Immigrant Rights Activists Rally at City Hall in Minneapolis

Adapted from a MIRAC news release

On October 28, members of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) held a rally outside Minneapolis City Hall to demand stronger protections for immigrant communities and accountability from local leadership. At the same time, a group of 11 MIRAC members and allies staged a sit-in to get Mayor Jacob Frey’s attention to their Real Sanctuary Now campaign, which calls for a significant overhaul of the city’s current “Separation Ordinance.”

The ordinance prohibits collaboration between city employees and federal immigration enforcement agencies — such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Given the overreach of federal agents in Minneapolis in June, MIRAC indicates the ordinance is not strong enough to do its job, and asks for: No Collusion, No Crowd Control, No Coverups, and Real Consequences.

MIRAC gathered thousands of signatures from local residents in support of the demands. Despite multiple requests, the mayor has not met with the group to discuss their requests.

Having exhausted official channels, MIRAC’s contingent of 11 protesters entered Frey’s office on October 28 with hundreds of additional petition signatures and a list of specific actions the mayor could take immediately to make Minneapolis residents safer from ICE, in the form of a mayoral resolution.

This document was given to the mayor’s staff (see below).

Protesters explained to mayoral staff that authorities in San Francisco, New York City and Chicago, as well as the state of California, are already taking some or all of these actions.

Over the ensuing hours, City Hall staff warned the protestors that they would be considered trespassing and removed if they stayed past the 4:30 closing time for the office. They were arrested around midnight and taken to Hennepin County Jail.

Outside City Hall, protestors continued to demonstrate until 11pm, with the final contingent remaining until 1am, when they were informed that sit-in participants would be held at the jail until morning.

Activists say they plan to continue pressuring city officials until their demands are met.

“Mayor Frey wants us to believe that the government of Minneapolis simply has no tools to directly resist Trump’s lawless secret police — that we should just keep our heads down and hope the president saves his worst for other cities. But there is no hiding from the violence of this regime, and in fact it is already here,” MIRAC member Myrka Zambrano stated. “ICE is already ambushing our immigrant neighbors at their jobs, in their neighborhoods, and in the halls of our immigration court. They are already endangering lives and tearing families apart.”

MIRAC member and sit-in participant Owen Lubozynski added, “The mayor wonders what he is expected to do to stop federal agents with ‘bigger guns’ than our local forces? The answer is: Anything you can! Start brainstorming, Mr. Mayor. Treat this situation with the urgency it demands. Or step aside and let someone else do the job.”

The grassroots MIRAC organization is now in its 20th year. The campaign is part of a long-term fight to hold Minneapolis accountable to its claims of equity, safety, and justice for all residents, regardless of immigration status.

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Sit-in demonstrators presented this resolution to Mayor Frey’s staff

Mayoral Statement in Support of MIRAC’s Sanctuary City Demands

As the mayor of Minneapolis, I, Jacob Frey, commit to do everything in my power to protect our immigrant residents, and to keep all our Minneapolis residents safe from the brutality and injustice being committed by the federal government.

I fully support all the sanctuary city demands put forward by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee. I understand the need for cities to increase our pushback against the Trump administration, and I am ready to push back with force. Our city will lead the country in creating the strongest and broadest municipal separation ordinance. As mayor, I will uphold the rights of all my constituents to live with safety and dignity. Our city will not stand by while democracy is threatened. Justice must not be compromised.

In particular, in my power as mayor, I highlight here essential immediate actions I will take:

1.  Any and all Minneapolis property, or institutions that receive any city funding, are now deemed “ICE-Free Zones”, and are completely off limits not just to ICE or CBP agents, but any federal agent in the city for purposes of immigration enforcement. In the event that Trump orders troops to occupy Minneapolis, this ban will be extended to include any national guard or military troops. I strongly encourage all private businesses in our city and our state to do the same.

2.  I will work with city council to immediately create a municipal ordinance that will ban all law enforcement officers or agents from wearing any type of face mask, whether full or partial. This ordinance will also require law enforcement to display badges and agency identifiers in clear and plain view. Do not come to our city to pretend to enforce any law you are too ashamed to enforce.

3. I will order MPD officers to arrest federal agents for violating our city laws. If they step foot on city property, they will be arrested for trespassing. If they wear masks or hide their badge or agency, they will be arrested for concealing their identity. If they brutalize and abuse protesters or use any excessive force, they will be arrested for assault. These agents are acting unlawfully across the country, but Minneapolis will not allow it.

4. I will refuse to agree to renew the labor agreement with the Minneapolis Police Officers’ Federation, expiring on 12/31/2025, unless it includes language regarding punitive measures for police officers who violate any aspect of the strengthened separation ordinance, which must include unpaid suspensions and/or termination.

5. And finally, I commit to guaranteeing that protests against federal agents or troops do not get hindered or disrupted by the Minneapolis police. I encourage city residents to let Trump know that his ideals will never be welcome in our city.

I look forward to working with city council, the city attorneys, and the chief of police to ensure we implement and enforce all of MIRAC’s sanctuary city demands. We hope other cities will follow.