Stop Evictions During Minnesota ICE Surge

Operation Metro Surge has created a housing emergency. The increased presence of federal immigration enforcement has left many immigrants afraid to leave their homes for fear of detention. As a result, workers are missing shifts, paychecks are disappearing, and families are falling behind on rent through no fault of their own. In some cases, the primary breadwinner has been detained, wiping out a household’s income overnight.

Evictions under these conditions are not inevitable – they are a policy choice.

In January, the Minneapolis City Council formally urged Governor Tim Walz to issue a temporary eviction moratorium in response to the ICE surge. Leaders in St. Paul, educators, tenant advocates, and faith groups across the state have joined that call, warning that evictions right now will force families into homelessness and deepen harm in already targeted communities.

Governor Walz has clear authority to act. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he used that authority to issue a statewide eviction moratorium to prevent mass displacement. The current moment demands the same leadership. When people cannot safely leave their homes to earn a living, eviction is not accountability – it is punishment.

Public pressure is building – and it matters. City councils have acted, protests are growing, and communities are demanding accountability. Governor Walz can stop this crisis from spiraling further with a simple, immediate step.

We call on Governor Tim Walz to issue a statewide eviction moratorium for the duration of Operation Metro Surge. No one should lose their home because they were afraid to leave it.