Interim Update
Dear friends and neighbors,
Over the past several days, my inbox has been full of messages from constituents about the growing ICE presence here in Minnesota. Some have asked for my help in having ICE removed immediately, and others are calling for increased local cooperation with the ongoing effort. If you’re feeling uneasy, frustrated, or simply confused by what you’re seeing and hearing, please know this: you’re not alone, and you’re not wrong to ask questions.
I share your concern. A strong federal presence in our state is not something to take lightly, and it’s fair to ask how we arrived at this moment. To understand where we’re going, we must to be honest about where we’ve been.
Policies that encouraged a massive influx of individuals here illegally—such as making Minnesota a sanctuary state, subsidizing healthcare for undocumented immigrants, and expanding their access to other social programs—have placed real strain on systems meant to serve our most vulnerable neighbors. That strain is compounded by the Walz administration’s failure to provide meaningful oversight or protect these programs from fraud. Simply put, the math doesn’t work. Minnesotans work hard for every tax dollar they earn, and they are understandably frustrated when those dollars are misused.
When state leadership and parts of our judicial system made the choice to look the other way, the necessary result is increased federal involvement in both prosecution and immigration enforcement. That’s the reality we’re facing. While I would prefer more responsible action at the state level, I believe we now have a responsibility to ensure that what is happening is done the right way—lawfully, cooperatively, and humanely.
What must happen immediately is that local, county, and state leaders engage constructively, and that their corresponding law enforcement agencies work together to ensure enforcement is efficient, transparent, and respectful of human dignity. Other states have taken this cooperative approach and are seeing better outcomes. There’s no reason Minnesota can’t do the same.
With that in mind, I want to use the first part of this week’s newsletter to clearly explain what ICE can—and just as importantly, cannot—do under federal law, consistent with the Constitution of the United States of America. If you’d like to review the information directly, I encourage you to visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website linked here. And as always, if you have questions, ask them. An informed community is a stronger community.
Understanding ICE: Facts, Limits, and Legal Authority
Why does ICE arrest people, and do they need a warrant?
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ICE officers are tasked with enforcing federal immigration law, with an emphasis on public safety. Like other law enforcement officers, they may initiate consensual conversations, briefly detain individuals when there is reasonable suspicion of an immigration violation, and make arrests when the law requires.
Under federal law, ICE does not need a judicial warrant in every circumstance to carry out these duties. Individuals who violate U.S. immigration law—including those with final orders of removal—are subject to arrest and detention, regardless of criminal history.
Do ICE Officials need to show warrants to the public?
- No, legally ICE law enforcement officers cannot show the warrants they are executing to people who aren’t named or involved. Often, law enforcement sensitivities and privacy concerns for the one being arrested require officials to keep this information under wraps.
What happens if someone resists arrest?
- ICE officers are trained to use only reasonable and necessary force, with a strong emphasis on safety and de-escalation. Protecting the wellbeing of everyone involved—including the individual being arrested—is a priority.
Is ICE snatching/kidnapping people off the streets?
Is asylum legal status?
- Asylum is a form of legal protection, but applying for asylum does not automatically grant legal status. Asylum can only be approved after a specific legal process, and only by an immigration court or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Why does ICE arrest illegal aliens who are complying with the Alternatives to Detention Program?
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Participation in the Alternatives to Detention program does not override a final order of removal. If an immigration judge has issued a final removal order, ICE is required to carry it out.
In recent years, many individuals—including some with violent criminal histories—were released into communities despite having final orders of removal. When those cases are revisited, ICE proceeds with enforcement as required by law.
You can read the full list HERE.
Good news from USDA for our farmers (and dairy lovers!)
 Secretary Rollins and former California Ag Secretary A.G. Kawamura at his strawberry farm in Irvine, CA.
Now for the part of this update that comes with a glass of milk and a smile. The USDA just opened enrollment for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program at the American Farm Bureau Convention, and for our dairy farmers, this is a solid win. Sign-up runs from January 12 through February 26, and this year’s update packs a little extra cream: Tier 1 coverage is expanding from 5 million pounds to 6 million pounds. That means more milk covered at the most affordable level—real help for family farms navigating tight margins and unpredictable markets. It’s nice to share some news that actually makes farmers feel seen, supported, and a bit more secure.
A Call to Protect the Vulnerable
 Before I close out this week’s newsletter, I want to pause and reflect on a day of prayer we shared just yesterday. Our annual MCCL March for Life is always one of the most meaningful days at the Capitol. It’s a day that draws us out of the noise and reminds us why this work matters in the first place. It’s about human beings—created in God’s image, loved beyond measure, and worthy of protection.
This year, I would like to emphasize something that I believe is too often overlooked: being pro-life extends to people of all ages and walks of life. It’s easy to say we care about life when it’s convenient or when it fits our comfort level. But true compassion asks us to love people when it’s messy, when it’s complicated, when it costs us something. That includes mothers who are scared, families who are struggling, kids who are unprotected from the cold, and neighbors who feel unheard or neglected.
Proverbs 31:8–9 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves… defend the rights of the poor and needy.” That verse doesn’t just apply to the unborn. It applies to every person who needs someone to stand in the gap for them. And right now, I believe our calling is to be a community that protects the vulnerable, honors human dignity, and refuses to turn away from those who are hurting—no matter what side of the aisle they’re on.
When I spoke at an MCCL event earlier this month, I shared how the value of every life is infinite—because we are all children of God. That truth doesn’t change based on where someone was born, what they look like, or how they arrived at their current circumstances. It’s a reminder that our faith calls us to something higher than division. It calls us to love.
So thank you to everyone who showed up, prayed, and stood for life in all its stages. Thank you for being the kind of community that doesn’t just talk about love—you live it. And may we continue to do so, every day, in every neighborhood, and in every season.
Sincerely,
Representative Steve Gander
Minnesota House of Representatives, District 1B
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