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As a person who works in public education and cares deeply about ALL the students and staff with whom I work, I am acutely vested in the health, safety, and well-being of ALL in my communities. For better and for worse, I also live and work in the immediate Minneapolis/St. Paul area, and I am witness to how ICE operations affect my students and staff. This takes a toll… I am tired. 

What I do not understand is WHY we are “inviting” “public” ICE operations into the Minneapolis/St. Paul areas. In the research I have done, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) was established in 2002 and operational in 2003, in response to what happened in New York on 9/11/2001. It has been a useful, and in my opinion, a necessary law enforcement agency for more than 20 years now. Also in my mind, I don’t see the usefulness or necessity for this agency diminishing in the future. 

What I am confused about, and honestly very angry, is why President Bush, President Obama, and even President Biden have used ICE (President Obama used ICE rather extensively) without much, if any, incidents (such as protests, violence, shootings, attacks, doxing, property damage, etc.). How did every President before Donald Trump use ICE to carry out immigration law enforcement policies and operations and it was never really known or cared about by the general public? President Obama deported more than three million people during his time as President. This is a SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER number than President Trump has deported.

The answer seems to be pretty easy and straightforward. State governments (governors) and local governments (mayors) worked with the federal authorities (ICE) to manage and direct how things were done, have oversight how operations were carried out, and have direct say about who and why they were targeted by ICE. There was coordination and cooperation within all the levels of government that ensured proper operations, limited targets, and an ability for oversight and accountability. 

Since 2003, this system has worked, at least from my perspective. But right now, in January of 2026, in the state where I currently live, again from my perspective, both Minnesota Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Frey have WILLINGLY WALKED AWAY from the process and WILLINGLY GIVEN AWAY THEIR POWER to be involved with, conduct oversight, choose targets, and supervise how, when, and where operations are conducted. 

Currently, in Minnesota, ICE is operating as its own entity, without any influence, direction, or oversight from the state or local governments. In my eyes, Walz and Frey have just decided to throw up their hands and point at Trump and yell, “Big, Bad Federal Government! Big, Bad Trump! ICE is bad!” and hope a citizen catches something on their cell phone. THAT is NOT LEADERSHIP! THAT is NOT PROTECTING YOUR PEOPLE. THAT is NOT WHY YOU ARE THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAYOR! 

Governor Walz and Mayor Frey, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY to MANAGE ICE within our communities (Just like every other Governor and Mayor in this country)! It does NOT HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS… PLEASE DO SOMETHING! Our kids in schools and the citizens of this state deserve BETTER! YOU ARE NOT HELPLESS IN THIS SITUATION. Please be the leaders you were elected to be.