Kansas City, Missouri – Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is part of a countrywide group of mayors and municipal governments that is fighting a federal immigration operation that they believe goes against the Constitution and puts public safety at risk.
This week, the group filed an amicus brief in federal district court in Minneapolis, supporting the State of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in their legal fight against what they call an illegal federal deployment in the Twin Cities.
The federal program “Operation Metro Surge” brought thousands of masked and armed agents to Minneapolis and St. Paul. This is the main issue in the lawsuit. The brief says that the operation is unconstitutional because it tries to coerce state and local governments to help with federal immigration enforcement, something courts have ruled against many times.
Mayor Lucas noted that local governments have been able to keep the correct balance between safety, civil rights, and limited resources without help from the federal government.
“Local governments across America have successfully balanced public safety, resource management, and residents’ civil liberties for decades,” said Mayor Lucas.
“What we’re seeing in Minneapolis represents a dangerous overreach of federal authority that threatens not just constitutional principles, but the safety and wellbeing of residents in cities nationwide.”
The coalition’s filing lists a number of negative effects that they allege have happened in other places where the federal government has done something similar. Some of these are violent confrontations with federal authorities, using tear gas near families and children, and racial profiling.
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The brief also says that citizens often have trouble telling the difference between local police officers and masked federal officials. This causes uncertainty and a loss of trust in the community. As tension spreads, families may stay away from schools, hospitals, and other important services. This harms local businesses because people stay home.
Another important issue brought up in the complaint is the size of the deployment. The coalition estimates that the number of federal agents dispatched to the Twin Cities, roughly 3,000, is about five times higher than the entire Minneapolis police force. The brief describes the operation as a sort of military presence meant to punish Minnesota for disagreeing with policies instead than meeting a real public safety requirement.
Mayor Lucas said that the operation isn’t really about enforcing immigration rules. He stated that instead, it is an attempt by the federal government to force state and local officials to carry out federal agendas, even if they go against the Constitution. These kinds of actions, according to the mayor, put people in danger and weaken the basic rules that govern the relationship between federal, state, and local governments.
The brief was sent in to help Minnesota’s request for a court order to stop the operation in the case State of Minnesota v. Noem. Many mayors, cities, and counties from across the country signed the filing. This shows that local leaders are very concerned about what these federal moves could mean for communities throughout the country.
