On Friday, members of the Minnesota Legislative POCI Caucus (People of Color and Indigenous) held a public informational meeting to present information about the humanitarian crisis occurring at America’s southern border as a result of the Trump Administration’s immigration policies, as well as the impact of potential ICE raids on Minnesota families and communities.
Co-chaired by POCI Caucus state representative Jamie Becker-Finn, DFL-Roseville, and Fue Lee, DFL-Minneapolis, was an opportunity for members of the public to get the facts from immigration attorneys and legal experts, and hear from Minnesotans impacted by the Trump Administration’s policies. In her closing remarks, Becker-Finn observed that members of the press wondered what the border crisis had to do with Minnesota--an that she only noticed one member known to her of the media in attendance.
Forum Communications capitol reporter Dana Ferguson reports in Migrant crisis forces call to action more than 1,000 miles north of the border:
The hearing comes days after the publication of a shocking photo depicting the bodies of a Salvadoran man and his young daughter who drowned in the waters of the Rio Grande attempting to cross to the United States in search of asylum. And it follows reports of inhumane conditions at the detention facilities which housed migrant children.
Spurred to action by separate reports that raids of undocumented immigrants in Minnesota could be imminent, Democratic-Farmer-Labor lawmakers said they felt a need to meet with immigration attorneys and advocates to get a better sense of the landscape at the U.S. border and beyond.
"I don't know what the next steps are but I know that it's not sitting back and pretending this isn't happening," said Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, the Roseville Democrat and member of the legislative People of Color and Indigenous caucus who called the meeting.
Becker-Finn said she'd heard from members of her community who were frustrated and saddened by the deplorable conditions reported at the detention centers and weren't sure what they could do to help. And, if nothing else, she said she hoped the hearing would help provide information about the situation, which Minnesotans could use rather than skimming reports on social media. . . .
Immigration attorneys, some of whom visited shelters and detention centers at the U.S.-Mexico border, explained federal asylum laws and described what they'd witnessed at the border. And they laid out potential paths for lawmakers to block U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in courthouses or to prioritize legal representation for immigrant children in Minnesota.
Advocates for undocumented people living in the state said they were also concerned about President Donald Trump's recent tweet indicating that ICE officers will begin apprehending immigrants who entered the country illegally. Trump later said he would delay the proposed removals to give Congress a chance to write and approve a package that would resolve some of the problems at the border.
“People are scrambling for that information to keep themselves safe," Daniel Perez, who'd lived for years in Minnesota as an undocumented immigrant, said. “Their fear and panic disrupt anything and everything." . . .
Read the entire article on Forum Communications newspapers.
Listening to the live feed, we were struck by Becker-Finn making a connection between her grandmother' forced removal from her indigenous American home to a boarding school and the separation of children and parents at the border. Our romantic partner, an enrolled member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of Dakota, shares that conclusion, as news reports from the border remind him of his late father's tales of the schools (including the violent death of his younger sister by an individual who was never punished for the crime).
Here's a YouTube of the testimony shot by a person at the meeting; it's not of the quality of that produced by the House Information Services, but gives a sense of the spirit of the room that isn't available on audio. The clip begins at testimony, although House members introduced themselves prior to that point.
Full audio of the meeting will be posted here as it becomes available.
Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan attended:
Thank you to the #mnleg POCI Caucus and @karalynum for hosting this important public meeting on what is happening at the border regarding migrant children and the impact of potential ICE raids on MN communities.
— Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan (@LtGovFlanagan) June 28, 2019
Minnesota is stronger because of our immigrant communities. pic.twitter.com/8zv3kZs6el
Some representative tweets from the hearing:
“I can tuck my children into bed at night and there are many families that can’t do that right now. That’s why we are here.” - @jbeckerfinn
— Mike Howard (@mikehowardmn) June 28, 2019
Important informational hearing on migrant children crisis at southern border & ICE raids. pic.twitter.com/CMWaFZRhOr
Thank you for hosting the hearing on the border crisis, Reps. @jbeckerfinn and @RepFueLee. #mnleg pic.twitter.com/SY5XXj9QRC
— Mike Freiberg (@RepFreiberg) June 28, 2019
Thank you @jbeckerfinn, @RepFueLee and POCI caucus for holding a public hearing on the humanitarian crisis on the southern border. #FamiliesBelongTogether #savethekids #mnleg
— Carly Melin (@carlymelin) June 28, 2019
Photo: "Minnesota Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, DFL-Roseville, on Friday, June 28, 2019, spoke at an informational hearing about the migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Dana Ferguson / Forum News Service"
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