In the early hours of Monday, October 12th, federal agents searched the home of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a mere three weeks before an election in which she is on the ballot. This is an abuse of power and yet another example of U.S. democracy and our collective civil liberties under attack, which Minnesotans have endured with particular pain and grief.

On September 29, the Hennepin County Board voted to set the 2027 maximum property tax levy at 8.15% — I was proud to support the item. The proposed 2027 operating and capital budget is $2.993 billion, 5.3% smaller than 2026, and the maximum levy is $1.219 billion, $91.8 million more than this year.

Commissioner Irene Fernando's September 22, 2026 letter to the Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation on the 2027 levies, parks, TIF, shelter funding, and police overtime.

Six months ago, an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in her own neighborhood in South Minneapolis. She was a legal observer, driving away from a scene where she had come to protect her neighbors. She was a mother, a U.S. citizen, and one of ours. In the days and weeks that followed, an ICE agent shot Julio Sosa-Celis in North Minneapolis, and Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti. For six months, the federal government withheld the evidence of what happened to all three — from our state investigators, from their families, and from a community that has refused to look away. That is finally changing.

Today, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners voted to increase the county's funding commitment to the METRO Blue Line Extension to a not-to-exceed amount of $1.896 billion. That commitment will be met entirely through the county's 0.5% transportation sales and use tax and associated financings. Acting as the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, we committed an additional $358 million, the maximum contribution allowed under state law. Together, that is $2.254 billion.

Four years ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Roe was fundamental and transformative, establishing a person's legal right to an abortion. I honor and recognize the strength, bravery, and generational care and visioning that it took to get to Roe — and the individual and collective universe of possibilities that Roe made a reality. Roe existed for 49 years. For 49 years, generations grew up never having to imagine a country where the government could force them to carry a pregnancy against their will. That is what was lost. Its loss is catastrophic, profound, and deeply felt — whether you live in a state where abortion is legal or not, this ruling changed healthcare and bodily autonomy for everyone.

Throughout my time as Chair of the Hennepin County Board, I have maintained forward momentum toward responsibly ending waste incineration at the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC). I believe it is possible to conclude trash burning at the HERC within this decade — but only with a reasonable operational plan in place for the current waste stream, and only with consistent action from the municipalities that use the HERC as a service. That is not a complicated ask. It is the minimum that governing toward a shared goal requires.

The Minnesota Legislature passed a bipartisan deal that sends $205 million in immediate funding to HCMC and creates a $500 million hospital reserve account usable by HCMC over the next five years. Earlier this year, there was real closure risk for HCMC in 2026. Today, that is off the table. Thanks to every single person, news story, phone call, op/ed, and video - HCMC remains open! The only public safety-net hospital in the upper Midwest will continue to care for every person who walks through its doors, regardless of insurance, income, or circumstance. That is a profound win.

On April 23, 2026, Hennepin County staff presented a detailed financial briefing to the Board of Commissioners and the public on the severity of what HCMC faces. The presentation was clear: without a permanent, dedicated source of revenue, HCMC cannot remain open. This is not a crisis that appeared overnight, and it cannot be solved by a single infusion of cash or another property tax increase. HCMC needs a runway to make organized, strategic changes from a position of stability rather than collapse; its mission is essential for the health and well-being of all Minnesotans. 

Read the answers to frequently asked questions on the HERC, recent advocacy, and Commissioner Fernando’s position.

On April 7, bills were introduced in the House and the Senate (HF 4841/SF 4986) to provide dedicated revenue for HCMC by repurposing the ballpark sales tax, which is currently a 0.15% tax on most monies spent in Hennepin County, and making it a 1% tax. This would raise approximately $342 million in public revenues annually.

On Tuesday March 24, 2026, the Administration, Libraries, and Budget Committee unanimously voted to support dedicated revenue in the form of a modified Hennepin County sales tax to support the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), also known as Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc. (HHS), as the critical safety net hospital serving Minnesota and the surrounding states.

Today, the Hennepin County Board approved a revised version of 26-0069: “Reaffirm Commissioner Oath of Office; recognize the U.S. Constitution and the  Bill of Rights; reaffirm existing Hennepin County policies; support existing HCSO policy and recommend continued compliance with Minnesota statutes - Offered by Commissioner Fernando”

On January 16, Congresswoman Omar and Congresswoman Jayapal held a Field Hearing at the MN State Capitol, titled: “Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump’s Deadly Assault on Minnesota,”. This was the 6th hearing in the “Kidnapped and Disappeared” series; 28 members of Congress from 18 states across the state were in attendance, the largest number since the series began last summer.

I’m proud to announce that I was re-elected Chair of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners on January 6th for the fourth year in a row. I’m honored and humbled at the opportunity to serve in this role for another year – and I am grateful to my colleagues and to county staff for your continued partnership and trust. Together, we have delivered results by uplifting shared humanity and implementing imaginative solutions in the face of truly unprecedented times.

Today, in the Hennepin County Board unanimously passed a Board Action Request Condemning ICE and Calling For Removal of ICE Personnel and Assets from Minnesota.

See the video I posted on Jan 24, 2026 on my personal page speaking at a vigil for Alex Pretti and the video from Jan 23 at the mass mobilization.

One week after the murder of Ms. Good by an ICE agent in South Minneapolis, an ICE agent shot a resident in North Minneapolis. I am aware of many on-the-ground accounts, and given the need for formal documentation, I am sharing my own experience from last night.