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Residents urge Waite Park to address reported ICE activity, citing safety concerns
Summary
Residents told the Waite Park City Council they are alarmed by reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Waite Park and nearby Saint Cloud, saying detentions and a large raid risk panic and endanger children; they asked the city for public-safety assurances.
Jamie Opper, a Waite Park resident, told the council she is "deeply concerned about the ICE activity that is happening in Waite Park in Saint Cloud," saying she witnessed what she described as a "massive, massive raid" at Star City Mall involving "20, 30 ICE vehicles" and that "at least 2 US citizens were detained." Opper said those reports are creating fear in the community and urged the city to provide assurances to keep all residents safe, specifically naming Somali and Latino neighbors.
Christina Riggs, who identified herself as being "with Moe's," echoed the safety concerns and praised local police while saying the enforcement activity "is not safe." Riggs said the detentions felt extreme and stated it "feels like a little bit like Nazi Germany," adding that the city needs to ensure safety "not just those who are privileged or have money to keep themselves safe."
Laura Ringsmooth, another resident who spoke during public comment, said school staff reported inquiries about students' last names and expressed worry that parents could be taken from their children; she urged the council to consider potential impacts on students and the school community.
The remarks at the public-comment period were appeals for city action and reassurance. The statements about the size of the raid, number of vehicles and detainees were offered by residents during public comment and were not independently verified at the meeting. Council members did not announce any specific enforcement or city-led response during the public-comment period.
The council moved on after hearing public comment; council staff did not announce an immediate investigation or formal directive in the transcripted record. Residents asked the city to communicate what steps it will take; the council did not state a timeline for a response during the portions of the meeting recorded in the transcript.
