Transcript of Minnesota ICE, Iran Protests, DOJ Subpoenas Federal Reserve

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The Trump administration is sending hundreds of additional federal agents into Minnesota.

Protests continued over the weekend after 37-year-old Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent. How is Minneapolis responding to the surge of federal forces?

I'm Leila Fadel. That's A. Martinez, and this is a first from NPR News. After President Trump threatened to strike Iran over its deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, Trump says Iran asked for a meeting. Is the country's regime worried he'll follow through after what he did in Venezuela?

In fact, Chair Jerome Powell says the Justice Department is using a grand jury investigation to pressure the Central Bank to do what the President wants.

The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public.

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Listen religiously to Yee God's with Scott Carter wherever you get your podcasts. Secretary of Homeland Security, Christie Noem, says she's sending additional federal law enforcement agents to Minnesota.

Meanwhile, protests continued on Sunday across the country after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis last week.

Joining us from Minneapolis is NPR's Jason Doreos. Jason, so, okay, additional forces. What do we know about these forces that Noem is sending?

Well, Noem says she's moving many more Homeland Security agents into Minnesota. Here she is speaking on Fox News Sunday.

There'll be hundreds more in order to allow our ICE and our Border Patrol individuals that are working in Minneapolis to do so safely.

She says some have already arrived, others will arrive today. But some elected officials here are pushing back against DHS actions, including US Representative Ilhan Omar. She's demanding a full investigation into Renee Goods killing. Also, a US Representatives had normally been allowed to visit ICE detention centers unannounced, but Omar says she was turned away over the weekend. Now, Homeland Security, according to a memo obtained by NPR, now says it requires elected officials to give seven days notice to enter a detention center. So overall, as someone who knows the area and has been here for a few days, tensions are pretty high. You hear sirens and helicopters throughout the day and night, and people are really on edge.

That neighborhood where the shooting took place, I mean, how are people feeling there?

Well, there is a lot of fear there, but there's also a lot of care for neighbors. I want to play this piece of tape for you from a singing and walking vigil from Sunday afternoon.

I am not afraid. I must stand for liberation.

Because I Several hundred people gathered at a church not far from last week's killing and then walked about a mile loop around the neighborhood, singing to their neighbors to bring some comfort and encouragement. As they walked, they stopped from time to time in places where ICE agents had detained people recently, and they kept a moment of silence at each of those places.

There is a lot coming at Minneapolis right now, the killing of Renee Good, the larger immigration actions there. Tell us, you cover religion, Jason. What has been the response from communities of faith?

Here in Minneapolis, people of faith have really taken the lead in working to counter what they believe to be unjust actions by the Trump administration around immigration enforcement. In a statement over the weekend, Renee Good's wife said that Renee was a Christian whose faith motivated her work. That's also true of Minneapolis resident, Carol Hornbeck, a family therapist. She says she's been thinking a lot about a verse from the hym, How Firm a Foundation.

I will be with thee that troubles to bless and sanctify it to thee thy deepest distress, so that the hardest thing becomes holy.

Hornbeck says the idea that her resistance work is hard but holy is what's giving her strength and resolve right now. All right.

Now, what are you going to be looking for in the next few days.

Well, as those additional federal agents arrive, I'll be looking to see what they're actually doing on the ground. I'll be watching how community members who oppose ICE's presence respond to these increased federal forces. They've been patrolling neighborhoods and alerting people with whistles and chat groups about where ICE agents are. Will they continue to think that work is enough, especially since ICE is now responding so aggressively using pepper spray and as of last week, deadly force.

That's NPR's Jason DeRose in Minneapolis. Jason, thanks.

You're welcome.

President Trump will rule out strikes on Iran, which is seeing significant protests despite saying Tehran has to negotiate.

He told journalists on Air Force One that the US might have to act before the meeting because of, What's happening in Iran? Protesters have been pouring into the streets for several weeks in the biggest challenge to the theocratic regime in years. In response, the Iranian government has cracked down hard with a US-based human rights activist news agency reporting almost 500 protesters killed.

Npr's international affairs correspondent, Jackie Northam, has been following all of this. Jackie, these are the biggest protests in Iran in years, and they seem to be picking up steam.

Oh, yes. The protesters are in virtually every corner of Iran now. While they started out in late December in response to the country's terrible economy. They've now spread to anger at the hardline regime. There are a chance of death to the dictator, meaning Ayatollah Ali Hamani. Videos we're seeing show massive crowds and some burning buildings, including mosques, but also dead bodies on the streets and in the morgs. Now, it's really difficult to verify information coming out of Iran. Internet and cell phone service has been cut by the regime for several days now. But there are still ways to get information and videos out of what's happening in Iran.

