St. Paul council delays vote on police force review tied to ICE operation
The St. Paul City Council postponed a planned Dec. 3 vote to launch a city review of SPPD’s use of force during the Nov. 25 ICE operation and protest and is preparing to ask the Minnesota POST Board to conduct a thorough state-level investigation; the proposed scope includes probes of pepper balls, less‑lethal munitions and chemical agents, an audit of public costs, and review of adherence to the city’s separation ordinance. Community groups and local leaders say the police violated department policy and are demanding discipline and release of video (Mayor Melvin Carter has said body‑cam footage will be released), while Police Chief Axel Henry defended the department’s actions and urged better advance communication with ICE to avoid future clashes.
📌 Key Facts
- The St. Paul City Council has called for an investigation into officers’ use of force tied to the Nov. 25 ICE raid on Rose Avenue; the council planned to initiate investigations at its Dec. 3 meeting but delayed the vote and has since moved to ask the Minnesota POST Board to conduct a thorough, state-level investigation (the council’s first formal action tied to the incident).
- The scope of the proposed review includes an audit of public costs tied to SPPD’s actions, a review of adherence to the city’s separation ordinance, and an investigation into use of force including pepper balls, less‑lethal munitions and chemical irritants.
- A community group concluded SPPD’s use of force at the protest violated department policy, is calling for formal investigation and discipline and greater transparency (including release of video), and held a Dec. 8 press conference pressing the city for a full investigation and council discussion.
- Advocates and witnesses allege specific policy violations: pepper‑spraying nonviolent protesters, deploying chemical munitions to create a fog, and firing pepper balls and rubber bullets through the smoke; independent journalist Georgia Fort said three journalists were attacked, and community members described the response as humiliating and traumatizing.
- Mayor Melvin Carter has said body‑camera footage from the incident will be released; advocates say they are still waiting for that footage.
- St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said SPPD first learned of the incident after ICE reported an ICE vehicle was struck, that the driver fled into a Rose Avenue home and ICE sought a warrant, and that SPPD was initially called to draft an accident report; by about 10:30 a.m. a crowd had gathered, streets were closed for public safety and medic access, Henry characterized the crowd as mixed with some already agitated, and he urged better advance communication with ICE to prevent future confrontations.
- As background context, after a separate June federal operation on Lake Street the Minneapolis City Auditor found MPD did not violate its separation ordinance while assisting with crowd control — a precedent cited in coverage of the St. Paul incident.
📊 Relevant Data
The Greater East Side neighborhood in St. Paul, where Rose Avenue is located, has a population composition of 30.3% White, 28.4% Asian, 16.5% Black, and 14.3% Hispanic.
Greater East Side neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota (MN) — City-Data.com
In St. Paul, 18.6% of residents (57,200 people) were born outside the United States as of 2023, compared to the national average of 18.6%.
St. Paul, MN | Data USA — Data USA
Minnesota has an estimated 130,000 unauthorized immigrants as of 2023, representing 2.2% of the state's population.
Mapped: Minnesota's growing unauthorized immigrant population — Axios
In Minnesota, Black individuals comprise 8.5% of the population but accounted for 27.5% of all arrests (31,163 out of 113,166) in 2024.
2024 BCA Uniform Crime Report — Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
📰 Sources (8)
St. Paul police chief: Communication with ICE could prevent future clashes
New information:
- Chief Axel Henry says SPPD first learned of the incident when ICE reported an ICE vehicle was struck; the driver fled into a Rose Avenue home and ICE drafted a search warrant to arrest him.
- SPPD was initially called to draft an accident report; by about 10:30 a.m., a crowd had gathered and police closed the street for public safety and to allow medic access to an injured person.
- Henry characterized the crowd as mixed (not uniformly peaceful or violent) and said some people arrived already agitated.
- Henry said better advance communication infrastructure with ICE could help prevent future confrontations between federal agents and residents.
St. Paul City Council plans to ask POST Board for ‘thorough investigation’ of officers’ use of force
New information:
- The St. Paul City Council now plans to ask the Minnesota POST Board to conduct a 'thorough investigation' of officers’ use of force during the ICE operation.
- The request shifts the focus to a state-level review by POST rather than only a city-initiated review.
- The action explicitly links the investigation request to the ICE operation at issue.
Community leaders call out St. Paul police actions at Nov. 25 ICE raid
New information:
- Community leaders held a Dec. 8 press conference demanding a full investigation and City Council discussion of SPPD’s response to the Nov. 25 ICE raid on Rose Avenue.
- Michelle Gross (Communities United Against Police Brutality) alleged multiple policy violations, including pepper-spraying non‑violent protesters, throwing chemical munitions to create a fog, and firing pepper balls and rubber bullets through the smoke.
- Independent journalist Georgia Fort said three journalists were attacked by SPPD officers during the incident.
- Toshira Garraway Allen described the police response as humiliating and traumatizing for the community.
- Mayor Melvin Carter has said body‑camera footage from the incident will be released; advocates say they are waiting for the release.
Community group: St. Paul police use of force against protesters violated policy
New information:
- A community group publicly concluded SPPD’s use of force against protesters during the ICE operation/protest violated department policy.
- The group’s findings cite specific policy provisions and the kinds of force alleged (e.g., chemical agents/less‑lethal munitions) used at the protest.
- The group is calling for formal investigation/discipline and greater transparency (e.g., release of video), adding pressure alongside the council’s postponed review.
St. Paul City Council pushes back vote for review of police use of force during ICE operation
New information:
- The St. Paul City Council did not vote on Dec. 3 and pushed back the review of police use of force during the ICE operation/protest.
- Action on the proposed investigation was delayed to a later meeting (date not yet finalized in this report).
St. Paul ICE raid: Leaders call for investigation into police use of force
New information:
- Council members say they will formally initiate investigations at their Dec. 3 meeting.
- Scope includes an audit of public costs tied to SPPD’s actions, a review of adherence to the city’s separation ordinance, and an investigation into police use of force (pepper balls, less‑lethal munitions, chemical irritants).
- Detailed statements from Council Members Nelsie Yang (Ward 6), Council President Rebecca Noecker, and Vice President HwaJeong Kim calling for transparency, accountability, and stronger protections.
- Context note: After a separate June federal operation on Lake Street, the Minneapolis City Auditor found MPD did not violate its separation ordinance while assisting with crowd control.
St. Paul City Council calls for investigation of officers’ use of force during ICE operation
New information:
- St. Paul City Council members have now called for an investigation into officers’ use of force during the federal operation and protest.
- The investigation request is the first formal council action tied to the incident.