Jackie Martinez, her partner Pedro Camarena, and their daughters, Adrien and Angie opened Mexico 32 Cocina at 883 Payne Ave.

As Minnesota sees a surge in early voting ahead of Election Day, Somali community leaders and state representatives say many Somali Minnesotans are motivated to cast their ballots amid concerns about federal immigration enforcement and rhetoric targeting their community.

The attorney general’s office represents state agencies in legal matters, enforces consumer protection laws and has specific authority to prosecute crimes such as Medicaid fraud.

Prosecutors allege that James Edward O’Keefe, 42, of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Cam Higby, 26, of Covington, Washington, visited several Minneapolis polling places and gave election judges other registered voters identities to misrepresent themselves while applying for ballots.

Family, former students and community members gathered in St. Paul to celebrate historian, educator and community activist Mahmoud El-Kati ahead of his 91st birthday. The ceremony unveiled an honorary street sign in Rondo, recognizing his decades of teaching, mentorship and contributions to Black history and the community.