Alexandria joins 37 cities backing Minnesota lawsuit against federal immigration operation
City attorney signs amicus brief arguing ICE surge violates Constitution
Alexandria has joined a coalition of 38 local governments urging a federal court to halt the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis-St. Paul, according to court documents filed Wednesday.
City Attorney Cheran Ivery signed an amicus brief on behalf of Alexandria supporting Minnesota’s request for a temporary restraining order against “Operation Metro Surge,” which has deployed thousands of federal agents to the Twin Cities since early December.
The brief argues the operation violates the Tenth Amendment’s anti-commandeering doctrine, which prohibits the federal government from forcing state and local governments to carry out federal policy.
“ICE is not in the Twin Cities because of an urgent need for significantly enhanced and aggressive immigration enforcement — it is in the Twin Cities because the Federal Government does not agree with Minnesota’s state and local policies,” the brief states.
Mayor addresses resident concerns
Thursday night, Mayor Alyia Gaskins fielded questions about immigration enforcement from Rosemont residents during a community meeting at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.
When asked what the city would do “if ICE decides to kidnap our neighbors,” Gaskins said she could not promise city intervention but pledged the city is exploring all options to protect residents.
“I can’t tell you that we could come and step in between or do anything like that,” Gaskins said. “And I honestly can’t tell you that there is some magic policy or thing I can do that will automatically keep our neighbors safe. But what I can tell you is everything we can explore or consider, we are.”
Gaskins emphasized the city’s welcoming stance.
“What makes our cityour city is that we have always been welcoming, we’ve built and supportive and that we’re not just talking about the diversity in our community,” Gaskins said. “These are our neighbors, do everything we can to keep them safe.”
The mayor confirmed that Alexandria Police Department does not cooperate or coordinate with ICE on immigration enforcement initiatives. She also said the city has been working with agencies and nonprofits on protective measures, though she declined to detail specific strategies.
“Everything won’t be publicized. Everything will be that strategy I will not be able to say tonight, but you have a council that is fully committed to doing every single action that we can,” Gaskins said.
When asked about the Sheriff’s Office, which has continued to transfer inmates to ICE custody despite City Council opposition, Gaskins said the Sheriff has not responded to the council’s concerns.
“We did not receive a response back and I don’t believe the Sheriff [changed anything],” Gaskins said.
National coalition pushback
Alexandria joined major cities including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Baltimore and San Diego in signing the brief. Several Virginia-area jurisdictions did not join, including Fairfax County and Arlington County.
The 40-page filing details what it describes as widespread harms caused by federal immigration surges across the country over the past year, including two Minneapolis residents shot by ICE agents since December, families tear-gassed while driving with children, and patients avoiding hospitals out of fear.
School districts reported sharp drops in attendance, with half of Spanish-speaking students and a quarter of Somali-speaking students absent from St. Paul schools on Jan. 9, according to the brief. In the Minneapolis suburb of Fridley, a third of students were absent the week of Jan. 12.
“Students are terrified to come to school,” the brief quotes Fridley’s school superintendent as saying.
The coalition argues federal agents wearing masks and generic “POLICE” vests have caused confusion, with residents unable to distinguish between local and federal law enforcement. The brief cites a 28 percent drop in 911 calls to Los Angeles police during immigration raids last summer, suggesting residents feared contacting any law enforcement.
The Minnesota lawsuit
The lawsuit, filed Jan. 12 by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison along with Minneapolis and St. Paul, asks the court to restore conditions to before Operation Metro Surge began.
President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota and the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Federal prosecutors issued subpoenas this week to both officials, as well as St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, according to the brief.
The Pentagon has readied 1,500 soldiers for possible deployment to Minnesota, the brief states, citing a Washington Post report.
Alexandria has not issued a public statement about its decision to join the brief. City officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
This is a developing story.