Nick Benson
@ottergoose.net
Nerding out over geography, weather, LEGO, politics, and photography of Minnesota's railroad and aviation scene. Chief AvGeek at @JetTip.net.
📍 Burnsville, Minnesota, US
📍 Burnsville, Minnesota, US
Pinned
Thank you for the coverage, @npr.org.
If you, dear reader, would like to help other people observing ICE in Minnesota, please contribute to our dash cam drive - more than a thousand have been distributed so far, and demand remains high: ottergoose.net/dashcam/
If you, dear reader, would like to help other people observing ICE in Minnesota, please contribute to our dash cam drive - more than a thousand have been distributed so far, and demand remains high: ottergoose.net/dashcam/
If you’d like to help out, Amazon’s pricing on dash cams is now damn near what we can get them for wholesale - if you’d like to help ordering a few on the wishlist, we’d sure appreciate it - we can’t keep up with demand for our ICE observers here in Minnesota:
Dash cams for Minnesota
A crowd-sourcing effort to collect and distribute dash cams in Minnesota to help ICE observers stay safe.
ottergoose.net
February 9, 2026 at 4:54 PM
If you’d like to help out, Amazon’s pricing on dash cams is now damn near what we can get them for wholesale - if you’d like to help ordering a few on the wishlist, we’d sure appreciate it - we can’t keep up with demand for our ICE observers here in Minnesota:
Reposted by Nick Benson
My goal as a parent was always to raise better men than me
I just received a video from one son of my other son juggling dildos outside the Whipple Building
There are many things I could have done better but I can't really argue with the results
I just received a video from one son of my other son juggling dildos outside the Whipple Building
There are many things I could have done better but I can't really argue with the results
February 7, 2026 at 6:34 PM
My goal as a parent was always to raise better men than me
I just received a video from one son of my other son juggling dildos outside the Whipple Building
There are many things I could have done better but I can't really argue with the results
I just received a video from one son of my other son juggling dildos outside the Whipple Building
There are many things I could have done better but I can't really argue with the results
Reposted by Nick Benson
Blessed are the plane spotters, and the spreadsheets they populate.
‘This was just one of the best ways that I could be a helper, and I'm glad that I'm here to be able to do it.’
‘This was just one of the best ways that I could be a helper, and I'm glad that I'm here to be able to do it.’
Minneapolis now has daily deportation flights. One man has been documenting them
A professional airplane enthusiast has been tracking the federally chartered deportation flights out of the Minneapolis airport as DHS sends immigration detainees to other states and, eventually, othe...
www.npr.org
February 7, 2026 at 2:38 AM
Blessed are the plane spotters, and the spreadsheets they populate.
‘This was just one of the best ways that I could be a helper, and I'm glad that I'm here to be able to do it.’
‘This was just one of the best ways that I could be a helper, and I'm glad that I'm here to be able to do it.’
Reposted by Nick Benson
🧊🏈✈️ It’s not JUST the Patriots Plane
Athletes & Performers Need to Speak Up‼️ youtube.com/shorts/afUQ2...
Athletes & Performers Need to Speak Up‼️ youtube.com/shorts/afUQ2...
I Have Something to Say – The ICECAST
YouTube video by JJ in DC
youtube.com
February 7, 2026 at 3:12 PM
🧊🏈✈️ It’s not JUST the Patriots Plane
Athletes & Performers Need to Speak Up‼️ youtube.com/shorts/afUQ2...
Athletes & Performers Need to Speak Up‼️ youtube.com/shorts/afUQ2...
Reposted by Nick Benson
I grew up on a farm in Moville, Iowa. Mom organized a $$ and supply drive for Mi Casa and Moville came through!! Thank you! 🥰🥰🥰
Help provide food, pay for rent and bills here -> www.givemn.org/organization....
Help provide food, pay for rent and bills here -> www.givemn.org/organization....
