St. Paul Mayor Responds to Federal Immigration Raids and ICE Tactics

Federal Immigration Enforcement in St. Paul

• 🚨 Federal immigration enforcement operations, specifically ICE surges, are ongoing in Minnesota for the third week, causing fear and frustration among residents.
• 🤝 There is no coordination between ICE and local law enforcement in St. Paul; local officials are not informed about ICE's assignments or targets.
• 👮‍♂️ Accounts indicate that off-duty law enforcement officers, including those of color, have been stopped by ICE, sometimes with guns drawn, not just in Minneapolis suburbs but across the state.

Concerns Over ICE Tactics

• 🏠 An internal memo suggests new federal immigration officers are trained to forcibly enter homes without a judge's warrant, a departure from previous guidance.
• ⛓️ A naturalized U.S. citizen with no criminal record was arrested and detained by ICE, highlighting concerns about the tactics used and the impact on individuals.
• 🗣️ Portland Mayor Mark Dion condemned ICE's approach as a "paramilitary approach" that appears to threaten and intimidate populations.

Sacred Spaces and Protest

• ⛪ The mayor addressed an incident where protesters disrupted a church service involving an ICE official, emphasizing that places of worship are sacred spaces.
• ⚖️ She argued that if the federal government expects respect for sacred spaces like churches, it must also respect other essential spaces like hospitals and schools.
• 🕊️ Bringing calm and order requires mutual respect for these spaces from all sides.

Subpoena and Community Spirit

• 📜 Mayor Kaohly Her confirmed receiving a Justice Department subpoena related to alleged disruption of ICE operations, stating she was not surprised due to presidential rhetoric.
• ✊ Despite the subpoena and federal actions, St. Paul remains committed to protecting its residents and communities, and their spirit will not be broken.
• ❤️ The community is showing love, care, and kindness to each other, creating networks of support for those most hurt by federal actions.

Misinformation and Reality

• 🚫 The mayor urged people not to believe rhetoric that suggests compliance or legal status guarantees safety, stating that ICE has made it clear anyone can be targeted.
• 🇺🇸 She highlighted that incidents of American citizens being detained and injured by ICE are more common than cases involving individuals who pose a danger to the community.
• 🗣️ The focus should be on the real stories of impacted individuals, not just party-line rhetoric.