Richfield’s City Council on Dec. 9 approved its 2026 legislative platform, unanimously adopting an amendment that asks the city’s legislative delegation to press federal authorities for clearer ICE identification and coordination and including provisions supporting measures to disrupt gun violence.

The amendment, introduced by Councilmember Burke, asks that officers of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement be required to (1) wear clothing that identifies them as ICE agents, (2) immediately identify themselves upon request, (3) inform state and local law enforcement about activities in their jurisdictions and (4) ensure that due process is followed when apprehending people. Burke said the amendment was prompted by testimony from residents who described recent encounters and concerns about federal enforcement in Richfield.

Why it matters: public commenters at the meeting described alarming encounters with ICE agents in residential areas, including one resident who said agents pointed firearms and threatened arrest while community members recorded. The amendment formalizes a local request for federal action and makes the council’s concerns part of the city’s advocacy agenda for the 2026 legislative session.

Council debate and context: Councilmembers expressed sympathy with residents’ concerns and unanimous support for the amendment. Councilmember Hayford O’Leary said it was “unfortunate that mostly we’re having to ask the federal government to follow the law,” and Councilmember Coleman Woods described the amendment as an appropriate step to press for clearer norms. Mayor Mary Supple noted that the platform also supports “solutions that are both common sense and data driven” to disrupt gun violence and includes local bonding and infrastructure asks.

The adopted platform also lists bonding priorities — including support for House File 691 and Senate File 380, seeking $10,000,000 to supplement the city’s local cost share for the Hennepin County Nicollet Avenue reconstruction — and a $2,500,000 request for a Richfield Emergency Water Interconnect Project to hydraulically connect Richfield and Minneapolis water systems.

What’s next: City staff will present the adopted legislative platform to the city’s legislative delegation at an annual legislative breakfast scheduled for Jan. 15, 2026. Council members said the platform informs the city’s advocacy and is intended to increase visibility for the issues the council prioritized.