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Hennepin County board unanimously adopts revised resolution condemning ICE tactics and chemical irritant use
Summary
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 27 approved R1 to Resolution 90, expanding findings about Operation Metro Search, condemning the use of chemical irritants on peaceful protesters and the press, and recording community harm; the measure passed by voice vote after extended remarks from commissioners.
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 27 unanimously approved a revised Resolution 90 (R1) denouncing what commissioners described as violent and unlawful enforcement actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and related agencies, and added language condemning use of chemical irritants on peaceful protesters and members of the press.
The revision was introduced by Chair Irene Fernando, who moved the R1 and was seconded by Commissioner Heather Edelson. Commissioners from across the board spoke in support, citing community trauma, concerns about civil liberties and allegations of racial profiling. The board approved the measure by voice vote.
Commissioner Mike Connolly (transcript identifies him as Commissioner Connolly) told the board that the revision expanded factual "whereas" clauses to reflect harms communities reported since a committee vote on Jan. 13 and cited an NIH study while describing potential reproductive-health impacts after exposure to tear gas. "Chemical agent exposure was significantly associated with higher odds of an adverse reproductive health outcome," he said, summarizing material he read from the study during his remarks.
Chair Fernando framed the R1 as a record of local experience during "Operation Metro Search," saying the county had seen immediate community harm and listing figures she cited during remarks. In the meeting record she said, "I saw a report that said Operation MetroSearch costs $18,000,000 per week," and compared that figure to a cited SNAP weekly payment total to Hennepin County stakeholders. The resolution as revised explicitly recognizes First Amendment protections and "condemns the use of chemical irritants or less than lethal munitions as crowd dispersal tactics on peaceful protesters and press." (Figures and study citations were presented by commissioners during remarks and are reported here as stated in the meeting.)
Other commissioners recounted effects they said they were seeing in their districts: Commissioner Jeff Lundy described widespread fear among immigrant residents and cited a district foreign-born share he said was about 22%; Commissioner Mary Anne Green pointed to reporting about recovered canisters and expressed concern that some products found in the community have been identified in media reports as carcinogenic or discontinued in U.S. markets; Commissioner Debbie Gautel said the resolution records historical harms for future display and study.
The R1 was moved from the consent agenda for immediate consideration; Chair Fernando noted the R1 contains more "whereas" clauses than the version passed by committee on Jan. 13 and that the redlined revision will be published after the meeting.
The board did not record a roll-call numerical tally in the public transcript; the motion was carried by voice vote after commissioners spoke in favor.
What happens next: The board directed staff to publish the approved R1 and integrate the revision into the county record. The resolution itself documents the board's position and does not by itself change county enforcement authority, which remains federal. The meeting record reflects commissioners' calls for independent investigation and for continued documentation of community impacts.
