Council votes to strengthen Minneapolis’ separation from immigration enforcement activities

The Minneapolis City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to strengthen the ordinance separating the city from immigration enforcement activities.

The ordinance was brought forth following the city auditor’s report on the June 3 federal raid at Taqueria y Birrieria Las Cuatro Milpas. The report noted the Separation Ordinance hadn’t been updated since 2003.

The strengthened ordinance includes:

Prohibiting City facilities, property, money, equipment, data or technology from being used for enforcing immigration laws, and expanding the ordinance to cover City-contracted vendors

Prohibiting federal agents from using city-owned or city-controlled parking lots, ramps, vacant lots and garages as processing locations, operations bases, or similar uses

Restricting access to non-public City spaces so they can’t be used for federal immigration enforcement, except with a warrant or when access is required by law

Prohibiting the use of city resources to set up a perimeter or control public areas in order to enforce federal immigation laws

Prohibiting the City from entering into an agreement with federal agencies for immigration enforcement

Requiring the Mayor’s Office to give a report to City Council and the public any time a federal agency requests assistance for immigration enforcement

Requiring the Mayor’s Office to notify City Council when it becomes aware of ongoing action to enforce immigration laws

The full ordinance can be read HERE.

The council also passed a resolution regarding oversight and accountability for police. Amongst other things, the resolution would establish consequences for officers who violate the separation ordinance.
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