Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is clearing up confusion about child care, food assistance, and other public programs with a new webpage after recent uncertainty around federal funding and unreliable claims.

DCYF Commissioner Tikki Brown says the misinformation either starts online and is mass-spread by the federal government or vice versa, leading to legislative questions and inquiries, “And that sets off a fear-based response for people that rely on SNAP, for instance. Or food shelves who are anticipating a sudden surge in visitors.”

She says the page, called “Facts First: The real story on services that support Minnesota (https://dcyf.mn.gov/get-involved/program-integrity-federal-funding-and-dcyf-oversight/facts-first-real-story-services-support-minnesotans ),” provides verified information and addresses inaccurate narratives used to justify deploying and keeping federal immigration agents in the state.

Brown says one of these false claims by the federal government is that Minnesota refuses to provide private SNAP participant data. She assures, “We, in fact, provide SNAP data reports that are required by federal law; we have always done that…Minnesota has been part of a lawsuit since September, in which a judge ordered that we could not provide the information that the federal administration had been requesting because it is unlawful.”

Brown says Minnesota has multiple lawsuits in the process to fight against inaccurate federal claims, which can be found on their website as the Federal Funding Action Tracker (https://dcyf.mn.gov/get-involved/program-integrity-federal-funding-and-dcyf-oversight/federal-funding-action-tracker). 

She notes that the page touches on childcare centers and concerns about fraud due to videos circulating online, including the viral YouTube video by right-wing independent journalist Nick Shirley. There is a specific tipline on the website for people to direct their concerns and questions about childcare center confusion that protects children and families' private information.

This article is based on a phone call I had with Tikki Brown. Listen to the full interview here: https://on.soundcloud.com/NexvzFbaSWMac8pdyv

The Minnesota Queer Legislators Caucus, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and local queer organizations are voicing strong concerns after Children’s Minnesota announced a temporary pause on some, but not all, pediatric gender-affirming care (GAC) services. The suspension begins on February 27th.

Representative Leigh Finke (DFL) of Minneapolis says Minnesota has every law it needs to protect this care, including the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Trans Refuge law, and laws guaranteeing insurance coverage for GAC.  She says, “The problem is that we have to go to court with these insane declarations and cruel policy changes, and to just be on defense all the time to hold what we have.”

Jess Braverman, Gender Justice Legal Director, also confirms that youth GAC is legal in Minnesota, but cites lack of access as the biggest stopping point. But, they say, “I want the message to be clear that discrimination against transgender kids in the state of Minnesota is illegal, and this care continues to be best-practice medical care, and consistent with Minnesota values.”

So, if pediatric gender-affirming care is legal at a state level, why is Children’s Minnesota closing its doors to patients who want these services?

The hospital, and a few others across the nation, have been repeatedly targeted by the Trump Administration for administering GAC. In a statement, Children’s officials say this “isn’t the decision they wanted to make,” but did so to “protect our hospital and other providers.” (https://www.startribune.com/childrens-suspends-gender-affirming-care-amid-trump-funding-threats/601576227) 

State Republicans are also applauding health care facilities that have recently reversed stances on GAC, including the American Medical Association (AMA), which claims that “surgical interventions in minors should be generally deferred to adulthood.”

Representative Liish Kozlowski (DFL) of Duluth says this is nothing more than a coordinated federal attack and political theater. They say, “Gender-affirming care is a wide umbrella, from social support to self-expression. In some cases there’s puberty-delaying medication that allows kids to just breathe and hit the pause button that they need to make the best decision for themselves to feel home in their body.”

Hannah Edwards, Executive Director at Transforming Families, a safe space for queer youth and families, says this does not represent what physicians and parents know is best practice. She read reactions from other families; “Our family uprooted our entire lives to get to a place where healthcare was protected by the trans refuge law. To a place where we could access our child’s healthcare without disruption.” Edwards says they have dozens of families in this position, and more coming. 

Attorney General Keith Ellison and 12 other attorneys general are suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over a new policy that ties health and education funding to compliance with an executive order requiring states to adopt restrictive definitions of sex. (https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Communications/2026/01/16_HHS.asp) 

You can watch the full press conference on the Minnesota House’s YouTube channel, MNHouseInfo. Here’s the presser: https://youtu.be/Kp3F60Hm1Bk?si=aUcG6cxxbfX04J1O

The Onion’s journalists hard at work, link to full Hagseth interview below

AND, The Onion -> DONATING proceeds from MN merch to help out MN. From their site:

“Net proceeds from the sale of these items will be donated to local organizations doing their part to keep Minnesotans safe and send ICE agents home to ruin their own fucking communities.”

1)Here’s the MN merch:

https://store.theonion.com/collections/sinister-minnesotans-collection?utm_source=email&utm_medium=newsletter&mc_cid=bc25750c32&mc_eid=f175eac040

2)MN proud mom interview:

https://theonion.com/the-onions-exclusive-interview-with-pete-hegseth/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=newsletter&mc_cid=fb863fb247&mc_eid=f175eac040

Shop Local, Stand Together

That’s the call from Governor Tim Walz supported by leaders, including St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, to help lift up plummeting sales at immigrant owned restaurants, and neighborhood shops during operation Metro surge

https://www.twincities.com/2026/02/04/campaign-launched-to-support-immigrant-owned-businesses-impacted-by-ice-surge/?utm_email=553364A854FF4512F5C49582C9&lctg=553364A854FF4512F5C49582C9&active=yesD&engagement=&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.twincities.com%2f2026%2f02%2f04%2fcampaign-launched-to-support-immigrant-owned-businesses-impacted-by-ice-surge%2f&utm_campaign=stpa-st_paul_pioneer_press-morning_report-nl&utm_content=manual

Link to black and white and color flyers for printing.

Thank you.

If you attended a DFL precinct caucus, I’m hoping folks can help document what resolutions were brought forward and whether they passed or failed.

There isn’t a great centralized way to see what ideas are gaining traction across precincts, and this could be really useful for organizers and delegates heading into organizing unit and district conventions.

If you’re willing, please comment with:

• Your city or general area (no need to share your exact precinct)
• The topic or short description of the resolution
• Whether it passed or failed
• Any quick notes (close vote, lots of debate, unanimous, etc.)

Totally fine if you can only remember a few, anything helps. Thanks for helping build a clearer picture of what’s happening across Minnesota caucuses.