Nicollet County residents speak out about ICE

DANA MELIUS

SPECIAL TO THE FREE PRESS

ST. PETER — Five St. Peter area residents spoke out Tuesday against ICE enforcement efforts in the community during the public comments part of the Nicollet County Board meeting.

Among them was St. Peter High School senior Christina, whose last name was not used due to her safety concerns. Her uncle was among local people detained by the Department of Homeland Security agents during the agency’s surge in Minnesota “My uncle got detained by ICE on Jan. 15,” Christina said in an emotional testimony before commissioners. “Right now, I’m taking care of my family and getting groceries because they are too scared to go out.”

Her uncle remains in a Texas detainment facility awaiting an immigration court hearing. But a Feb. 13 hearing was canceled, Christina added, with a March 2 interview not scheduled.

A resident of the Marway mobile home park on St. Peter’s south side, Christina plans to attend Minnesota State University in Mankato in the fall. She was among three public speakers who highlighted concerns for area students and families affected by two months of heavy local ICE enforcement.

Longtime educator Mary Behrends asked for more official support from the Nicollet County Board against local ICE enforcement.

“I think there are battle scars,” said Behrends, a 42-year educator with 29 of those in St. Peter.

Parent Heidi Miller said “everyone is one edge,” speaking for her daughter who attends school in St. Peter. Miller said she’s been told of tension among students, with some “friendship breakups” as ICE enforcement continued through January and February. She also questioned ICE tactics as illegal.

“As a parent, how can I teach my children right and wrong?” Miller asked.

Others spoke of the local economic ramifications of the heavy ICE presence in St. Peter.

Andy Davis, pastor at Union Presbyterian Church in St. Peter, encouraged Nicollet County officials to refuse to cooperate with DHS and ICE enforcement.

Davis said ICE efforts have had “a huge impact on Nicollet County” businesses and likely the county budget as well. But there’s also been a major impact on his church community, which previously housed a Latino service and congregants, which has now been canceled due to safety concerns.

“It’s been a huge impact on us (at Union Presbyterian),” he said.

St. Peter resident Patty Conlin agreed that ICE presence in the community has been a difficult time over the past weeks. She’s served previously as an election judge and said federal administration policies are concerning. A 20-year business owner in St. Peter, Conlin says she listens to a lot of stories from customers and friends. “Lately, the stories haven’t been very happy,” she said. “People are doing as much as they can (to help).”

Conlin also stressed the importance of documenting the costs to

See ICE on A2

CONTINUED FROM A1

Nicollet County departments and to make those figures public.

“How much is ICE activity actually costing us?” Conlin questioned.

Commissioners and county of f icials don’t respond to questions during the public comment period of a Nicollet County Board agenda.