Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.  Legislative Update from Rep. Tina LieblingNeighbors, Over the past several months, we watched the federal government openly violate the constitutional rights of Minnesotans. Earlier this session, the ACLU of Minnesota presented their findings on the current state of constitutional rights to the House Judiciary Committee. Their findings were deeply troubling. Operation Metro Surge caused the largest deprivation of constitutional protections in Minnesota history. We’ve seen due process denied to Minnesotans, citizens wrongfully detained, children harmed by chemical irritants, and observers arrested for peacefully exercising their right to free speech. This orchestrated attack on Minnesota is part of Trump’s agenda of retribution against our state, all for political payback. You can watch the ACLU presentation here. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is available on the Judiciary Committee website. Despite claims by Trump administration officials that Operation Metro Surge has ended, ICE and CBP are still present in our state. As soon as the Department of Homeland Security announced agents left the Twin Cities metro area, we saw a significant uptick of ICE activity in Rochester. We’ve heard several bills in the Judiciary Committee, which I co-chair, to respond to the federal government’s occupation of Minnesota. We heard a bill that would allow Minnesotans to sue government officials in state court for violations of their civil rights. When you have no remedy for violations of your rights, you really have no rights at all. Providing Minnesotans a remedy would also help deter further abuses of power. We also heard a bill that would prohibit the use of facial recognition by government entities, a tactic ICE and CBP have heavily relied upon in their crusade against both immigrants and citizens. Another bill would charge ICE agents with trespassing if they enter private property, schools, or domestic violence shelters for civil immigration enforcement purposes without a judicial warrant. Courts have already ruled that this is required, but the federal government has defied these court orders. All of these common-sense bills would strengthen Minnesotans’ ability to assert their constitutional rights. Republicans voted to kill them all. While most Minnesotans see what ICE did and continues to do in our state, Republican lawmakers have been willfully blind as they attack and mistreat citizens and non-citizens alike. Protecting constitutional rights should never be a partisan issue. It’s deeply disappointing to see Minnesota Republicans follow in step of Trump’s cronies in Congress, who have the power to push back on these abuses but refuse to even acknowledge they are happening. This partisanship power game is dangerous. It has killed two Minnesotans already and injured many more. As State Representatives, we all swore an oath to uphold the Minnesota Constitution and the U.S. Constitution. Protecting Vulnerable Adults I recently presented a bill in the Public Safety Committee to strengthen Minnesota's law on theft from vulnerable adults. A constituent brought this issue to me because a friend with dementia had thousands of dollars stolen from her by her son. When the son was prosecuted, he was only charged with simple theft instead of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult because the situation did not meet the necessary threshold. While I’m glad that the thief was held accountable, the charge did not reflect the egregiousness of the crime — a son taking advantage of his mother’s vulnerability. My bill gives prosecutors the option to increase penalties on a theft charge when the person charged knew that their victim was a vulnerable adult. The bill received bipartisan support, and I’m optimistic about it becoming law before session ends in May. Stay Connected To stay up to date on the legislative session, follow my legislative Facebook page. You can also follow the DFL House Rochester Delegation on Instagram. Unfortunately, due to technological constraints, replies to this newsletter won’t reach my email account. To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out by email at Rep.Tina.Liebling@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-0573. You can contact my Legislative Assistant, Krysta, at 651-296-7173 or via email at Krysta.Niedemhofer@house.mn.gov. If you call or email, please include your street address so I’ll know if you live in my legislative district. It is an honor and a privilege to represent you at the Capitol. Warmly,  Tina Liebling, State Representative Representative Tina LieblingCo-Chair, House Judiciary Committee
5th Floor, Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar St.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
Phone: 651-296-0573
Email: rep.tina.liebling@house.mn
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Legislative Assistant: Krysta Niedernhofer, 651-296-7173 |