Hello from St. Paul,
A recent vote in the Minnesota House has sparked controversy after a bill aimed at increasing cooperation between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) failed on a 67-67 tie vote.
The legislation would have required authorities to notify ICE when illegal immigrants are arrested for violent crimes, including murder, assault, carjacking, or kidnapping.
All Republican representatives supported the measure, while every Democrat voted against it. With no Democratic crossover, the bill did not advance.
The proposal was modeled after the federal Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia woman who was tragically killed by an undocumented immigrant with a criminal history in the United States. In addition to the reporting requirement, the legislation sought to prohibit sanctuary policies that prevent local jurisdictions from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.
This is a proposal that could save lives. What good comes from hiding information about violent illegal immigrants from federal officials? One tragedy is too many, especially when the tragedy is entirely preventable. Someone who should not be here in the first place should not be allowed to stay here and commit crimes.
ATTORNEY GENERAL ELLISON FACES SCRUTINY
Our new fraud committee in the Minnesota House is finally casting much-needed light on long-standing issues of mismanagement taking place within our state government.
This week, Attorney General Keith Ellison appeared before the committee to address new revelations surrounding the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud case.
Leaked audio recordings have surfaced in which Ellison expresses sympathy for certain East African businesses under investigation. Some of those affiliated with them were later indicted and convicted for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud. Even more troubling, Ellison reportedly promised to pressure state agencies on their behalf, despite his role as the chief legal representative of those same agencies.
The inconsistencies are hard to ignore. In 2022, Ellison’s office asserted that it had “jumpstarted” the investigation and had been “deeply involved for two years.” However, Ellison now claims he was unaware of the scandal during a December 2021 meeting with individuals later linked to the fraud. Additional audio from June 2021 indicates he may have known about concerns with Feeding Our Future months earlier than he now acknowledges.
Even after he finished his testimony, plenty of questions remain. None of this adds up, and it’s clear further investigation is needed.
Have a good weekend,
Greg