Minnesota Democrats have put forward a bill with the aim to designate Minnesota as a sanctuary state for undocumented immigrants.
This legislative proposal emerges as the United States grapples with significant numbers of undocumented immigrants entering via the southern border—a situation that has placed considerable strain on various American cities, particularly those at the border and others with sanctuary city policies in place. Minnesota’s move toward sanctuary status arrives even as some cities have reached a tipping point, with local officials declaring emergencies and calling for a reevaluation of sanctuary designations due to the uptick in arrivals.
A rally organized by proponents of the bill, which includes members of the Minnesota Democratic Party, is scheduled for Feb. 12. Advocates believe that becoming the nation’s 13th “sanctuary state” would be a step forward for the rights of undocumented immigrants.
House File 2860 or HF 2860, as the legislation is officially numbered, aims to limit the collaboration between Minnesota’s state and local law enforcement and judicial bodies with federal immigration authorities to instances where a judicial warrant is present.
In the language of the proposed bill, Minnesota employees—including law enforcement and educational staff—would be restricted from transferring a person to federal authorities for immigration enforcement, detain individuals, or share information about their release without a proper judicial warrant. Furthermore, state and local employees would be barred from executing certain actions, such as stopping, interrogating, or detaining, based on suspicions about a person’s immigration status.
HF 2860 extends to prohibit state or local response to civil immigration warrants, hold or transfer requests, and other queries from federal immigration agencies, explicitly including detainer requests from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The bill was introduced by State Representative Sandra Feist, who currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Minnesota House Public Safety Committee.
The debate over sanctuary policies has intensified following two high-profile incidents in Minnesota involving undocumented immigrants. One involved the arrest of a Somali man in Minneapolis, who, after an unlawful entry into the country, remained at large for a year until apprehended. The other incident concerns Alonzo Mingo, a former detainee of ICE, who is accused of donning a UPS uniform to carry out a triple homicide in Coon Rapids.
The topic of sanctuary statuses and immigration policies remains a complex and divisive issue within American politics, with local and national implications for community safety, resource allocation, and human rights discussions.
