[Mpls] This Week in The Minneapolis Observer

[Craig Cox]

T H E M I N N E A P O L I S O B S E R V E R
A Weekly Digest of All Things Minneapolitan
Vol. 1, No. 31
March 18, 2002

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THIS WEEK IN THE OBSERVER:
* Scrutinizing Those Somali Deportations
* R.T.'s Stadium Pitch
* Free Parking, Anyone?
* Paving Partnership
* Car Wars
* Johnson Lee's New Political Machine
Plus: Pitching pretzels, giving away snow, ordering seeds, and unraveling a week's worth of crises.

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SOMALI DEPORTATIONS MAY HAVE VIOLATED LAW
The recent deportation of 10 Somali residents ordered by U.S. attorney Tom Heffelfinger was probably illegal under federal law, writes Peter Erlinder in Pulse (www.pulsetc.com).
Heffelfinger's order, which was carried out in secret over the course of several weeks, violates U.S. law in several areas, Erlinder writes. Though Heffelfinger argued that the Somalis were deported because they were "criminals," none of them were under current criminal investigations, Erlinder reports. Two of the ten had no criminal records at all. And deportations require that there be an internationally recognized government to receive the deported person, something that does not currently exist in Somalia. Finally, Erlinder notes that the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service has awarded all Somali immigrants Temporary Protective Status, protecting them from being sent back to Somalia.
Because the deportations occurred in secret, none of the Somalis were able to secure legal counsel and contest the action, Erlinder writes. The result is a situation that is all too familiar to most local Somalis. "Somali refugees understand the 'terror of disappearances' quite well, as most Somalis came to Minnesota from U.N. camps where they had lived for years as refugees after being 'terrorized' by the collapse of their country during 10 years of civil war," notes Erlinder. "This was the terror that Somalis came to Minnesota to escape."

RYBAK'S STADIUM PITCH
Adamantly opposed to any public funding for a new baseball park during his campaign, Mayor R.T. Rybak has in recent weeks softened his stance and now is aggressively promoting Minneapolis as the best possible site for the new stadium.

FREE PARKING, ANYONE?
A glut in downtown parking spaces is forcing lower rates and sparking concern that the city may be building too many ramps too quickly.

CAR WARS
For years, local car owners have experienced that sinking feeling of returning to where they parked their car only to find it had been snatched by the ruthlessly efficient truck drivers at Cedar Towing. So it's easy to imagine the emotions that would drive someone to sneak over to the impound lot and snatch it back.

POLITICAL SCIENCE 101
Fifth Ward Council Member Natalie Johnson Lee has begun organizing a group designed to create easier political access for local women.

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The Minneapolis Observer is published 48 times/year by Independent Media, L.L.C. �2002 Independent Media, 4152 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406; www.mplsobserver.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the permission of Independent Media. Subscriptions: $12/yr. To unsubscribe, send us an e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and we'll get you off the list and refund the unused portion of your subscription.

Editor: Craig Cox
Associate Editor: Sharon Parker
Contributing writers: Nora Cox, Mark Engebretson, Tim Herwig, Leo Mezzrow, Sarah Wash
Occasional research assistance: Martin and Nora Cox
Online technical assistance: Christopher Pollard
Thanks to: Kathy Braeunig, Michael Cox, and Theresa Thomas

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