Progressives demand information from ICE — oh, the irony
The message sent
For years, several progressive-led cities, counties, and campuses in Minnesota have had “sanctuary” policies that have prohibited sharing information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Recent ICE activity may nudge progressives to a better understanding of the need for a responsible and professional level of cooperation with ICE.
In 2023 and 2024, Democratic Minnesota legislators introduced legislation that would have made it illegal for any state or local government entity or employee to share information with ICE. Thankfully, neither measure became law.
During this year’s session, Republican legislators introduced a countermeasure. The measure would have blocked state and local government from creating laws or policies that would prohibit governmental entities or employees from sharing information with ICE. The measure was hotly debated and set aside without a vote for now. But during the debate progressives made it abundantly clear that they felt the state should not share information or cooperate with ICE on immigration matters.
Governor Walz weighed in on the issue during his recent campaign for Vice President. Walz equated ICE immigration enforcement to terrorism, saying, “This is what terrorism looks like in America today,” adding his old standby, “That’s not who we are.”
The message Minnesota’s DFL leadership has sent ICE has been loud and clear — immigration is a federal matter, and ICE is on its own in Minnesota.
ICE received the message.
The response
Within the past week, ICE has detained two university students, one from the University of Minnesota and the other from Minnesota State University, Mankato. While there is little information available, it has been reported that both students were here on student visas, and that the University of Minnesota student was detained due to a driving under the influence conviction. Both detentions occurred off campus.
Now officials are demanding ICE share information with them.
Governor Walz posted on X:
“We have yet to receive adequate information from Homeland Security about the recent news of Minnesota students being detained by ICE.
Snatching up students who come here legally to work hard and get an education does not make you tough on immigration.
We need answers.”
Senator Tina Smith echoed Governor Walz’s “demands” posting that she couldn’t imagine the fear that university students are feeling, and that “We need answers on what exactly is happening.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar has lamented on X that ICE didn’t give the University forewarning prior to detaining the student off campus.
University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham released a statement framing the ICE detention as a “deeply concerning situation,” and offered mental health support to students across all five U of M campuses.
The Minnesota State University, Mankato President Edward Inch released a statement acknowledging he had no details on what led to the ICE detention of one of his students but nonetheless wanted help “stopping this activity within our community of learners.”
Local reporter Jana Shortal dramatically posted on X that “Another Minnesota college student taken by ICE — this time in Mankato.”
It would be refreshing if any of these leaders would show the same passion for preventing U of M students from being robbed and assaulted at gunpoint far too frequently over the past five years.
The lesson learned
ICE is going about its business just the way progressive leaders in Minnesota had admonished them to do — on their own. Yet now progressives demand forewarning and a robust information exchange.
ICE has repeatedly asked Minnesota officials for a professional and responsible level of information exchange, only to be rebuffed. Minnesota’s progressives have no one to blame but themselves for the current “lack of information.”