Minneapolis Police Reiterate Ban on Assisting Immigration Enforcement After Federal Raid

Following a federal raid in south Minneapolis targeting a transnational criminal organization involved in drug and human trafficking and money laundering, Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell issued a department-wide memo reiterating that Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) personnel are prohibited from assisting in any immigration enforcement activities, including ancillary support such as crowd control or removal of individuals. The raid, conducted by multiple federal agencies including the FBI, ATF, Department of Homeland Security, and ICE, sparked protests fueled by misinformation that it was an immigration enforcement action, leading to heightened tensions and a call for an after-action review by Minneapolis city leaders. The memo emphasized that any assistance requested by federal enforcement must be authorized through the chain of command, reinforcing MPD's longstanding policy and the city ordinance separating local policing from federal civil immigration enforcement. Minneapolis officials clarified that MPD's role during the raid was limited to crowd management and not involvement in the investigation or immigration enforcement, countering public confusion and criticism. The situation has highlighted ongoing local concerns about the militarized presence of federal agents and the potential impact on immigrant communities. City council and police leadership are taking steps to ensure compliance with the separation ordinance and to review the city's involvement to prevent future misunderstandings.