Nick Benson
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ottergoose.net
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
Reposted by Nick Benson
Confirmed ICE deportation flight touching down at MSP at ~1:00pm. Landing and departing from Signature Aviation's private terminal, detainees will be transported from Whipple, shackled in the cold on the tarmac, and then flown to Harlingen, TX.

Track here: www.flightaware.com/live/flight/...
December 26, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
😲 Is one of these near you?

Speak up before it's too late!
"The large warehouses would be located close to major logistics hubs in Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Georgia and Missouri. Sixteen smaller warehouses would hold up to 1,500 people each."
December 24, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
🧊 WAREHOUSING HUMANS 😲

ICE plans to herd their captives "into one of seven large-scale warehouses holding 5,000 to 10,000 people each, where they would be staged for deportation." www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
ICE documents reveal plan to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses
The Trump administration wants to build seven large-scale deportation hubs to speed up deportations, internal ICE documents show.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
Excellent visualizations in this NY Times article on the Trump Ethnic Cleansing Machine (paywall free link) ⤵️
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
The Complex Deportation Network Behind Trump’s Immigration Crackdown (Gift Article)
An analysis of data on every ICE arrest, detention stay and deportation reveals the complexity and reach of President Trump’s immigration crackdown.
www.nytimes.com
December 23, 2025 at 1:37 PM
In the last 31 days, since November 22, 2025, 15 ICE deportation flights have loaded at MSP.

Based on the number of DHS/ICE vehicles that have served each flight, and several direct passenger counts, I estimate that a total of 500 or so of our neighbors have been deported in this time frame.
December 23, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
ICE deportation flight arriving at MSP Tue Dec 23 at 10:30 AM

Vans will drive from the Whipple Building to shackle detainees in the cold and load them at Signature Aviation.

This is an early warning; we believe it will most likely come to MSP, but track it here to be sure: adsb.lol?icao=a8b479
December 23, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
🧊✈️ The ICECAST – December 23

Forecasting ICE flights on Tuesday:

Newark – Richmond – Detroit – Jacksonville – Minneapolis – Omaha – Denver – Las Vegas – Seattle

👉 PLUS - What was Avelo thinking?

👀 Watch, Comment, Like & Subscribe youtube.com/shorts/g1_II...
The ICECAST – December 23, 2025
YouTube video by JJ in DC
youtube.com
December 23, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Reposted by Nick Benson
We rode the Northstar Train a couple times over the last week before it ends service on January 4th. Saw daily commuters, transit nerds, and video gamers.

Want to ride? The 3:38pm train out of Target Field Station is a good choice, the only PM train you can ride out and back on.
December 22, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
Confirmed deportation flight touching down at MSP ~2:35PM. Landing and departing from Signature Aviation's private terminal, detainees will be shackled in the cold, then flown off to Louisiana and elsewhere.

Track it here: adsb.lol?icao=a8b479
December 21, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
#BoycottKeyLimeAir #Alamosa joined in an interstate protest today against Key Lime Air who owns #DenverAirConnection, and contracts with ICE
December 21, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Reposted by Nick Benson
Indivisible Jackson joined Colorado & Minneapolis for mass protests against ICE flights. Key Lime Air is the parent company of Denver Air Connection which flies out of Jackson. Key Lime Air is profiting from people's misery. We want that to stop. No company should make money by separating
December 20, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
​Super windy and cold out there - but my little guy flew like a champ!
December 20, 2025 at 6:36 PM
The fifth ICE deportation flight at MSP this week, the most I've seen.

If the additional flights, decreased transparency, and abandonment of due process upset you, join me and many other at the ICE out of Minnesota march tomorrow (Sat, Dec 20): www.mobilize.us/indivisiblet...
December 19, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
MSP's FOURTH confirmed deportation flight of the week is touching down at ~11:10AM. Landing and departing from Signature Aviation's private terminal, detainees will be shackled in the cold, then flown off to Louisiana and elsewhere.

Track it here: www.flightaware.com/live/flight/...
December 19, 2025 at 3:02 PM
ICE deportation flight inbound MSP Thu Dec 18, eta 10:05 AM

Observe MSP Terminal 1 parking ramp, Gold 7

Track: adsb.lol?icao=ad9686
ADSB.lol
LYM500 🇺🇸N975DC, EMBRAER ERJ-145XR, 30925 ft, 526.3 mph
adsb.lol
December 18, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
This past month, Minnesota has seen an uptick in deportation flights, now 3-4 a week. Join us and others at cities and airports around the country, standing against these heinous, anti-constitutional acts.

Sat, Dec 20th, 11:30AM

Lake Street and Bloomington
OR
Signature Aviation's terminal at MSP
December 17, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I had the opportunity to discuss ICE flights and the challenges our immigrant neighbors are facing with Adam on WCCO radio this morning: www.audacy.com/podcast/adam...
www.audacy.com
December 17, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
Who KNEELS, on a PREGNANT WOMAN, in Minneapolis?

They are terrorists.

This is abhorrent and unacceptable. This is traumatizing for her and the people of Minneapolis. For our BIPOC neighbors. For anyone with a soul.

We see you, and when the time comes for trial, justice WILL prevail.
December 17, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
Confirmed ICE deportation flight touching down ~11:05am today. It will land at Signature Aviation's private terminal. Detainees will be moved from Whipple and other detention centers, shackled in the cold, then flown off to Louisiana and elsewhere.

Track it here adsb.lol?icao=a82727
December 17, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
📣 COLORADO, MINNESOTA & TENNESSEE‼️

✊ Come out on Saturday and PROTEST against Key Lime Air & Denver Air Connection for participating in ICE Air flights!

👉 Events in Denver, Centennial, Pueblo, Alamosa & Cortez CO

PLUS: Jackson TN and TWO events in Minneapolis 👀
December 17, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Reposted by Nick Benson
Denver prevents ICE contractor from expanding operations at airport
Denver prevents ICE contractor from expanding operations at airport
The City Council rejected a contract from Key Lime Air, which runs removal flights for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.
dlvr.it
December 16, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
Students participated in a walkout outside Apple Valley High School on Monday, protesting against ICE presence and arrests in the Twin Cities area.
December 16, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
A wheelchair-bound detainee, left, is prepared to board an ICE deportation flight at MSP, while ICE workers, right, prepare shackles. Dec 16, 2025

Photo: Holden Smith
December 16, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Solid coverage of the ICE flights here at MSP from the Star Tribune today. (Gift Link)
Under the radar: How charter airlines fly ICE deportees at MSP
Some charter airplanes use a government list to mask operations. This Minnesotan is exposing them.
www.startribune.com
December 16, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Reposted by Nick Benson
Denver City Council voted against a resolution Monday that would have allowed Key Lime Air to lease ground space at Denver International Airport over concerns about the airline’s immigration enforcement flights in recent months.
By @sarawilson.bsky.social
ICE flights cited in Denver's denial of Key Lime airport lease | Colorado Newsline
Denver City Council voted against a resolution that would have allowed Key Lime Air to lease ground space at Denver International Airport.
coloradonewsline.com
December 16, 2025 at 12:55 AM