St Paul mayor says city under siege as ICE raids continue

Saint Paul’s new mayor, Kaohly Her, says the city has been targeted by ICE raids since June and that she is under federal investigation for alleged obstruction, while the city has joined a lawsuit opposing the federal operations.

Kaohly Her took office as Saint Paul’s mayor just weeks ago and has faced an immediate confrontation with federal immigration authorities. Her is a Hmong refugee who has described recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity as a sustained targeting of the city. Local officials and community groups have responded with training and administrative steps while the federal government has opened an investigation involving the mayor. Key facts: - Kaohly Her is the newly installed mayor of Saint Paul and is the first woman and first Hmong American to hold the office. - Her has said ICE operations have been affecting Saint Paul since June and have focused attention on immigrant communities in the city. - Federal authorities have opened an investigation into Her for alleged obstruction of immigration enforcement, as reported by officials. - Saint Paul has joined a lawsuit seeking to end the ICE operations; the US Justice Department has described that suit as "legally frivolous." - A Department of Homeland Security official has rejected claims of racial profiling and called those claims "categorically false." Summary: The situation has heightened tensions between federal immigration authorities and Saint Paul city officials and has raised concern in local immigrant communities. Local leaders are taking administrative and advocacy steps, and federal legal or investigative actions involving the mayor are ongoing. Undetermined at this time.