(The Epoch Times)—The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a stronger version of the city’s local “sanctuary city” ordinance on Dec. 11, in opposition to federal agents’ illegal-immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities.
The council’s 13-0 vote followed a Dec. 9 public hearing where dozens of people supported updates to the city’s 22-year-old “separation ordinance,” which forbids local police from aiding federal immigration-enforcement efforts.
Revised wording clarifies that no city resources, including data, can be used to help federal immigration officers. In addition, city employees will be required to undergo annual training to ensure they comply with the new ordinance; violations could result in disciplinary action.
The updated ordinance “uplifts the city’s values while strengthening the separation” between local and federal actions, said Councilmember Jason Chavez, a co-author of the legislation.
The council’s action represents the latest act of Minnesota Democrats opposing President Donald Trump, a Republican, in his quest to halt illegal immigration and expel illegal immigrants. The Trump administration has sued a number of places, including Minneapolis, its twin city of St. Paul, and the state of Minnesota, over sanctuary policies aiming to shield illegal immigrants.
No Republicans sit on the Minneapolis council. One member is affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America; the remaining 12 members are Democrats, along with Mayor Jacob Frey.
State Sen. Eric Lucero, a Republican who is Hispanic, told The Epoch Times, “Minneapolis is an echo chamber, and any contrarian viewpoint is often met with strong negative reaction.”
Lucero said he believes the separation ordinance is widely accepted in Minneapolis, a progressive bastion southeast of Lucero’s District 30. Opponents have been silenced, Lucero said, because they have seen that “differing opinion is met with scorn, strong rebuke, threats to livelihood, intimidation, threats to be fired—or worse.”
Chavez, whose parents came from Mexico, spoke against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) operations. The councilmember’s voice cracked as he lamented families being torn apart and illegal immigrants being fearful that they will be “snatched” if they leave their homes.
“Our undocumented immigrants as a whole are being arrested, detained, deported, and not being able to come home,” he said.
Chavez vowed “to continue to resist this Trump administration.”
The ordinance is “just one little thing that we can do today,” he said, but “We have a lot more work that we can do.” He didn’t disclose what additional actions might be planned.
ICE confirmed that it began “Operation Metro Surge” in the Twin Cities on Dec. 1. That action followed reports of widespread immigration fraud and welfare fraud in the region, particularly among Somalis.
Among the 19 arrestees ICE highlighted in its news releases, eight hail from Somalia; the remaining 11 are natives of Latin American countries.
However, Chavez stated that ICE has swept up 400 people. He didn’t cite the source of that figure. However, it matches the number that a local TV station, KARE 11, publicized after a reporter spent hours with ICE officers on Dec. 10.
A co-author of the updated Minneapolis ordinance, Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury, said the city has “slipped into a complete crisis” over immigration enforcement.
She accused ICE of cruel and unconstitutional actions, and said that community members have responded with “an extraordinary amount of love.”
That includes going “on the streets doing legal observation,” collecting money to support arrestees’ families, training people to know their rights, and “checking in on one another,” Chowdhury said.
KARE 11 reported that other people were more actively opposing ICE with tactics such as blowing whistles in their faces and attaching electronic-tracking devices to ICE vehicles. On Dec. 9, officers pepper-sprayed a crowd that blocked their vehicles in a Somali neighborhood of Minneapolis.
The next day, Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, stating, “The forcefulness, lack of communication, and unlawful practices displayed by your agents will not be tolerated in Minnesota.”
Walz alleged at least two incidents of ICE officers pushing or tackling U.S. citizens and detaining them—actions that he said send “a deeply disturbing signal” about rights being violated.
The governor urged Noem to “review the circumstances surrounding all recent arrests,” including whether officers were acting under a judge’s warrant.
As of the evening of Dec. 11, Noem had issued no public response to Walz, nor has Homeland Security replied to The Epoch Times’ requests for comment.
The department’s recent news releases say the ICE is targeting “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in the Minneapolis area.”
Arrestees in the recent operation include “pedophiles, gang members, drug traffickers, and violent thugs,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a news release.
“President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message for criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you don’t, we will find you, arrest you, and deport you.”
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