Lawmakers from 27 states rally in Minnesota, announce coordinated bills to limit federal immigration operations
Loading...
Summary
State and local lawmakers, joined by legislators from 27 states, held a press event at the Minnesota capitol to denounce recent federal immigration-enforcement operations in Minnesota and say they are coordinating dozens of state bills to demand transparency, local coordination and limits on federal tactics.
A group of state lawmakers and advocates gathered at the Minnesota state capitol to denounce recent federal immigration-enforcement operations in Minnesota and announce coordinated state legislation across 27 states.
Cora Newman, who identified herself in the transcript and organized the gathering, said the meeting was convened quickly and that the effort is intended to use "every lever that we have in this moment." Newman said the assembly is historically large: "Today, more than 200 years later, lawmakers from 27 states ... are standing together," and that "there are now 85 bills and counting that we are working on together to pass in our respective states." She described the proposed measures as requiring federal agents to coordinate with local law enforcement, mandate transparency and accountability for federal operations, protect constitutional rights from warrantless arrests and racial profiling, and guarantee state access to crime scenes involving federal agents.
State Senator Graciela Guzman of Illinois framed the mobilization as cross-partisan and nationwide. "When one community is under attack, we're all under attack," she said, citing Illinois' own steps including sanctuary measures, a single statewide reporting hotline and a truth commission to document alleged abuses.
Minnesota State Senator Lindsey Port told attendees that Minnesota will take state action when the legislature convenes: "In February, when the Minnesota legislature comes into session, we will act to reclaim our sovereignty, inscribing the rights that belong to all Americans and demanding accountability for the agents who perpetrated this evil and the leaders who sent them here." Port also cited figures stated in the transcript about federal staffing and budgets, saying the agency's budget "is scheduled to grow by $170,000,000,000" and that it "is planning to hire another 10,000 agents" in the next year, on top of recent hires.
Speakers said the effort is not partisan. Newman said the coalition includes lawmakers from "ruby red states and deep blue states," and that the work is meant to reflect constituents across political lines. The gathering included lawmakers who described similar operations and community responses in cities and states including Memphis, Fargo, Georgia and Illinois.
Organizers asked elected officials at other levels to take action as well. Emma Greenman, a state representative from South Minneapolis, urged federal and state leaders to "use all the power you have to stop this federal assault on our communities." Newman specifically urged U.S. senators to oppose any federal budget that would fund the operations she criticized.
Next steps described at the event included advancing state bills coordinated across participating legislatures, creating or expanding reporting and documentation systems, and pressing for legal and procedural changes to require transparency and local involvement when federal agents operate in states. The transcript records no formal votes or motions at the press event.
The coalition said it will continue to coordinate across state legislatures and urged constituents to press their lawmakers to support the proposed bills.
