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Minneapolis News
Sarah Thamer

Minneapolis City Council resolution urges Trump administration to stop mass deportations

Audience members listen to the Minneapolis City Council
Council president Elliott Payne speaks during a Minneapolis City Council meeting on April 11, 2024. The Minneapolis City Council is set to vote Thursday on a resolution that calls on the Trump administration to stop its mass deportation policy and that shows support for immigrant communities concerned about federal enforcement. 
Ben Hovland | MPR News

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The Minneapolis City Council is expected to pass a resolution Thursday that supports immigrant communities who fear deportation and disruption from federal authorities. 

Council member Jason Chavez is one of the co-authors of the resolution. He said it's especially important for the city to stand up for children who may be directly impacted by the policy.

“Many of our students here in public schools are fearful of going to get their education because of the fear that ICE might be in the community, or fear that their parents might be taken away while they are at school,” Chavez said earlier this week during a committee meeting. 

The committee passed the resolution forward to Thursday’s full council meeting.

Chavez says St. Paul and Columbia Heights are also expected to adopt similar resolutions.

The resolution follows calls from immigrant rights advocates and local leaders who are urging cities across Minnesota to take a public stance against federal immigration enforcement policies.

Earlier this week immigrant rights leaders and elected officials called on local municipalities to pass resolutions in opposition to the Trump administration's immigration policies.

At a press conference, Kevin Huynh, an organizer with the Southeast Asian advocacy group, Minnesota 8, said the administration's focus on mass deportations and family separations is troubling.

A large group stand behind a podium in an office.
Kevin Huynh (forth from the left), and a group of local immigration rights advocates and elected officials held a press conference Monday at the local ACLU of Minnesota office in St. Paul. They called on municipalities in the state to pass resolutions that oppose Trump Administration deportation policies.
Regina Medina | MPR News

“We must not forget that detention and deportation are violent. Minnesota must protect its people when the federal government is attacking our dignity and our rights, it is up to local cities to set the record on justice and dignity,” he said.

The Immigrant Defense Network, a statewide network of about 90 groups that aim to protect immigrant communities in Minnesota, is behind the initiative. It was launched this year to protect immigrant rights in Minnesota through legal support, education and community action.