St. Paul, MN – More than 170 immigrant rights supporters mobilized to the Minnesota State Capitol on March 12 to oppose HF 16, a proposed anti-immigrant bill. The bill would prohibit sanctuary-type ordinances in Minnesota’s cities and counties, which would separate local law enforcement from federal immigration enforcement. Minneapolis and Saint Paul have long-standing separation ordinances. The bill would also require all of Minnesota’s county attorneys to notify federal immigration authorities when an undocumented person is arrested.

The House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee held the legislature’s first hearing on the bill. Community members packed room 120 in the capitol building for the hearing, while also filling the hallway outside, as well as an overflow room on the third floor. Additionally, according to the North Star Alliance, more than 580 people sent letters to their representatives in opposition to the bill.

Several members of immigrant rights organizations gave testimony to the committee on why the bill is harmful and should not be passed. These included members of SEIU Local 26, Advocates for Human Rights, MN8, the North Star Alliance, and others.

Montha Chum of MN8 told the committee, “All we’ve ever dreamed of is to be in a peaceful and safe world. Many immigrants came here because they yearn for safety. However, ICE detention and deportation reflects the cruel conditions of war-time concentration camps and are parallel to the extreme violence we once fled from.”

Despite this mobilization, the committee, which has a slight Republican majority, passed the bill on a party-line vote. This moves the bill forward to the House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee, which is scheduled to hold a hearing on the bill on March 17. The companion bill in the Senate, SF 643, has not yet received a hearing.

Immigrant rights organizers vowed to continue to mobilize opposition to the bill at the March 17 hearing and any future hearings.

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