After weeks of ‘abhorrent’ ICE activity, Rochester splits on supporting lawsuit against feds

ROCHESTER - About 100 residents called on the Rochester City Council on Monday night to push back against the federal immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota.

While council members unanimously criticized the federal actions in Rochester to varying degrees, they were split on whether to involve the city in a state lawsuit seeking to end the surge in Minnesota, reflecting the ongoing divide over how to respond. In the end, they voted 4-3 to support the lawsuit.

“Folks are scared,” said Council Member Dan Doering, who supports Rochester’s participation in the suit. “Folks are worried about what the future might hold.”

Community organizers estimate at least 32 undocumented residents have been detained across southeast Minnesota since Operation Metro Surge began in December.

That’s likely a severe undercount, according to Phil Wheeler of Southeastern Minnesota Interfaith Immigrant Legal Defense. The majority of detainments took place in Rochester, he said, but people have also been picked up in Austin, Albert Lea, Winona, Faribault and other cities.

In Rochester, people have reported dozens of incidents involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in recent weeks, some of which involved U.S. citizens or people living here legally. Local leaders say the operation is affecting area businesses. Rochester Public Schools officials have said more than 500 students have reported absences in recent weeks due to ICE activity.

“I’m a little bit bothered that in the state of Minnesota, there’s a bunch of people [who say], ‘That’s Minneapolis, that’s not our concern,’” said Council Member Patrick Keane. “And that’s just not true.”

Over about an hour, more than 20 residents pleaded with the council to take more steps to combat ICE’s presence in town, ranging from fully joining the lawsuit to assigning local police to monitor ICE activities.

“Before ICE came to Minnesota, I never needed to shop for a gas mask,” said Valerie Fernandez, who noted she grew up in the Deep South and came to Rochester a little more than a year ago. “Now I carry one in my vehicle because I’m afraid that I might be trapped in a neighborhood that they’re doing something all of a sudden and rolling out gasses ... against citizens of America, weapons of war against citizens.”

Two Somali speakers shared the story of ICE agents surrounding a family’s home on Sunday, traumatizing the children inside as their mother was away.

Several speakers railed against a high-profile stop on Saturday when ICE agents followed a U.S. citizen of Latino heritage to the Olmsted County Government Center, where they detained him amid outcry from observers and local legislators.

Rochester Police Chief Jim Franklin said he sought more information from DHS officials on Monday, who told him the man was detained until his identity could be verified and then was released. At the time, ICE agents called the detainment a traffic stop, which Franklin said ICE is allowed to make if agents suspect a driver is an undocumented person.

Council Member Norman Wahl said he wants to see ICE leave the city alone, but he thinks the lawsuit is a political effort by state Democrats and the city should remain nonpartisan to represent all residents.

“We cannot delve into partisan politics in the same way,” Wahl said.