Federal immigration authorities say they have arrested more than 400 people in Minnesota this month, including several with long-standing deportation orders that were never carried out.
Some men arrested recently were ordered removed as far back as 2000 but continued living in the state for decades, according to a Department of Homeland Security news release.
The agency blamed “sanctuary policies.” Attorneys say that’s misleading.
“The whole deportation removal mechanism, that is all the responsibility of the federal government,” said Julia Decker, policy director at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota.
She said “sanctuary” rules limit whether federal agents can use local police, jails or resources to conduct immigration enforcement, but they do not stop ICE from arresting or deporting anyone with a removal order.
“Anybody who was checking in with the federal government on a regular basis has to update their address,” Decker said. “They always have to update their address anytime they move. The federal government always had access to that information. And so the federal government really is the responsible entity here.”
So how can someone have a deportation order for years or decades and remain in the United States?
Attorneys who work in immigration law say the answer lies in the complexities of the federal system and often has little to do with politics or local law enforcement.