February 7, 2026 at 2:56 PM
I grew up on a farm in Moville, Iowa. Mom organized a $$ and supply drive for Mi Casa and Moville came through!! Thank you! 🥰🥰🥰
Help provide food, pay for rent and bills here -> www.givemn.org/organization....
Help provide food, pay for rent and bills here -> www.givemn.org/organization....
Reposted by Nick Benson
Mamdani: "I speak of Renee Good, whose final words to the man who murdered her were, 'I'm not mad at you.' I speak of Alex Pretti who died as he lived, caring for the stranger. ICE shot him bc he did something they could never fathom ... let us offer a new path: one of defiance through compassion."
February 6, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Mamdani: "I speak of Renee Good, whose final words to the man who murdered her were, 'I'm not mad at you.' I speak of Alex Pretti who died as he lived, caring for the stranger. ICE shot him bc he did something they could never fathom ... let us offer a new path: one of defiance through compassion."
Thank you for the coverage, @npr.org.
If you, dear reader, would like to help other people observing ICE in Minnesota, please contribute to our dash cam drive - more than a thousand have been distributed so far, and demand remains high: ottergoose.net/dashcam/
If you, dear reader, would like to help other people observing ICE in Minnesota, please contribute to our dash cam drive - more than a thousand have been distributed so far, and demand remains high: ottergoose.net/dashcam/
February 6, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Thank you for the coverage, @npr.org.
If you, dear reader, would like to help other people observing ICE in Minnesota, please contribute to our dash cam drive - more than a thousand have been distributed so far, and demand remains high: ottergoose.net/dashcam/
If you, dear reader, would like to help other people observing ICE in Minnesota, please contribute to our dash cam drive - more than a thousand have been distributed so far, and demand remains high: ottergoose.net/dashcam/
Reposted by Nick Benson
What is the true cost of ICE?
(Part 2)
(Part 2)
February 5, 2026 at 11:08 PM
What is the true cost of ICE?
(Part 2)
(Part 2)
Reposted by Nick Benson
I made a chart of Minnesota federal lawsuits with captions of “v. [Bondi/Noem/Easterwood/Lyons/Trump]” over the last three months. Almost all of these are immigration habeas corpus cases.
January 25, 2026 at 5:38 PM
I made a chart of Minnesota federal lawsuits with captions of “v. [Bondi/Noem/Easterwood/Lyons/Trump]” over the last three months. Almost all of these are immigration habeas corpus cases.
When I get back from the airport (I’m there now documenting an ICE flight that’s about to load), I’ll continue getting those Air Wisconsin flights added to our local list.
Tip of the hat to @iceflightmonitor.bsky.social and all the other data geeks sharing notes behind the scenes.
Tip of the hat to @iceflightmonitor.bsky.social and all the other data geeks sharing notes behind the scenes.
Yesterday, we identified and confirmed a new charter airline that has begun operating for ICE. Air Wisconsin currently has 8 active planes conducting ICE routes. Together, they conducted ~60 domestic transfer flights in January, some of which included flights out of Minneapolis.
February 5, 2026 at 8:23 PM
When I get back from the airport (I’m there now documenting an ICE flight that’s about to load), I’ll continue getting those Air Wisconsin flights added to our local list.
Tip of the hat to @iceflightmonitor.bsky.social and all the other data geeks sharing notes behind the scenes.
Tip of the hat to @iceflightmonitor.bsky.social and all the other data geeks sharing notes behind the scenes.
When we finally get through to the other side of all of this shit in Minnesota, the leadership at Columbia Heights that enabled folks there to speak the truth about their students deserve recognition - so many other institutions, private and public, are so badly failing the community now.
Federal authorities are releasing fourth-grader Elizabeth Zuna, the first of several students detained by immigration officers in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights, the school district's superintendent said.
