Minneapolis, MN – Today, the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion seeking to dismiss the proposed consent decree with the City of Minneapolis, a federal agreement intended to bring much-needed institutional reforms to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) following the murder of George Floyd five years ago this Sunday. If dismissed, the move would dissolve a hard-fought federal oversight process to address systemic misconduct and race-based policing.
The Minneapolis delegation released the following statement:
"We are deeply disappointed that the federal government is abandoning its responsibility to drive reform at the Minneapolis Police Department. For years, Minneapolis community members have spoken out to make their voices heard as part of this process, and now their work and commitment have been disregarded by the federal government. Our communities are made safer and the interest of public safety itself is advanced when the community and their police are able to have a collaborative relationship. Sadly, this decision is not surprising, given Donald Trump's longstanding history of working against civil rights, racial justice, and police accountability.
This reversal comes as our city marks five years since the murder of George Floyd, a tragedy that sparked a global call for lasting change. This is a setback to real progress at a time when the demand for justice and accountability remains as urgent as ever.
While the federal consent decree may be paused in court, the city’s consent decree with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights remains firmly in place. As legislators, we are committed to ensuring it serves as a tool to hold our public safety system accountable. We will continue to stand with our communities, uplift the voices of those most impacted, and stay unwavering in our pursuit of justice and progress."
The proposed federal consent decree supported policy reforms, resources, and training to advance significant changes within MPD that focused on protecting civil rights, increasing accountability, and rebuilding trust with communities disproportionately harmed by policing. It complemented—but did not duplicate—the separate state consent decree already in effect between Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, who also released a statement today.
The Minneapolis Delegation for the 2025-2026 biennium in the Senate includes Sen. Melissa Wiklund (51), Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (59), Sen. Doron Clark (60), Sen. Scott Dibble (61), Sen. Omar Fateh (62), and Sen. Zaynab Mohamed (63). The House includes Rep. Michael Howard (51A), Rep. Fue Lee (59A), Rep. Esther Agbaje (59B), Rep. Sydney Jordan (60A), Rep. Mohamud Noor (60B), Rep. Katie Jones (61A), Rep. Jamie Long (61B), Rep. Aisha Gomez (62A), Rep. Anquam Mahamoud (62B), Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (63A), and Rep. Emma Greenman (63B).
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