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Secretary of State Steve Simon calls voter rolls request 'bizarre, disturbing'
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon appeared on FOX 9's All Day on Monday and called AG Pam Bondi's request to turn over Minnesota's voter rolls both bizarre and disturbing. Simon calls it a political chip to get ICE agents out of Minnesota, and they won't release private data. Simon also says what ICE is doing in Minnesota is way beyond the stated mission.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi over the weekend called for Minnesota to turn over its voter rolls as one of the conditions to eventually pull ICE operations out of the state.
On Monday, Secretary of State Steve Simon called that demand both "bizarre and disturbing."
Steve Simon joins FOX 9’s All Day
The backstory:
Simon joined FOX 9’s All Day to talk about Bondi’s demands, and ongoing federal immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities through Operation Metro Surge. Simon said the Secretary of State’s Office will not hand over Minnesota’s voter rolls, which federal officials would look into for possible voter fraud.
He says Minnesota is one of 32 states in court cases involving voter rolls, and they refuse to release private data such as social security numbers and driver’s license info.
"This request is bizarre and disturbing. It’s bizarre because it has nothing to do with the facts on the ground. It has nothing to do with security, public safety, immigration, ICE, anything. So it’s puzzling and bizarre that this is being tagged on as one of the implied conditions to give us our peace and security back," Simon said. "It’s also disturbing because the AG knows we are in active litigation on this very question. We’ve said no, we’re one of 32 states that have said no because it’s private data. She knows that."
Federal officials have already lost three court cases related to the release of private data, Simon said.
They are willing to share any public information, like names, addresses and voting history.
‘Two have been killed for God’s sake’
What they're saying:
Simon also said what federal agents are doing in Minnesota has gone too far. Operation Metro Surge was launched to get the "worse of the worst" out of Minnesota when it comes to undocumented immigrants committing crime. They’ve already made thousands of arrests.
But in the last three weeks, there have been three shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis. Two have resulted in the deaths of Renee Good, and Alex Pretti.
"I think ICE needs to stand down, they need to revisit their tactics and what they’re doing right now is a siege on Minnesota and is way beyond the stated mission. Two have been killed for God’s sake," Simon said.