The statements provide resources for immigrants and how residents can support their neighbors as Operation Metro Surge continues

by Sommer Wagen — Editor

Both Roseville Area Schools and the Roseville City Council provided resources for immigrants and for residents to support their neighbors in separate statements released last week.

“Education is an act of hope.”

“We recognize that recent immigration enforcement activity across Minnesota has brought fear, uncertainty and disruption to the lives of many students and families,” RAS said in their statement. “Education remains our primary contribution right now, and the stability, compassion, and connection our schools provide each day make a real difference.”

The statement includes several sections outlining the district’s ICE protocol addressing specific community needs. Read the entire statement here.

Highlights:

• “Any law enforcement presence, including ICE, must follow strict protocol and provide proper legal documentation before accessing school property and student information. If ICE is confirmed on the grounds of a district school, we will communicate with families at that school as quickly as possible.”
  
• Thanks to a recent districtwide food drive, the RAHS food shelf is well-stocked. Donations are still being accepted at all schools. Find a list of most needed items here.
  
• The district is accepting public donations of gift cards to help families by groceries and household essentials through March 31. Accepted vendors include Cub Foods, Aldi, Walmart, Costco and Sam’s Club. No VISA gift cards.
  
• Online learning options remain in place for students who can’t attend school for safety reasons.

RAS concluded their statement saying, “The safety and dignity of everyone in our schools is a primary focus. We also know this: we do not stop serving students when times are hard. Education is an act of hope and showing up matters.”

“This community belongs to everyone who calls it home.”

At their Jan. 26 meeting, the Roseville City Council released the following statement:

“The recent actions of the Department of Homeland Security immigration enforcement agents in our community stand in direct opposition to the City of Roseville’s core values of Accountability, Community, Equity, Safety, and Integrity that are rooted in engagement with our community. Our community is exhausted by the fear and disruption associated with Operation Metro Surge and heartbroken by the loss of life of Renée Good and Alex Pretti. Families hesitate to leave their homes for work, school, or to run basic errands. Trust in public institutions has been shaken at its foundation.

Our community cannot thrive when people are afraid. Public safety cannot exist without trust, and trust cannot exist where intimidation and fear are used as the governing tool. The actions of DHS, and the support those actions receive from elected and appointed federal government officials, undermine at best, and violate at worst, the rights and values guaranteed in our Constitution.

We stand with our residents, our faith leaders, our educators, our businesses, and the countless community members who are acting every day to respond to these federal actions with courage and compassion.

This community belongs to everyone who calls it home.

As a local government, we commit to using every lawful tool and influence within our authority to support and protect our community. We will continue to center safety, dignity, and belonging in our actions in accordance with our core values. We commit to reducing harm, sharing accurate information, and standing alongside all those who are impacted. We cannot decide federal policy, but we can choose how we respond. We choose to respond with care, resolve, and an unwavering commitment to those who live, work, and visit Roseville.

We unequivocally condemn the dangerous, divisive, and deadly actions of DHS and demand that these actions stop, not just in Roseville and Minnesota, but across the nation.”

Alongside this statement, City Commissioner Pat Trudgeon also shared online resources for immigrants and immigrant business owners in an email.

“We update these pages frequently as new information and resources become available, so please check the city websites for the most up to date information,” Trudgeon wrote.