St. Paul Mayor Under Investigation Amid New Controversy

The Democratic mayor of St. Paul, once candid about his own status as an “illegal alien” during a Minnesota House session, now faces a different kind of scrutiny.

In June 2025, Kaoli Ha (DFL), then a state representative, shared with her peers that her father had falsified immigration documents to bring their family from Laos to the U.S. Fast forward a few months, and she’s now a U.S. citizen and the newly elected mayor, notable for her strong criticisms of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Reportedly, she has had a challenging relationship with the law, much like her father.

The city has engaged an external firm, Resolute Law, to delve into allegations of sexual harassment involving Mayor Herr and St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry, along with other city personnel.

Lawyer Chris Madel, representing Chief Henry, mentioned in an April letter to City Attorney Irene Cao that the police chief chose to officially accuse the mayor of “illegal employment practices,” which includes claims of sending inappropriate text messages to city officials. One message reportedly contained a crude reference along with a bizarre image manipulation.

There was no immediate response from Herr’s office regarding the inquiries.

Madel urged the city to conduct a thorough extraction from the mayor’s cellphones to ensure law enforcement has access to all relevant communications.

He emphasized the seriousness of the accusations against the mayor and the potential vulnerabilities of affected parties, warning that without formal charges, such behavior might persist unchecked.

According to Alpha News, Henry aims to hold the mayor accountable, stating this aligns with his duty to ensure public safety.

A spokesperson from the mayor’s office conveyed that the city refrains from commenting on ongoing investigations to maintain confidentiality. They reiterated that the mayor respects city employees and regrets any unintended outcomes from her conduct.

Interestingly, this isn’t her first encounter with controversy. Shirley Yang, who worked closely with Herr on the National Kidney Foundation board, sought a restraining order against her earlier this year, alleging intimidation and harassment. Ultimately, a judge dismissed her petition but found numerous sexually explicit messages sent by the mayor inappropriate.