Minneapolis police memo: Officers cannot help with immigration raids

Days after a federal raid in south Minneapolis drew protests and intense scrutiny, Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell sent a department-wide memo emphasizing they are not allowed to assist with immigration enforcement.

The email was sent to sworn and civilian staff Friday afternoon, three days after two armored vehicles and federal officers rolled through the streets of south Minneapolis to serve a search warrant in connection to what federal officials called a “transnational criminal organization” suspected of drug and human trafficking and money laundering.

The federal search was carried out by members of the FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives; Department of Homeland Security; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was one of eight carried out Tuesday in the Twin Cities.

Local and county officials said the raid was not immigration enforcement, and that Minneapolis police officers were only acting as a barrier to separate protesters and federal officers. But the large militarized presence by federal officers stoked fears it could be a precursor to ICE raids for civil deportation of undocumented people, rather than a criminal investigation.

The memo, first posted on social media by Alpha News and provided by the police department to the Star Tribune, lists three updates to police policy verbiage. It states that Minneapolis police personnel cannot respond to “immigration enforcement-related activity,” and that they cannot assist with crowd control or the removal of people related to immigration enforcement.

“This is a reminder that all MPD personnel are prohibited from involvement in any federal civil immigration enforcement activities,” Blackwell said in the memo. “Any assistance for federal enforcement action must be routed through the chain of command for evaluation and authorization by the Chief of Police or Chief’s designee.”

Minneapolis has had policies prohibiting helping in federal immigration operations for years. In a January news release, Chief Brian O’Hara said the city’s immigration policies have been in practice “for more than 20 years and clearly states the MPD will not be involved in the enforcement of federal immigration law.”

MPD Sgt. Garrett Parten said in a statement that Blackwell’s memo “serves as a clear reminder of the Minneapolis Police Department’s longstanding policy and the City’s ordinance prohibiting involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement activities.”

“The email was issued to help ensure officers understand how to appropriately respond to any requests for assistance related to immigration enforcement,” Parten said. “This clarification was especially important in light of recent public confusion and misinformation following the federal operation earlier this week.”

The police department “remains focused on addressing and maintaining public safety, while respecting the boundaries set by city ordinance and department policy,” it adds.

The email was sent on Friday, the same day as the start of ICE immigration raids and intense protests in Los Angeles, where protesters and officers have been clashing in the streets as President Trump has deployed hundreds of National Guard troops.

Mayor Jacob Frey posted a video last week reiterating that the city will not aid in any federal immigration efforts. Frey noted that he thinks that, “looking at what has happened in other cities across the country, it’s only a matter of time before ICE conducts immigration raids in Minneapolis.”

“We are proud of our separation ordinance and I promise you we will continue to uphold it, because the safety of our residents is our top priority,” Frey said in the video.