Partial Drawdown In Minnesota, NPR Poll: Trump and ICE, Nuclear Treaty Expires

Summary of Partial Drawdown In Minnesota, NPR Poll: Trump and ICE, Nuclear Treaty Expires

by NPR

12m•February 5, 2026
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Overview of Up First — Partial Drawdown In Minnesota, NPR Poll: Trump and ICE, Nuclear Treaty Expires

This episode of NPR’s Up First (Feb. 5) covers three major stories: a partial pullback of federal immigration agents in Minnesota and the push for more local cooperation; a new NPR/PBS/Marist poll showing growing public disapproval of ICE and low marks for the president on multiple fronts; and the expiration of the New START nuclear arms treaty between the U.S. and Russia, with experts warning of a possible renewed arms race.

Key points and main takeaways

  • Minnesota drawdown

    • White House border czar Tom Homan said 700 federal agents will leave Minnesota, but roughly 2,300 federal agents will remain — still more than local police in the Twin Cities.
    • Further reductions, Homan said, depend on state and local cooperation (especially county sheriffs who control jails).
    • Hennepin County Sheriff (named in the reporting as Dewana Witt) says her office honors signed judicial warrants but does not, as policy, honor ICE administrative detainers without judicial approval — though she’s open to negotiations if it improves public safety.
    • Local leaders and community groups say the drawdown is insufficient; many residents remain fearful and describe ongoing community disruption.

  • NPR/PBS/Marist poll (highlights)

    • 65% of Americans say ICE has gone too far.
    • Trump’s overall approval sits at 39%; about 30% of independents approve.
    • 6 in 10 disapprove of his handling of the economy; many view his tariffs as hurting the economy.
    • Only 37% approve of his foreign policy handling. Strong majorities say Congress should authorize military action; nearly 70% oppose the idea of taking over Greenland.
    • The episode notes a tonal shift from President Trump — he said he’d “use a little bit of a softer touch” after public reaction in Minneapolis, signaling sensitivity to widespread backlash.

  • New START expiration

    • New START (signed 2010) capped deployed strategic nuclear warheads at 1,550 for each side and allowed on-site inspections — the last major U.S.–Russia arms-control treaty.
    • Russia had offered to act as if limits remained for a year if the U.S. agreed, but talks stalled; Russia suspended participation in 2023 following the invasion of Ukraine.
    • Experts warn the treaty’s demise raises the risk of a longer-term arms race, complicated further by other nuclear powers (China, India, Pakistan, North Korea) and new weapons that blur conventional/nuclear lines.

Notable quotes and insights

  • President Trump: “I learned that maybe we can use a little bit of a softer touch, but you still have to be tough.”
  • Domenico Montanaro (NPR): “You don't have to believe the polls — watch what politicians do.” (Used to stress that the administration’s actions reflect concern about public opinion.)
  • Russian arms expert (Dmitry Stefanovich): Without New START, “an arms race won't start tomorrow. But without New START, it's coming.”

Topics discussed

  • Federal vs. local roles in immigration enforcement and the legal limits of detainers and pre-trial jails.
  • Political fallout from ICE actions in Minnesota, including public safety, community fear, and political approval ratings.
  • Polling data on immigration enforcement, the economy, foreign policy, NATO, and public appetite for unilateral presidential action.
  • Technical and diplomatic dimensions of arms control: warhead caps, inspections, COVID-era inspection suspensions, Russia–U.S. relations post-Ukraine invasion, and the challenge of including additional nuclear powers in future agreements.

Implications and what to watch next

  • Minnesota: whether county sheriffs will change detainer policies and whether federal agents are further reduced — this affects local trust, civil-liberties concerns, and ICE operational plans elsewhere.
  • Politics: rising public disapproval on immigration and the economy could influence messaging and policy choices by the administration, especially ahead of elections.
  • Arms control: track follow-up negotiations (if any) between the U.S. and Russia, possible proposals to include other nuclear states, and arms modernization programs that might accelerate without treaty constraints.

Production credits

  • Hosts: Steve Inskeep, Leila Faldil
  • Reporting: Meg Anderson (Minneapolis), Domenico Montanaro (polling/politics), Charles Maynes (Moscow)
  • Editing/production credits listed in the episode.