Minneapolis and St. Paul Police Chiefs Respond to Arizona-Type Legislation

Minneapolis and Saint Paul Police Chiefs respond to proposed
Minnesota legislation for Arizona-style immigration law

As the police chiefs for Minnesota?' two largest cities, we oppose
HF3830, the Arizona-style legislation recently introduced in the
Minnesota House of Representatives that pushes local law enforcement
officers to the front line on matters of immigration.

Community policing is a core value and clear priority in the cities
we serve. It is through partnership with people and communities that
our cities are made safer, because partnership builds trust and
communication. Our officers have worked hard to build relationships
of trust with our residents, especially new Americans, and these
partnerships have helped us bring down crime in both Minneapolis and
Saint Paul over the past several years.

We believe that mobilizing local police to serve as primary
enforcers of federal immigration laws will throw up barriers of
mistrust and cause a chilling effect in immigrant communities,
impairing our ability to build partnerships and engage in
problem-solving that improves the safety of all members of the
community. The culture of fear that this bill will instill in
immigrant communities will keep victims of crime and people with
information about crime from coming forward, and that will endanger
all residents.

It is a mistake for our state to try to fix our nation's immigration
system. We urge Minnesota lawmakers and the people of our state to
join with us in denouncing HF3830. We believe this bill runs
contrary to the values of community policing and problem-solving
that the people we serve have rightly demanded and it will make our
communities less safe.



Tim Dolan John M. Harrington
Thomas Smith
Chief of Police Chief of Police
Chief of Police Designee
City of Minneapolis City of Saint Paul
City of Saint Paul

Sgt Jesse Garcia III Minneapolis Police Department Public Information Officer
(cellular) 612-919-9023
jesse.garcia@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

Immigration Research and Facts

The First Three Things to Read:
10 Myths About Immigration

What You Ned to Know if your State is Considering Arizona SB1070-Type Legislation

How to Build a Nation of Neighbors

Other sources for information on Immigration and the US

The Advocates for Human Rights -- Minneapolis-based human rights organization. Some of their work addresses the needs of immigrant communities in the state of Minnesota

American Immigration Lawyers Association -- in-depth analysis of legal issues faced by immigrants

Migration Policy Institute -- Research Reports on US immigration Policy

Immigration Policy Institute -- Non-partisan DC-based research institute that often provides experts to Capital Hill to consult on immigration issues.

Brooking Institute -- Research institute that covers a wide-range of policy issues. This link goes straight to their immigration section.

The Urban Institute -- Research institute that analyzes urban issues. This link goes straight to their immigration section.

Minnesota Immigration Coalition

Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

Immigration Issues in the News

Police Investigations of Immigration Issues in Minnesota
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota