St. Paul sends letter to DHS to stop ICE from using city-owned parking lots

The City of St. Paul has issued a cease-and-desist letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop the use of city-owned parking lots, specifically at rec centers and parks, for federal immigration operations.

The city says that DHS and other federal law enforcement agencies have used the parking lots to stage vehicles without the city’s consent, agreement, permit or statutory basis. St. Paul officials add that this action is unlawful under the city’s charter and legislative code and interferes with the public’s right to those spaces.

“Our parks and libraries are among the most valued and essential services in our city, and they exist solely to serve our residents and families,” said St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. “When federal law enforcement repurposes them for federal operations without our authorization, it eliminates public access, erodes public trust, and undermines local control by unlawfully occupying city property.” 

The city said it is prepared to pursue all available legal actions, including seeking immediate injunctive relief, if federal agencies continue using the properties after receiving the letter.

Earlier this month, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued an executive order prohibiting law enforcement from using city-owned parking lots for immigration operations.

RELATED: Minneapolis bans use of city-owned lots for staging immigration raids

You can read the full letter below:

cease-and-desist-federal-immigration-enforcement-use-park-parking-lotsDownload

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