Minnesota Dems push bill to create 'sanctuary state' amid border crisis

Minnesota Democrats have introduced a bill that would make the state a sanctuary place for illegal immigrants.

The bill comes amid the record-setting illegal immigration crisis at the US-Southern border, which has impacted cities across the nation, predominately border towns and Democrat-run cities that have established sanctuary policies. The crisis has since pushed sanctuary cities to the brink, resulting in some mayors declaring states of emergency and urging lawmakers to pull their sanctuary status.

Despite the border crisis, Minnesota Democrats seek to become the nation's 13th sanctuary state for illegal immigrants. They are even holding a rally on Monday, February 12, to fight for the bill's passing, according to the American Experiment. 

The bill, HF 2860, would prohibit state and local law enforcement and judicial authorities from cooperating with federal immigration agencies without a warrant.  

"A [Minnesota] government agent shall not, at the request of any federal authority, without a judicial warrant," the bill states, “transfer an individual to any federal authority for purposes of immigration enforcement,” “detain an individual,” or “notify any federal authority of release information.” 

In addition, the bill asserts that no state or local employee, which includes teachers, could "stop, question, investigate, detain, detect, report, or arrest a person" that is suspected to be an illegal immigrant. 

Furthermore, the bill prohibits any employee from responding "to a hold, notification, civil immigration warrant, or transfer request from federal immigration authorities, including but not limited to a detainer request made by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement." 

The bill was introduced by Democrat State Rep. Sandra Feist, the Vice Chair of the Minn. House Public Safety Committee. 

This comes following two recent reports involving illegal immigrants in the state, which received national attention. 

The first being the case of a Somali terrorist who was captured in Minneapolis last month after he had illegally entered the United States and roamed free for a year. The second case being a former ICE detainee, Alonzo Mingo, who dressed up as a UPS worker and allegedly murdered three people at a home in Coon Rapids.