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- By Levi Rickert
Happy Holidays! With the holidays beyond us, this is a busy time of year. Here are some stories you may have missed this past weekend:
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a citizen of the White Earth Nation and a candidate for the U.S. Senate, is facing backlash from right-wing commentators after wearing a hijab during a visit to a mosque this month, a gesture she said was meant to show respect and solidarity with Muslim communities amid growing concerns about religious intolerance and hate.
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In a video released on Christmas and aired on SomaliTV of Minnesota and later posted to YouTube, Flanagan is seen wearing a hijab while speaking in defense of Minnesota’s Somali community, which has been the target of repeated attacks by President Donald Trump.
At a cabinet meeting Tuesday, Trump said he does not want Somali people in the United States.
Haaland Meets with Southern New Mexico Law Enforcement on Public Safety Priorities
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland (Laguna Puebloe) hosted a roundtable with police chiefs, lieutenants, marshals and sheriffs from across southern New Mexico to discuss public safety concerns, including staffing shortages, drug trafficking and juvenile crime.
Haaland said New Mexicans do not feel safe and called for changes to address crime statewide. During the meeting, law enforcement officials briefed her on challenges facing their departments, including limited resources, repeat offenders and the impact of illegal drugs.
Haaland outlined proposed solutions that include expanding technology to track drug traffickers, increasing law enforcement pay and benefits to improve recruitment and retention, and adding mental health and rehabilitation centers.
The Shinnecock Nation Fights State of New York Over Signs and Sovereignty
The Shinnecock Indian Nation’s battle to keep its two electronic signs operational will move to federal court next Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
The tribal nation, located about 90 miles east of Manhattan at the gateway to the Hamptons on Long Island, is a federally recognized tribe in an area known for estates owned by the wealthy and famous.
At issue is a New York state court ruling earlier this year that found the tribe did not have the right to construct and operate the billboards and ordered them shut down. Last month, the judge in the case said the company that operates the billboards and sells advertising on them was in contempt of court and again demanded that the signs be shut down.
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