Legislative Update from Rep. Mary Frances ClardyDear Neighbors, The pain and loss our community has endured since federal immigration enforcement escalated in Minnesota is immeasurable. Renee Good and Alex Pretti deserve to be here with us. Liam Ramos belongs with his loved ones at home. Minnesota has become a focal point for our country and world—demonstrating how communities unite to defend their members against aggressive federal officers—and we remain committed to demanding justice. Constitutional observers play a vital role in this effort, which is why they've become targets of aggression. Everyone must be held to legal standards. If federal immigration officers have violated your rights—something we've witnessed happening with alarming frequency—please report it to the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.  Attorney General Keith Ellison has created an online portal to document and track these violations occurring in our neighborhoods. Within our own communities, I'm amazed but not surprised by how our residents have come together to peacefully support one another. We look out for each other here and refuse to turn away when it matters most. Safety and security belong to everyone. We also have our first amendment right and we should use it. I'm also glad to see more people from across the political spectrum now calling out ICE's atrocities and urging withdrawal from Minnesota. Standing up for what's right is always timely. With this in mind, I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle in the coming weeks on bills addressing ICE overreach. Potential measures include: - Banning enforcement by masked, anonymous agents
- Offering housing support for affected individuals
- Enabling Minnesotans to bring civil rights lawsuits against federal agents
- Restricting cooperation with federal immigration operations that trample civil liberties
I welcome your legislative ideas as well. Since ICE operates federally, please also reach out to our Washington representatives—U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, and Congresswoman Angie Craig—if you haven't done so. Community Resources Neighbors, Inc. volunteers are working tirelessly as food supplies are quickly depleted, continually restocking, organizing, and distributing donations to neighbors facing food insecurity and other hardships. More information about donating can be found at their website; click this link. A word of warning: various crowdfunding pages on GoFundMe, social media, and similar sites claim to support those affected by current events in Minnesota. While many are genuine, some are fraudulent schemes exploiting people's compassion for personal gain. Review the Minnesota Attorney General Ellison’s guidance, Don't Just Follow the Crowd on "Crowdfunding" Websites, for more details. #ForwardThe Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded $137,088 in cleanup funding to West Saint Paul to address contamination at the 11.32-acre Thompson Oaks site. The redevelopment plan includes a five-story building with 272 market-rate apartments, 19 townhomes, and the renovation of an existing 7,000-square-foot commercial building. This project is expected to create 17 jobs, increase the local property tax base by more than $1 million, and leverage $125 million in private investment from the developer, who will also provide matching cleanup funds. This transformation represents a major step forward in revitalizing the community and turning a contaminated site into a valuable residential and commercial asset. Students should be focused on learning – not worrying about whether their parents will be home at the end of the day. We saw learning disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we're seeing it again with kids missing school to stay safe from ICE. Yesterday, I joined colleagues and education leaders at the University of Minnesota to discuss ways we can improve Minnesota's Principal Survey. This is a statewide survey we've been using since 2021 to measure challenges, such as student mental health, and best practices in the classroom. How we develop these questions will give us more data about how ICE's impacts have hurt our schools- and what we can do to support our kids moving forward.  Honored to receive the 2025 MnEEP Ron McKinley “All My Relations Award.” Ron McKinley’s legacy — fighting for high-quality, equitable education for Native students and students of Color — continues to shape Minnesota in powerful ways.  Keep in TouchPlease continue reaching out with ideas, input, and questions anytime. Due to technological constraints, direct replies to this email will not reach my inbox. Please send me an email at rep.mary.frances.clardy@house.mn.gov or call 651-296–3533. We’ll all keep moving forward, together. Sincerely, Mary Frances Clardy
State Representative |