Residents ask Woodbury to formally oppose ICE detention facility; council says staff will review submitted resolution

At an open-forum segment of the Woodbury City Council meeting, residents pressed the council to adopt a formal resolution opposing the siting or use of city-controlled property for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility.

John Sebastian told the council he was presenting a residents’ resolution and said that “hundreds of Woodbury residents filled this chamber” in January to oppose a proposed detention warehouse, citing local enforcement actions, closures of area businesses and the detention of residents. He urged the council to “pass this resolution, stand with the residents you represent, and make clear that our city does not welcome [a] detention facility here.”

Other speakers backed that appeal. Suzy Hun, a 12‑year resident, cited the reported removal and detention of a neighbor, Ryan Eklund, as a reason the city should adopt a policy opposing detention centers: “Not a single dollar earned here from the detention industrial complex,” she said, arguing the city should act on moral, economic and procedural grounds. Larry Wicks, a longtime resident, called allowing a detention facility “reprehensible” and urged a clear statement from the council.

Mayor Anne W. Burt thanked residents for bringing the resolution and said the council could not vote on a resolution that had not been posted on the agenda: “We will review the resolution without a doubt and then get back to you,” she said. Burt outlined steps city leadership has taken since January to address community concerns, including public statements, FAQs, community forums coordinated with the League of Women Voters, outreach to immigrant communities and meetings with Washington County leaders and business owners.

City Attorney Sandstrom explained legal limits the city faces under the federal supremacy doctrine and eminent‑domain/condemnation authority, saying the city’s zoning power is limited when the federal government seeks to use property: “The federal government can take property for their use,” Sandstrom said, noting the city’s tools are largely persuasive and that some options remain confidential legal work product. Staff also said the city may have the authority to restrict use of city property, but enforcement could present practical challenges.

Washington County Commissioner Michelle Classen urged Woodbury to act as other local governments have, noting the county issued a letter of opposition and that detention centers now often require county certifications and significant additional expense. She said county officials and legislators have received constituent pressure to act.

No formal vote took place on the residents’ resolution at the meeting. Mayor Burt said staff will review the submitted resolution and follow up with residents and the council about next steps.