he asked Rav Chaim to continue learning with him in chavrusa, a merit he was granted for many years.
During his years living on Rechov HaRav Dessler in Bnei Brak, he davened at Beis Medrash Shevet HaLevi, where he enjoyed a close bond with Rav Shmuel Wosner.
Rav Kook also maintained a longstanding and close connection with Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, whom he had known since his youth in Cleveland, when he would accompany him during visits there. After settling in Eretz Yisroel, Rav Kook would consult with him on matters large and small, and he later received an enthusiastic haskamah from Rav Bergman on his seforim.
Widely recognized as possessing deep insight into the human soul, Rav Kook devoted himself to guiding and supporting families—particularly in the United States—who remained in close telephone contact with him. He advised them on challenges in ruchniyus and shalom bayis, with many families crediting him with preserving their spiritual lives. He also served as a trusted address for American bochurim learning in Eretz Yisroel, who found in him a listening ear and steady guidance.
Over the years, he established the Shaarei Chesed – Yeshichena LaAcherim organization, which centralized the many personal and communal issues brought to him for counsel. He also published his sefer Siach Yitzchak, devoted to understanding the complexities of the human soul.
Despite his Torah stature and far-reaching influence, Rav Kook was known for his exceptional humility. He lived quietly, avoided public recognition, and did not seek honor, conducting himself with simplicity and modesty.
In recent weeks, he had been unwell. On Monday, he felt a sudden weakness and was rushed to the hospital, where he was niftar shortly thereafter.
He is survived by his sons, Rav Yehuda Kook, a rosh kollel in Bnei Brak, Rav Avraham Eliezer Kook, a rosh kollel in Petach Tikva, as well as additional sons and daughters.
The levayah took place Monday night at his home on Rechov Chevron in Bnei Brak, proceeding to the cemetery in Elad for kevurah.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com}
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., criticized the Trump administration on Sunday for expanding federal law enforcement operations in Minneapolis, arguing that the effort wastes public money and instills fear in local neighborhoods even as the White House says it is intensifying actions against fraud and illegal immigration.
During an appearance on MS NOW with host Ayman Mohyeldin, Omar addressed the administration’s increased focus on immigration enforcement alongside investigations into a wide-ranging fraud case in Minnesota. She echoed Mohyeldin’s suggestion that officials were reacting to unfounded narratives and said Democrats were being unfairly portrayed.
“They are falling for this because it is a part of this PR that Democrats somehow condone this fraud and corruption,” she said.
Omar also pointed to the period when Elon Musk oversaw the Department of Government Efficiency, saying that effort failed to uncover wrongdoing while causing harm to vulnerable populations.
She further argued that the current administration has not produced new indictments tied to its fraud investigations in Minnesota, despite earlier cases that resulted in charges against dozens of defendants, many of whom were Somali.
“Again, I’m so exhausted in trying to ask, what any of this, you know, information has led to you finding any criminals that you have indicted, that explains why you are wasting so much of our taxpayer resources?” Omar said Sunday.
The Minnesota congresswoman went on to directly criticize the visible presence of federal agents in the state, saying the scale of enforcement has had a damaging effect on residents.
“And also terrorizing our communities in the amount of federal law enforcement agents that you have in the streets of our city and our state,” she said. “There needs to be some sort of justification, and every single case that they have, you know, put in front of us has been a case that has been investigated or adjudicated under the Biden administration.”
Omar’s comments came as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the federal government is deploying additional agents to Minnesota. The move follows rising tensions after last week’s fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent during an enforcement operation.
Speaking with Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures,” Noem said DHS plans to send hundreds more personnel to Minneapolis to ensure Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents can operate safely.
“If they conduct violent activities against law enforcement, if they impede our operations, that’s a crime, and we will hold them accountable to those consequences,” she said, referring to confrontations between protesters and federal officers outside an ICE facility and the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building over the weekend.
Demonstrations have since spread beyond Minnesota to cities such as Los Angeles, Portland, and New York. The protests erupted after Good was killed in the incident, which DHS claims occurred when she “weaponized her vehicle” and “attempted to run a law enforcement officer over.” Supporters of Good dispute that account, saying she was trying to flee and that the ICE agent used excessive force.
{Matzav.com}
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a sharp warning to the United States this week amid widening anti-government protests and escalating rhetoric from President Donald Trump, choosing to deliver his message through an unusual channel — his Russian-language account on X — a move analysts say highlights Tehran’s deepening alignment with Moscow as pressure on the regime grows.
In a Jan. 11 post written in Russian, Khamenei declared, “The United States today is miscalculating in its approach toward Iran.” Several hours later, he followed up with another Russian-language message cautioning that the United States had already suffered setbacks due to past “miscalculations” and would face them again as a result of “erroneous planning.”
Ksenia Svetlova, executive director of the Regional Organization for Peace, Economy and Security and an associate fellow at Chatham House, said the decision to use Russian was revealing, even if the wording itself was awkward.
“This is bad Russian,” Svetlova told Fox News Digital. “It seems that it’s translated by Google Translate, not by a human being.” Nonetheless, she said the choice to communicate via Khamenei’s Russian-language platform aligns with the increasingly close relationship between Tehran and Moscow.
The comments came as unrest inside Iran continues to intensify. According to HRANA, a human rights group monitoring the demonstrations, at least 544 people have been killed during protests across the country, with dozens more cases still being examined. The opposition group NCRI has asserted that the true death toll exceeds 3,000, though confirming figures has been difficult due to sweeping internet restrictions imposed by Iranian authorities.
President Donald Trump has been vocal in condemning the violence. Asked whether Iran had crossed a red line, Trump responded, “They’re starting to, it looks like. And they seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent. If you call them leaders, I don’t know if they’re leaders, or just they rule through violence. But we’re looking at it very seriously,” he said Sunday while speaking aboard Air Force One.
“We’re looking at some very strong options,” he added.
Iranian officials have rejected Washington’s criticism, accusing the United States of meddling in Iran’s internal affairs and warning that any American military action would prompt retaliation against U.S. forces and allies throughout the region.
At the same time, Tehran has indicated it does not want to sever diplomatic contacts entirely. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday that lines of communication remain open between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Axios separately reported that Araghchi reached out to Witkoff over the weekend following Trump’s warnings about potential military steps.
Despite those contacts, analysts say Khamenei’s decision to address Washington in Russian underscores where Iran believes its strongest strategic backing lies.
Russia has emerged as a crucial partner for Tehran, particularly as Moscow depends on Iranian-made drones and other military hardware in its war against Ukraine. That reliance, Svetlova said, means instability inside Iran could have serious repercussions for the Kremlin.
“I think that could be a dramatic effect, because they do depend on Iran — specifically military production, the drones and ballistic missiles,” she said. “They need them to continue their war against Ukraine.”
The relationship has not been without tension inside Iran. Svetlova noted that after the 12-day war with Israel, many Iranians voiced anger at Moscow for failing to offer meaningful support.
“There was a lot of criticism in Iran against Russia that it did not come to help,” she said. “It didn’t reach out. It didn’t do anything, basically.”
Even so, she said Russia’s narrowing list of allies leaves it with few alternatives. With longtime partners weakened or removed, including Bashar al-Assad in Syria and Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, Moscow has grown increasingly dependent on Tehran, even as it has largely avoided commenting on the protests shaking Iran.
In that context, Svetlova said, Khamenei’s Russian-language warning appears intended as a message both to Washington and to Moscow — signaling that Iran views its standoff with the United States as part of a shared front with President Vladimir Putin.
{Matzav.com}