Feds releasing Elizabeth Zuna, 4th-grader who's from same school district as Liam Ramos, officials say
Federal authorities are releasing fourth-grader Elizabeth Zuna, the first of several students detained by immigration officers in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights, school officials said.
cbsn.ws
February 5, 2026 at 6:04 PM
When we finally get through to the other side of all of this shit in Minnesota, the leadership at Columbia Heights that enabled folks there to speak the truth about their students deserve recognition - so many other institutions, private and public, are so badly failing the community now.
Reposted by Nick Benson
Ian McKellen performs “The Strangers’ Case” speech from “Sir Thomas More” on Colbert.
February 5, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Ian McKellen performs “The Strangers’ Case” speech from “Sir Thomas More” on Colbert.
I’ve seen more than a thousand shackled ICE detainees boarding the dedicated ICE Air charter flights out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International, but I’ve never seen children among them - apparently because commercial airlines - the ones you or I use to travel - handle the kids.
'Not a tool for ICE': Aviation worker slams deportations on commercial flights
YouTube video by MS NOW
youtu.be
February 5, 2026 at 1:54 PM
I’ve seen more than a thousand shackled ICE detainees boarding the dedicated ICE Air charter flights out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International, but I’ve never seen children among them - apparently because commercial airlines - the ones you or I use to travel - handle the kids.
A gut punch with today's ICE Air flight at MSP - I thought we were going to make it the whole day without a flight for the first time since January 5th, but one popped up this evening.
66 detainees boarded today - the most we've seen in the last ten days.
3,137 are represented on this graph.
66 detainees boarded today - the most we've seen in the last ten days.
3,137 are represented on this graph.
February 5, 2026 at 5:11 AM
A gut punch with today's ICE Air flight at MSP - I thought we were going to make it the whole day without a flight for the first time since January 5th, but one popped up this evening.
66 detainees boarded today - the most we've seen in the last ten days.
3,137 are represented on this graph.
66 detainees boarded today - the most we've seen in the last ten days.
3,137 are represented on this graph.
Reposted by Nick Benson
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
February 4, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
If anyone was wondering, the ~23% reduction in ICE agents in Minnesota apparently doesn't include the ones down the street that are lurking, now as I type this, as vulnerable folks are getting their kids to the school bus this morning.
We cannot rest until ICE is gone, entirely.
We cannot rest until ICE is gone, entirely.
February 4, 2026 at 2:50 PM
If anyone was wondering, the ~23% reduction in ICE agents in Minnesota apparently doesn't include the ones down the street that are lurking, now as I type this, as vulnerable folks are getting their kids to the school bus this morning.
We cannot rest until ICE is gone, entirely.
We cannot rest until ICE is gone, entirely.
Reposted by Nick Benson
This is so funny. Our precinct didn’t have a convener so one of the people ran out to find one—and he came back with a packet saying he was trained in 20 seconds and was somehow now our convener. We immediately nominated this terrified man as our caucus precinct chair 😂😂
February 4, 2026 at 5:58 AM
This is so funny. Our precinct didn’t have a convener so one of the people ran out to find one—and he came back with a packet saying he was trained in 20 seconds and was somehow now our convener. We immediately nominated this terrified man as our caucus precinct chair 😂😂
Our efforts to document ICE Air activity at MSP were covered by @npr.org yesterday on All Things Considered.
Minneapolis has daily deportation flights. One man is documenting them
A professional airplane enthusiast has been tracking the federally chartered deportation flights out of the Minneapolis airport as DHS sends detainees to other states and, eventually, other countries.
www.npr.org
February 4, 2026 at 12:43 PM
Our efforts to document ICE Air activity at MSP were covered by @npr.org yesterday on All Things Considered.
Reposted by Nick Benson
Person running for DFL vice chair of precinct 10-1 pledges to do a "C minus" job and attend "some meetings" but if literally anyone else is willing to do a C plus job, she would step aside.
