Brooklyn Park staff outline draft immigration protections, propose resolution and department policies

Mayor Winston called a special update on immigration policy and outreach as city staff presented draft language and next steps for a council action.

Human Resources Director Craig said Minneapolis and St. Paul rely on decades-old “separation” ordinances that limit employee inquiries into immigration status, and noted the practical challenges posed by I‑9 records: “We have the legal authority to ask for that information,” Craig said, describing how employers collect I‑9 documents, how those copies are retained in onboarding systems, and how staff must decide whether to continue storing copies or purge them to limit future disclosures.

The briefing explained three simultaneous tracks: an HR review of forms and retention, department-level updates to police and fire operating policies, and a communications and community outreach plan. Assistant City Manager Dr. Angel Smith and Communications Manager Arisika Adesogan described a package of outreach: translated FAQs in English, Spanish, Hmong, Vietnamese and Somali; planned virtual and in-person community events in February and March; one‑page resources; and targeted outreach to cultural media, day‑care centers, apartment complexes and schools.

Police Chief Park Groody said the police policy draft emphasizes that the department “works cooperatively with all federal agencies, but does not conduct department operations for the sole purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws,” and that “employees shall not initiate actions to determine, verify, or detect a person’s immigration status.” Chief Groody said the draft spells out narrow exceptions — for example, investigations into human trafficking, certain controlled‑substance crimes, and state‑required eligibility checks tied to licensing — and that he plans to bring the draft to the department’s community advisory panel before finalizing it.

Fire Chief Sean Conway said the fire department’s draft policy focuses on medical care and emergency response and explicitly bars asking patients about immigration status because it “doesn’t assist in their emergency care.” Conway noted state retention rules that already govern patient records and said the department’s patient care reports include only standard identifiers needed for hospital transfers.

Council members pressed staff for clarity on two main points: (1) whether the council should adopt an ordinance, a resolution, or a council motion to memorialize the city’s approach, and (2) how department operations and forms across the city (for business licensing, building inspections, HR and others) will be audited to find “touch points” where immigration data might be requested or retained.

City Attorney and staff told council that a resolution would place a public, permanent record of the city’s policy but would not create a state‑level ordinance; an ordinance is only required where a city seeks to establish a legal rule that requires a different legislative form or criminal penalties. Staff recommended a resolution (which requires no publication and is memorialized as an official document) to put the council on record quickly while department policy and operational reviews continue.

Council member Page and others asked for simple public language that staff could distribute so residents immediately know what the city will and will not do; staff said they already have released a citywide email and are producing a short video and mayoral message. Communications Manager Adesogan said the city will continue to monitor social and mainstream media and coordinate messaging with nearby cities to avoid mixed messages.

Council discussion closed with broad direction: council members signaled support for a public action — staff described options for a resolution or motion that would be returned to council for formal adoption. Staff also committed to return with department‑level findings (HR, licensing, police, fire and inspections) about where status or documentary evidence is requested, how long copies are retained, and proposed changes to forms and retention schedules.

What’s next: staff said a resolution or motion could be placed on a near‑term agenda to publicly record the council’s position; the final policy language and department operating rules will be returned after the ongoing departmental reviews and community engagement events.