What’s the latest with immigration agents in Minneapolis?

The chief federal judge in Minnesota says the Trump administration has failed to comply with orders to hold hearings for detained immigrants and ordered the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to appear before him Friday to explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt. In an order dated Monday, Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz said Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, must appear personally in court. Schiltz took the administration to task over its handling of bond hearings for immigrants it has detained. “This Court has been extremely patient with respondents, even though respondents decided to send thousands of agents to Minnesota to detain aliens without making any provision for dealing with the hundreds of habeas petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result,” the judge wrote. The order comes a day after President Donald Trump ordered border czar Tom Homan to take over his administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota following the second death this month of a person at the hands of an immigration law enforcement officer. Trump said in an interview broadcast Tuesday that he had “great calls” with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Monday, mirroring comments he made immediately after the calls. The White House had tried to blame Democratic leaders for protests of federal officers conducting immigration raids, but after the killing of Alex Pretti on Saturday and videos suggesting he wasn’t an active threat, the administration tapped Homan to take charge of the Minnesota operation from Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino. Today on AirTalk, we check in with what is happening on the ground and in the courts in Minneapolis with Kyle Stokes, Twin Cities reporter for Axios.

With files from the Associated Press.

South Bay extension revisited and what to know of Metro’s Sepulveda corridor

The Los Angeles Metro Board unanimously voted last Thursday to proceed with developing a 14-mile-long subway under the Santa Monica Mountains. It’s one of the first significant steps in what city and county leaders are describing as the region's most consequential transit project and perhaps one of the most important in the country. At tje same meeting, the Board approved a different route for a light rail extension farther into South Bay than the one staff for the countywide transportation agency recommended, which would create a direct route between the Westside and San Fernando Valley. Three members of Metro’s Board formally asked their colleagues to approve the alternate route less than a week before the meeting. Some transit advocates speaking to LAist before the vote warned that approving the last-minute motion, which would make the project more expensive and more difficult to construct, could set the extension back years. Today on AirTalk, Holly Mitchell, Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro board member joins the program to give listeners her view on the two projects. Also joining the program is LAist transportation correspondent Kavish Harjai, and Scott Epstein, policy and research director of Abundant Housing L.A.

With files from LAist.

A new book explores how two iconic Black Americans were pitted against each other

Seven years apart, two of the nation's most iconic black men testified in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee. In July of 1949, baseball legend Jackie Robinson appeared before the committee to testify against actor, musician, and professional athlete Paul Robeson — himself a famous individual — on the latter's comments about Black American support for a potential conflict between the U.S. and Soviet Union. Robeson had allegedly said that Black Americans wouldn’t back the U.S. in such a conflict, and Robinson was called upon to testify against Robeson and share his view on the matter. In June of 1956, Robeson himself would be called upon by the committee after refusing to sign an affidavit saying he was not a communist. Both men took very different approaches to their testimony, with Robinson aiming to toe a careful line and Robeson making his political stance known. Both of their testimonies, their consequences, and the lasting impact both men had on sports, civil rights, and America are explored in a new book Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America. Today on AirTalk, author, sports journalist, and sports correspondent for NPR’s Weekend Edition Howard Bryant joins the program to share about his work.

There’s a shortage of construction workers. What does this mean?

The construction industry is facing a significant labor shortage, driven by an aging workforce, fewer young workers entering the trades, and increased demand for new housing and infrastructure. Additionally, ICE raids and deportations can exacerbate labor shortages in construction, particularly in regions where a substantial share of the workforce is made up of immigrants. Heightened immigration enforcement may reduce the available pool of labor, create fear and instability among workers, and discourage undocumented families from seeking employment or training opportunities. Joining us to talk about the labor challenges facing the construction industry is Ronda Kaysen, real estate reporter for The New York Times, Riordan Frost, senior research analyst at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies and Peter Tateishi, Chief Executive Officer of the Associated General Contractors of California.

When there’s an income or age disparity, who should pick up the check?

Usually, those of us who pride ourselves on ‘picking up the tab’ oftentimes do so because of our financial well-being. We take the, “tonight’s on me”’ or the, “this one’s my treat!” approach to things, even though sometimes who should foot the bill is dubious. Sometimes one person makes significantly more than the other, and splitting a check down the middle can feel a bit weird. And speaking of weird, it is weird for an adult child to pay for dinner when they’re out with their folks? So, when is it actually okay to split, and when is it not? Does it depend on who you're with? Is there a difference in dinner-paying-protocol between family and friends? No matter who you are or what you do, this dilemma is all too common. Today on AirTalk, we try to figure out the right etiquette (if any) for paying what you (may) owe at the table. We are joined by Karen Thomas, an etiquette expert. We also want to hear from you! Have you ever felt insulted or upstaged by an unexpected payment for your meal? Or have you been disappointed that your friends didn’t buy you dinner when you felt you deserved it? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

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What’s the latest with immigration agents in Minneapolis?