February 4, 2026 at 1:30 AM
Person running for DFL vice chair of precinct 10-1 pledges to do a "C minus" job and attend "some meetings" but if literally anyone else is willing to do a C plus job, she would step aside.
Reposted by Nick Benson
I am usually a very behind the scenes person but I stepped outside of my comfort zone because I hope reading this will inspire other people just to step up and do the thing.
You never know what your impact can be.
You never know what your impact can be.
‘We have to keep showing up for each other’: In Minnesota, caregiving is a form of resistance
School pickups, diaper runs and mutual aid funds are central to how many Minnesotans are challenging the militarization of their state.
19thnews.org
February 3, 2026 at 1:40 PM
I am usually a very behind the scenes person but I stepped outside of my comfort zone because I hope reading this will inspire other people just to step up and do the thing.
You never know what your impact can be.
You never know what your impact can be.
Reposted by Nick Benson
today is the last day i will ask you to donate to people’s rent this month.
we are trying very hard to meet a $30,000
goal today to help the last few families on our list before their rent grace period ends.
we are trying very hard to meet a $30,000
goal today to help the last few families on our list before their rent grace period ends.
Venmo | SouthMpls RentSupport
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venmo.com
February 3, 2026 at 2:23 PM
today is the last day i will ask you to donate to people’s rent this month.
we are trying very hard to meet a $30,000
goal today to help the last few families on our list before their rent grace period ends.
we are trying very hard to meet a $30,000
goal today to help the last few families on our list before their rent grace period ends.
Reposted by Nick Benson
Lost in all the other news today . . .
More than 1,500 active-duty troops from Alaska & North Carolina had been on standby to deploy to Minnesota, but were quietly taken off heightened alert over the weekend.
Gift link => archive.ph/js8AQ
More than 1,500 active-duty troops from Alaska & North Carolina had been on standby to deploy to Minnesota, but were quietly taken off heightened alert over the weekend.
Gift link => archive.ph/js8AQ
Northern Command Tells N.C., Alaska Troops to Stand Down on Possible Minnesota Deployment
www.nytimes.com
February 3, 2026 at 8:33 AM
Lost in all the other news today . . .
More than 1,500 active-duty troops from Alaska & North Carolina had been on standby to deploy to Minnesota, but were quietly taken off heightened alert over the weekend.
Gift link => archive.ph/js8AQ
More than 1,500 active-duty troops from Alaska & North Carolina had been on standby to deploy to Minnesota, but were quietly taken off heightened alert over the weekend.
Gift link => archive.ph/js8AQ
Reposted by Nick Benson
In between the protesters waving signs and chanting at ICE headquarters, groups of volunteers stand watch at Whipple. They never know when someone will be released, so they wait, with piles of donated coats in the back seats of their cars.
Stepping up for ICE detainees who need winter coats
When people walk out of the Whipple Federal Building without coats or a way home, volunteers step up.
www.startribune.com
February 3, 2026 at 2:14 PM
In between the protesters waving signs and chanting at ICE headquarters, groups of volunteers stand watch at Whipple. They never know when someone will be released, so they wait, with piles of donated coats in the back seats of their cars.
The number of detainees getting put on ICE flights at MSP has been relatively low the last few days.
I believe this is not on account of ICE pulling back - they still outnumber local police in many towns - but on account of vulnerable people staying home, observer pressure, and lawyer organization.
I believe this is not on account of ICE pulling back - they still outnumber local police in many towns - but on account of vulnerable people staying home, observer pressure, and lawyer organization.
February 3, 2026 at 5:07 AM
The number of detainees getting put on ICE flights at MSP has been relatively low the last few days.
I believe this is not on account of ICE pulling back - they still outnumber local police in many towns - but on account of vulnerable people staying home, observer pressure, and lawyer organization.
I believe this is not on account of ICE pulling back - they still outnumber local police in many towns - but on account of vulnerable people staying home, observer pressure, and lawyer organization.
Reposted by Nick Benson