President Trump says the Iranians want to set up a meeting. Considering the US's operation in Venezuela, are we seeing his threats maybe take on a little bit more weight?

While the Iranians have not said anything publicly about negotiations with the US, but truly, the Venezuela operation will likely be part of any of their calculations regarding the protests. Iran has said it would consider US military bases and ships legitimate targets for preemptive strikes if it looks as though the US would strike around. But all of this comes at a particularly vulnerable time for the regime. Many of the government's senior leadership were killed, and its military capabilities were badly weakened during the 12-day war with Israel last summer. The regime still has a stockpile of ballistic missiles, though. I spoke with Nader Habibi, and he focuses on Middle East economics at Brandeis University. He left Iran in the late 1990s, but is in daily contact with people there. Habibi said the regime knows the US could do considerable damage to the missile facilities as well as hit political targets. Here he is.

I don't think they are underestimating the risk.

That's why they are issuing some threatening postures in terms of retaliation, even though in reality, they might not be able to carry out those threats. Which is why the Iranians may have asked the Trump administration for negotiations.

Has the regime there, though, maybe addressed the grievances of the protesters? Maybe cool off the situation before any possible US strike.

Yes, Iran's more moderate President, Massoud Pzezehski, has said from the start that the government needs to sit down and listen to the protester's concerns. At one point last week, there The regime tried to prop up the economy by throwing US dollars into the market. But clearly, this has not stopped people from coming out. But no matter how big these crowds are, there are still millions of people who have not joined in because many Iranians who have seen other wide spread protests over the years know what the security forces can do. The regime still has support. In fact, tens of thousands of pro-government protesters took to the streets today.

That's NPR's international affairs correspondent, Jackie Northam. Jackie Thanks.

Thanks so much.

The Trump administration is stepping up its pressure campaign against the Federal Reserve, which it has been pushing to lower interest rates.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, says the Justice Department served subpoenas on the Central Bank late last week.

And Pierre Scott-Horsley is here. Scott, so what's this latest move by the Justice Department?

Well, the Federal Reserve says it was served with grand jury subpoenas on Friday seeking information about the multibillion dollar makeover of the Fed's headquarters building here in Washington, and testimony that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell gave the Senate Banking Committee about that project back in June. Powell was grilled at the time about cost overruns on the headquarters renovation. He acknowledged the price tag has balloon from $1. 9 billion to $2. 5 billion. But in an unusually combative video statement last evening, Powell says that's not what this new Justice Department probe is really about.

This new threat is not about my testimony last June or about the renovation of the Federal Reserve buildings. The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public rather than following the preferences of the President.

The Justice Department hasn't commented. President Trump told NBC last evening he was not aware of the DOJ investigation. But there's no question Trump has aggressively to impose his will on the central bank. He's threatened in the past to fire Powell. He's also tried to fire another member of the Fed's governing board, Lisa Cooke, although so far, the Supreme Court has kept that on hold.

Jerome Powell, though, says this is really about interest rates. So what is President Trump trying to achieve?

Well, politicians often want lower interest rates in order to goose the economy in the short run. But the Fed was designed to be insulated from that political pressure, precisely so policymakers, the Fed can do what they think is in the best long term interest to the economy, even if it means making some unpopular short term decisions like keeping interest rates high to curb inflation. Now, Trump has ignored those guardrails designed to protect the Fed's independence. And this Justice Department probe could be the latest example of the Trump administration going to extraordinary lengths to get its way.

It's clear the President is executing a pressure campaign. So what's been the reaction?

Well, some senators have recoiled at this. Powell's term as chairman expires in May, and Trump will We'll get to nominate his successor. But some of the senators who will vote on that nomination have been expressing their unhappiness with this move by the Justice Department. That includes not only Democrats, like Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, but also Republican Senator Tom Tillis of North Carolina. Tillis said yesterday, The administration's move is putting not only the feds independence and credibility in question, but also the Justice Departments. Tillis threatened to vote against any Trump Fed nominee until this issue his resolve. In the meantime, Jerome Powell says he's not going to band to intimidation.

Public service sometimes requires standing firm in the face of threats. I will continue to do the job the Senate confirmed me to do with integrity and a commitment to serving the American people.

Powell has not said whether he plans to stay on the Fed board after his term as chairman expires. That would be unusual, but Powell could stick around for two more years, which would limit Trump's ability to put more loyalists on the central bank board.

That's NPR. Scott Horsley. Scott, thanks a lot.

You're welcome.

And that's Up First for Monday, January 12th. I'm A Martínez.

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