Sahan's Top 5 videos of 2025 include, clockwise from top left, "Hmong Minnesotan ordered deported to Laos speaks out about arrest," "Kaohly Vang Her makes history as first Hmong woman to lead St. Paul," "Protesters confront federal officers during enforcement action on Lake Street in Minneapolis,"

Local politics and immigration were hot topics for Sahan Journal readers in 2025, making up eight of the year’s top 10 most read stories. 

The year was turbulent for Minnesota as a second Donald Trump presidency brought in a wave of immigration enforcement that swept up Latino, Hmong and Somali residents, among others. Community members clashed with federal agents and local police, whose presence as crowd control at enforcement activities had critics asking whether they were crossing the line and enabling federal agents.

While presidential rhetoric ramped up against immigrants, St. Paul voters showed confidence in an immigrant of their own, electing Kaohly Vang Her to the mayor’s office. Her made history as the city and state’s first Hmong mayor-elect; she’s also St. Paul’s first female mayor-elect.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s reelection was the most read story this year, and was an indicator of readers’ deep interest in local politics. Sahan’s first-ever interactive Meet Your Mayor quiz was a hit, allowing readers to answer a series of questions before matching them with candidates that aligned with them best.

Sahan Journal will continue covering these issues and more in 2026. Thank you for your readership this year.

#10 FENCING ALONG FRANKLIN

#9 HMONG MINNESOTAN DEPORTED

#8 FREY SECURES THIRD TERM

#7 ST. PAUL ELECTS FIRST HMONG WOMAN MAYOR

#6 FEDS AND PROTESTERS CLASH ON LAKE STREET

#5 SHERIFFS AND ICE COLLABORATION

#4 FEEDING OUR FUTURE SUSPECTS ATTEMPTS TO FLEE

#3 HOW MINNEAPOLIS VOTED

#2 MEET YOUR MAYOR 2025

#1 MINNEAPOLIS ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS

Chao Xiong is the director of editorial at Sahan Journal. He joined the nonprofit newsroom in March 2022. He previously spent 18 years reporting for the Star Tribune, where he covered general news, policing,...