St. Paul council targets ICE hotel staging with resolution
The St. Paul City Council is advancing a resolution urging hotels and other lodging businesses inside city limits to decline contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, effectively telling ICE it is not welcome to use local hotels as staging bases during Operation Metro Surge. The measure is symbolic rather than a binding ban, but it formalizes political pressure on downtown and neighborhood hotels that have quietly hosted large numbers of federal agents during the Twin Cities immigration crackdown. Supporters frame it as a way to reduce fear in immigrant communities and keep federal operations away from places where families work and stay, while critics warn the city is trying to intimidate private businesses and risk federal retaliation. The resolution comes after two large downtown St. Paul hotels temporarily closed to ICE bookings over safety concerns, and as small immigrant‑serving businesses report sharp revenue drops tied to the surge. On social media, immigrant‑rights groups are praising the move and demanding similar action in Minneapolis, while some hospitality voices privately worry about being caught between city hall and the federal government.
📌 Key Facts
- The St. Paul City Council is considering a resolution stating that city hotels and lodging businesses should refuse to house or contract with ICE.
- The resolution is nonbinding but is explicitly framed as a response to ICE’s Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities.
- The action follows earlier incidents where downtown St. Paul hotels canceled ICE bookings, and comes amid widespread reports of economic and psychological impacts on immigrant communities and small businesses.
📊 Relevant Data
Operation Metro Surge is an ICE operation in Minnesota that has resulted in over 4,000 arrests of violent illegal immigrants, including murderers, gang members, and drug traffickers, with a significant number from Venezuela and Somalia.
Undocumented immigrants in the US have a lower property crime arrest rate of 38.5 per 100,000 compared to 165.2 per 100,000 for U.S.-born citizens.
Undocumented Immigrant Offending Rate Lower Than U.S.-Born Citizen Offending Rate — House.gov
Venezuelan immigrants commit substantially fewer crimes than the native-born relative to their share in the population, based on 2019 data from host countries like Colombia, Peru, and Chile.
Venezuelan migration, crime, and misperceptions: A review of data from Colombia, Peru, and Chile — Brookings
Foreign-born workers account for almost 11% of Minnesota's labor force, contributing to economic growth in a tight labor market.
The Growth and Impact of Minnesota's Foreign-Born Workforce — MN.gov
Immigrants in Minnesota paid nearly $222 million in state and local taxes in 2022.
The economic and fiscal impacts of mass deportation: what's at risk in Minnesota — Minnesota Budget Project
Somali immigrants in Minnesota fled civil war and built communities, but have become targets due to fraud scandals and immigration crackdowns.
Somalis Fled Civil War and Built a Community. Now They Are a Target. — The New York Times
Venezuelan migration to the US is driven by economic and political crises in Venezuela, with high homicide rates of 56 per 100,000 compared to 5 per 100,000 in the US.
Immigration and violent crime — Brown University
The foreign-born population in St. Paul, Minnesota, is 18.2% as of 2020-2024, with significant growth in immigrant communities.
St. Paul city, Minnesota - U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts — U.S. Census Bureau
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