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Mayors, health and business leaders tell senators federal enforcement has disrupted schools, health care and small businesses
Summary
Mayors and frontline workers told a Minnesota Senate subcommittee that recent federal enforcement operations disrupted schools, reduced clinic and ER visits, forced schools and child-care centers to lockdown, and caused steep revenue drops for immigrant-owned businesses on corridors such as Lake Street.
Mayors, community leaders and service providers told the Minnesota Senate select subcommittee on Jan. 29 that the presence of federal agents in Minneapolis–Saint Paul has produced widespread economic and social disruption.
Mayor Nadia Mohammed of St. Louis Park said Operation Metro Surge "is not just a Minneapolis issue" and described eroding trust in public institutions and people who are now afraid to call 911 or access services. Mary Supple, mayor of Richfield, said a Richfield public charter moved to online learning and that the district was serving 560 fewer lunches daily while 800 of 4,000 students were learning online.
Russ Adams of the Lake Street Council described corridor losses: many immigrant-owned businesses reported revenue declines of 50% to 80%, and some shops have closed or reduced hours. Usra (Lake Street Council) and other witnesses said workers have been taken from work sites and bus stops, leaving gaps in operations and forcing businesses to close.
Healthcare and childcare providers described steep drops in utilization. Emergency physician Bjorn Westgard said ER and clinic visits were down an estimated 20%–25%; he said delayed care has produced worse outcomes, including infections and complications. Child-care director Angela Claire described repeated lockdowns, saying centers were placed into lockdown for multiple hours while children were frightened and staff had to manage panic and safety.
Organizers described mutual-aid efforts that have delivered groceries, rides and emergency rent assistance to hundreds of families. Anna Stamborski said an ad hoc network now averages about 75 requests a day and has mobilized roughly 2,000 volunteers to provide food and rides. Witnesses asked the legislature for emergency household stabilization tools, flexible grants for community organizations and short-term protections against eviction.
The hearing did not produce a binding state-level funding commitment, but local officials urged the committee to consider disaster-level stabilization and direct support to municipalities absorbing costs.
