Minneapolis committee refers two hotel liquor‑license renewals for staff investigation after public testimony about ICE presence
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Summary
After multiple hotel workers and union representatives testified that ICE agents were staying at two downtown hotels and raised worker‑safety concerns, the Committee of the Whole voted to send the Canopy/Depot liquor‑license renewals back to CPED business licensing for expedited review and potential conditions.
The Minneapolis Committee of the Whole voted Feb. 17 to refer two pending hotel liquor‑license renewals to city licensing staff for an expedited investigation after more than a dozen public commenters alleged Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had been staying at local hotels and that the hotels’ operations had affected worker safety.
Hotel workers, union representatives and residents testified in two hours of public comment that ICE presence at some hotels had created fear, operational changes and, in some accounts, unsafe conditions for employees. "Pulling or threatening liquor licenses without clear cause would be reckless and devastating to working people," said Joan Soholt, a Unite Here Local 17 member and hotel banquet server, urging caution. Several other witnesses described changes in hotel operations they attributed to ICE stays, including restricted staff access to public areas and shifts in work routines.
CPED business‑licensing manager Amy Lingo said staff would review complaints, 311 and 911 logs, the licensing record and any submitted evidence; the office can recommend conditions on a license, such as security requirements or time‑of‑sales limits, which are commonly negotiated and agreed to by licensees. "We will review the documentation and determine whether there are conditions that can be imposed," Lingo said.
City Attorney O'Reilly advised that the council has broad discretion over licensing but cautioned that indefinite delay creates legal risk for the city. Chair Oreen Choudhury moved to refer the items for staff review and to return findings to the committee; the motion passed (11 ayes, 2 nays). Lingo and CPED told the committee they could assemble preliminary findings in days but that any full regulatory or contractual changes might take longer.
The referral preserves the licenses' current status: licensees may continue to operate while staff investigates and reports back. The committee directed staff to review written submissions and public testimony already on file, interview relevant parties, and present a recommendation at the next council cycle. The committee's action does not revoke or suspend any license; it initiates a staff review that may recommend conditions, denial or approval based on the legal standards that govern licensing.
