Press Release

Attorney General Ellison: ‘President Trump’s cruelty violates Minnesotans’ sense of decency’

Ellison tells Minnesotans, ‘Regardless of your immigration status, you have legal and constitutional rights — know them and exercise them’

‘As long as I’m the People’s Lawyer, we’ll keep fighting for everyone’s dignity, no exceptions’

July 12, 2019 (SAINT PAUL) – Minnesota Attorney General Ellison today released the following statement about federal immigration raids on families and communities that reportedly will begin this weekend:

“Minnesotans are a fundamentally decent people. We just want our immigrant neighbors to be able to live with the same dignity and respect that we want for ourselves and our loved ones. We value respect for human rights and due process of law over intentionally spreading fear and terror for political gain.

“President Trump’s cruelty violates Minnesotans’ sense of decency. He has separated children and babies from their parents at our border. He has forced children to survive in filthy conditions that no country should tolerate and no human should endure. He has taken no responsibility for the “dangerous overcrowding” that his own administration warned about. He has shown no grief when some children have died from maltreatment and neglect.

“Now, the President says his administration is planning to tear even more families and communities apart in raids this weekend. This will mean even more children and babies being ripped from their parents, forced to live in inhumane conditions, or possibly left to fend on their own.

“As your Attorney General, I want every Minnesotan to know that regardless of your immigration status, you have legal and constitutional rights. If you are concerned that you or someone you love may be the next target of the President’s cruelty in these raids, know your rights and exercise them.

“The Minnesota Attorney General’s office has been standing with immigrants and refugees. We’ve fought the federal government when we’ve needed to protect recipients of TPS and our long-time Liberian neighbors with DED. We’ve fought the federal government to protect our Constitution and the separation of powers. We fought the federal government to protect the integrity of the census and beat them when they tried to undercount immigrants for pure political purposes. As long as I have the privilege of serving as the People’s Lawyer, we’ll keep standing with them. We’ll keep fighting for everyone’s dignity, no exceptions.”