MINNEAPOLIS—Three dozen residents denounced federal immigration-enforcement actions and urged the City Council to approve a strengthened “sanctuary city” ordinance at a Dec. 9 public hearing.

Although the federal government has already sued the city over its existing immigration-related policies, several residents said updating the 2003 ordinance is necessary to protect illegal immigrants from what they said was overzealous enforcement and to maintain Minneapolis’s standing as “a progressive beacon” nationwide.

“We have seen our relatives, our neighbors, our friends, our loved ones stopped and put into deportation proceedings by this cruel immigration system that is just tearing families apart,” said Councilman Jason Chavez as he launched an explanation of “the separation ordinance.”

The revised ordinance aims to further separate local police from immigration-enforcement actions. New language more clearly states that no city resources are allowed to be marshaled “for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws.” The updated ordinance would also declare nonpublic, city-owned spaces off-limits to immigration-enforcement actions “except with a judicial warrant or when access is otherwise required by law.”

In addition, the ordinance requires a detailed report to council members when federal agencies request assistance from the city’s public safety forces for issues such as crowd control.

Further, the ordinance requires all city employees to be trained annually about the law’s provisions. A new section requires the city administration to “ensure there is a mechanism for the public to report alleged violations of this chapter by employees,” which could result in disciplinary action.

A meeting attendee who identified himself as David told council members that, as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation continues in Minnesota, he encouraged passage of the ordinance.

“Federal attacks on immigrant communities are the greatest crisis of my lifetime,” he said, adding that he and many others have been “overwhelmed with sorrow and fear” in recent days.

“I’m frightened for myself and my city, for my children, my neighbors. Appeasing bullies is a losing game, but resistance is possible and absolutely necessary,” David said.

He was part of a capacity crowd of 50 people in the council committee’s meeting room. Many attendees held commercially printed black-and-white posters that said, “ICE out of MPLS” and “Real Sanctuary Now.” An overflow room was filled to its 28-person limit, where a video broadcast the meeting.

Many attendees also wore T-shirts showing their affiliation with two immigrant advocacy groups: Unidos MN (United Minnesota) and the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee.

Minneapolis City Council members convene a public hearing to consider revisions to the city’s separation ordinance barring cooperation with ICE in Minneapolis on Dec. 9, 2025. (Jenn Ackerman for The Epoch Times)

Recent ICE action in the Twin Cities metro area is part of the federal government’s response to the North Star State’s burgeoning welfare-fraud scandals and accusations of widespread immigration fraud. Many of the accused are members of the region’s large Somali community.

Since ICE launched “Operation Metro Surge” in the Minneapolis area on Dec. 1, Homeland Security has announced a total of 19 arrests.

The operation targets criminal illegal immigrants including sex offenders, domestic abusers and violent gang members, the agency said. Eight of the arrestees are Somalians, while six hail from Mexico; the remaining five come from other Latin American nations.

Homeland Security did not respond to The Epoch Times’ requests for updates by publication time.

Attendees told council members that ICE has “abducted” numerous illegal immigrants and that the agency failed to disclose the names of those people, nor where they are being held.

However, on Dec. 8, Homeland Security unveiled a new website that allows people to search for “criminal illegal aliens removed from your community.” The agency says 70 percent of ICE arrestees are “criminal illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the United States—this statistic doesn’t even include foreign fugitives, gang members, terrorists, and human rights abusers.”

One woman alleged that ICE agents used “excessive force” and said they should be arrested. Several alleged that federal agents had used pepper spray against peaceful protesters who followed all orders, and some said that ICE agents should not be permitted to wear masks to hide their identities.

“We need to unmask the agents and ensure that not one public dollar supports the deportation machine,” a woman who lives in Ward 11 said.

After each speaker concluded, attendees snapped their fingers or quietly applauded to show support.

Minneapolis City Council members convene a public hearing to consider revisions to the city’s separation ordinance barring cooperation with ICE in Minneapolis on Dec. 9, 2025. (Jenn Ackerman for The Epoch Times)

Miguel Hernandez, who lives in Ward 12 and owns a Ward 11 burrito shop, noted that “immigrants” were largely absent from the meeting, which he said was a sign that “voices of immigrant leaders are being pushed into hiding.”

The Rev. Sophie Callahan, wearing her black-and-white clerical collar under a black Unidos MN shirt, said: “As a Christian clergy member, I take seriously one of the clearest commandments across our Scriptures: to welcome the stranger.”

“Every person, documented or not, immigrant or not, religious or not ... is worthy of love, dignity and safety. In this city we call home, ICE’s tactics violate people’s dignity,” she said. “We’ve heard of people afraid to go to school or work. ... I’m heartened by neighbors who are keeping watch at immigrant-owned restaurants or raising donations for lost wages, showing up with courage and compassion.”

She urged the city’s leaders to “show the federal government and the nation that our strength comes from our diverse and vibrant community.”

The Rev. Sophie Callahan speaks at the City Council hearing in Minneapolis on Dec. 9, 2025. (Jenn Ackerman for The Epoch Times)

No one spoke out against the updated ordinance at the meeting, while several people said it needed to be even stronger. Chavez said immigrant advocates suggested many of the revisions that were added to the measure.

While one of the 36 speakers was giving her two-minute presentation, supporters plunked a stack of letters advocating the ordinance—more than a foot tall—onto a table next to her.

After devoting nearly 90 minutes to the separation ordinance, council members recessed and went into a private meeting with the city attorney to discuss the federal government’s lawsuit over the city’s existing sanctuary policies. That lawsuit, filed in September, alleges that such policies violate the U.S. Constitution’s “supremacy clause,” establishing the federal government’s authority.

“Not only are the sanctuary city policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, Minnesota’s, Minneapolis’, St. Paul’s, and Hennepin County’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities results in the release of dangerous criminals from police custody who would otherwise be subject to removal, including illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking, onto the streets,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in the statement that “Minnesota officials are jeopardizing the safety of their own citizens by allowing illegal aliens to circumvent the legal process.

“This Department of Justice will continue to bring litigation against any jurisdiction that uses sanctuary policies to defy federal law and undermine law enforcement.”

The separation ordinance is set for a vote when the council reconvenes Dec. 11.