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Driven by concern over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Dakota County, a crowd of at least 80 people attended a town hall meeting with County Commissioner Joe Atkins on Wednesday night. These meetings are a regular part of Atkins’ job (he opened the meeting by stating this was his 112th town hall meeting), but attendance was much higher than the usual couple dozen residents.
Also present were Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko, police chiefs from West St. Paul, South St. Paul, and Inver Grove Heights, and city and school officials including West St. Paul City Council Members Wendy Berry, Doug Fromm, and Pat Armon.
Atkins’ Opening Remarks
Commissioner Atkins opened the meeting by highlighting the county’s efficient government, low taxes, and many awards as well as their commitment to fighting fraud before turning to the subject of ICE, sharing the following facts:
- The federal government has released a list of over 2,400 names of people who have been taken during Operation Metro Surge. Of those 2,400, only 22 had convictions for violent crimes.
- Atkins estimates ICE is spending $785,000 per day in labor costs.
- Absenteeism at some county schools is currently at five times normal levels due to parents and students’ fear of ICE abductions.
- Many county businesses have temporarily closed.
- Major county public works projects, including a major upgrade to the Lake Byllesby hydroelectric dam, have been postponed because contractors are unwilling to come to job sites.
- Multiple county employees have been pulled over by ICE while on the job.
- Atkins introduced and passed a county resolution asking ICE to end enforcement activities in the county.
Resident Questions and Comments
After Atkins’ opening remarks, he opened the floor to questions and comments from residents. About 20 people spoke during the meeting, and Commissioner Atkins stayed after the official ending to speak privately with others.
Encounters with ICE
- One of the first people to speak described herself as a victim of ICE activity. She works at Home Depot and her children attend a Spanish immersion school. ICE has repeatedly taken contractors at Home Depot, and threatened her for following them when she was trying to pick her children up after school.
- One resident pointed out that she was one of the few non-white people in the room, before describing how ICE has been closely following her family. Her immigrant father is afraid to go to work, and she has repeatedly had to call the police to stop ICE from following her when out in public.
- One resident spoke of his experience protesting at the Whipple federal building, where he was beaten and sprayed with pepper spray. He showed his bruised forearms to the crowd.
Key Questions
Who can citizens call when ICE is violating their rights?…