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Hennepin County Sheriff speaks on ICE surge ending [FULL]
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt shared her thoughts after it was announced that there would be a major drawdown of federal immigration agents in the state.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Hennepin County sheriff says her office has not entered into any new deals with the federal government, "despite what some influential leaders have conveyed."
This comes after White House Border Czar Tom Homan announced a major drawdown of federal immigration agents.
Hennepin Co. Sheriff on ICE surge ending
What they're saying:
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt said in a news conference Friday that even though Operation Metro Surge is winding down, trust in law enforcement has been "eroded."
Witt defended how her deputies handled Operation Metro Surge, calling the immigration operation "unprecedented" and said her deputies didn't have a "template."
She continued to thank her deputies for doing their job, but said her office will be addressing "all issues" and seeing what can be improved.
The sheriff did reiterate her office has not "entered into any new agreements with the federal government, despite what some influential leaders conveyed."
"Communication and relationships will be critical as we move forward. I've always said that leaders at the local, state and federal level must come to the table together," Witt said. "A real leader, a real leader prioritizes understanding, communication, reflection, and conveying truthful information responsibly, not just based off of your limited views."
Witt went on to say that if anyone is "confused" about policies her office has adopted, they should "ask."
Hennepin Co. board told sheriff to not alter ICE policy
The backstory:
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution urging the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office not to change its policy on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
READ MORE: Hennepin Co. board tells sheriff not to alter ICE policy
The board passed the resolution Thursday afternoon, stating they support the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office's current policy regarding cooperating with ICE, which is not honoring detainer requests from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
According to the resolution, the board is telling the sheriff to not make "substantive changes to the policy to voluntarily increase cooperation with federal immigration enforcement."
The board goes on to ask the sheriff to notify the public and the board if there are any changes to the policy that would increase cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
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Operation Metro Surge ending: Minnesotans react
After more than two months of an increased immigration enforcement presence in Minnesota, Border Czar Tom Homan announced on Thursday that Operation Metro Surge would be drawing to a close, with most federal agents leaving by next week. FOX 9’s Soyoung Kim is live at the Alex Pretti shooting memorial site with reactions from Minnesotans.