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.
