January 15, 2025

I called a friend the other day and greeted her as usual: “Hi, how are you?” 

“I think we need to figure out a new way to greet each other,” she said, sighing.

As the owner of a childcare center in St. Paul, my friend has been dealing not only with the terror and confusion that so many of us have been experiencing as we confront an onslaught of federal agents in our region, but also with the administration’s on-again, off-again threats to cut the childcare funding on which she and other care providers depend.  She is worried about how her families will afford care without the federal subsidies that make childcare (barely) work, about how she’ll continue to pay her employees and about what will happen to the children in her care.

She’s not alone.  As this federal crackdown continues, I’m hearing from residents who are afraid to leave their homes, who need help from overwhelmed immigration attorneys or who want to help others but don’t know how. I’m hearing from small business owners whose employees are scared to come to work and who are fearful both for their workers and for their own economic survival.

The devastation that is being wrought on our community – and on our democracy – needs to be acknowledged for what it is.  Reasonable people can disagree about the finer points of immigration policy but what we’re seeing now is a disregard for the rule of law, for civil rights and for the founding principles of our country.  The turmoil that is being fomented in our streets has resulted in racial profiling, discrimination and violence, with dozens of people shot throughout the country, and last week, the killing of Renee Nicole Good, an unarmed constitutional observer.

As a City Councilmember, I take seriously my responsibility to do all I can to stand up to this aggression and defend my community. Here are some of the ways the City Council is responding:

  1. Strengthening our separation ordinance.  The immigration crackdown has tested the boundaries of our separation ordinance, which prohibits local law enforcement from enforcing immigration law. Following the Nov. 25 incident on Rose St, when St. Paul police were seen using force as federal agents conducted an immigration operation, we are updating our separation ordinance to clarify our expectations of our police and first responders.  We have held several public hearings on this subject, discussed the matter publicly at our policy session this Wednesday and we will take action on the ordinance as soon as possible.
  2. Investigating SPPD use of force.  In response to community concerns about police actions on Rose St on Nov. 25, the Council has directed the Office of Financial Services to perform an audit of Saint Paul Police Department personnel, operations, equipment, and supply costs incurred as a result of SPPD officers’ presence during the November 25, 2025 Rose St. incident. We expect this report by the end of January. We are also collaborating with the POST Board to conduct a thorough investigation into SPPD’s use of force during the November 25, 2025 incident.
  3. Holding federal agencies accountable through the courts. Saint Paul is joining the City of Minneapolis and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in a lawsuit to challenge unlawful and unconstitutional federal immigration enforcement actions. The recent surge of armed federal agents has caused fear, disruption, and violence in our communities. This legal action seeks to ensure federal agencies respect constitutional limits, uphold civil rights, and stop practices that undermine public safety and community trust.
  4. Getting trained to help. One thing all of us can do right now is simply be present when federal agents are in action.  Getting trained to be a constitutional observer will prepare you to approach these situations safely, document what’s going on, protest peacefully and help others understand their rights.  Our office is co-hosting a Constitutional Observer training with Neighborhood House, the West Side Boosters, WSCO, and the Immigrant Defense Network tonight (although we reserved the biggest room we could find, the training is unfortunately already at capacity) and there are numerous other trainings happening throughout the cities.
  5. Supporting our neighbors.  Many St. Paul residents are afraid to leave home to go to school or work or buy groceries. We can show up for our neighbors and our small businesses by purchasing food from local, immigrant-owned shops and delivering it directly to those in need.  Neighborhood House is organizing one such effort on the West Side (more information is here) and my office is coordinating a citywide food delivery project, in partnership with our District Councils (more information on this effort will be coming soon).  We would love your help!

This is an unprecedented and daunting moment in our history.  We can’t back down; we can only move forward - by recommitting to our values, to one another and to the city we love.  Onward.