Minneapolis committee advances strengthened separation ordinance after hours of public testimony

The Minneapolis Committee of the Whole on Dec. 9 advanced proposed amendments to the city's separation ordinance (Title 2, Chapter 19) aimed at limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and improving reporting and accountability.

Council Vice Chair Robin Choudhry and Council Vice President Chuck Tay, who joined Chair Jason Chavez as presenters, said the revisions modernize the ordinance to reflect city values and address recent incidents involving federal agents. Tay described the package as strengthening the "separation" between city functions and immigration enforcement and said it includes requirements the city provide training, limit access to nonpublic city property, and demand public safety reporting when local personnel are deployed with federal actors.

Why it matters: Supporters said the changes respond to recent ICE and federal activity that residents described as frightening and destabilizing. The ordinance would bar city facilities, property, funds, vehicles, equipment or technology from being used to carry out civil immigration enforcement unless compelled by a properly issued judicial subpoena or other compulsory legal process.

What the ordinance would do: Presenters highlighted several new and clarified elements. The city would: post a clear policy statement recognizing all residents regardless of status; require annual and new-employee training on handling requests from federal immigration authorities; prohibit access by federal immigration enforcement to certain nonpublic city spaces (employee-only areas, locked ramps and vacant lots) absent judicial process; and expand reporting requirements so the mayor and council receive a public report when public safety personnel work in conjunction with federal agencies, including who initiated the request, timeline, personnel hours, arrests and costs.

Public testimony: The committee heard about forty public comments, almost all urging stronger language. Rick Vanden Doelter (SEG 1868) of Unidos said the proposed amendments were necessary to "protect our community from the attacks from the federal agencies, including ICE." Immigration attorneys, clergy and community groups recounted incidents in the Twin Cities and urged measures to unmask agents, prevent MPD coordination with federal agents, require daily reporting by federal actors while operating in the city, and provide clear enforcement consequences if city employees violate the ordinance. "We demand no collusion between our police and ICE," said one speaker reading for members of MIRAC (SEG 2411).

Protections for complainants: The amendments add complaint and discipline language requiring summary data on complaints to be reported to council by June 30 and Dec. 31 of each year and specify that at no point shall a complainant or witness be compelled by the city investigating authority to disclose immigration status during an investigation. The city would also retain related complaint data for at least 12 months after closure.

Limits and compliance: Presenters stressed the ordinance does not prevent compliance with lawful judicial subpoenas or other legal obligations. "Nothing in this chapter prohibits city employees from responding to a properly issued judicial subpoena and other compulsory legal process," a presenter said during the session (SEG 1825'SEG 1830).

Next steps: The committee moved the item to full council as amended after the public hearing and closed-session briefings. Chair Jason Chavez said the committee will return to discussion after closed session and the item is expected at full council for final consideration.

Attribution: Quotes and documented proposals appear in the public presentation and testimony recorded during the committee meeting.