St. Paul, MN – March 25, 2026 – Governor Tim Walz has enacted an executive order creating a new council tasked with documenting the multifaceted impacts of recent federal immigration operations across Minnesota. The council, named the Governor’s Council, will collect testimony, data, and firsthand accounts from Minnesotans affected by operations such as 'Operation Metro Surge' and 'Operation PARRIS'. This initiative aims to preserve a public record of both the harm endured and the resilience shown by residents during these extended federal enforcement actions. Applications for council membership are now open via the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office.
The council's mandate is to meticulously record the experiences of individuals and communities touched by the federal immigration surge, which involved over 3,000 agents across the state for more than ten weeks, from early December to mid-February. Beyond documenting negative repercussions, the council is also charged with gathering accounts of positive community responses, such as peaceful protests and acts of neighborly support. This effort is framed as an endeavor to "document Minnesota’s history" in the face of significant federal presence and activity.
Read More: FBI Director Patel faces questions on conduct and resource use
The scope of the Governor's Council explicitly excludes ongoing investigations into the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two Minneapolis residents who were killed during the federal crackdown. It also excludes the wounding of Julio Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national, during these operations. Governor Walz has previously called for joint state-federal investigations into these fatalities.
Earlier in the year, in January 2026, Governor Walz had publicly encouraged Minnesotans to use their devices to record federal immigration agents during operations. He framed this as a means of witnessing and documenting potential injustices for future prosecutions. In a statewide address, he stated, "You have an absolute right to peacefully film ICE agents in your neighborhood." Walz described the federal actions as a "campaign of organized brutality" and urged residents to help create a database of what he termed "atrocities against Minnesotans," not only for historical record but also as banked evidence for potential legal action against the government. He invoked a vision of reclaiming communities and seeking accountability through both the courts and the voting booth.
Read More: Army Sergeant's Wife Detained in El Paso, Immigration Policy Concerns
The establishment of the Governor's Council follows a period of heightened federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, including the deployment of additional border agents. This intensified activity had been met with widespread public concern and, at times, significant backlash. Federal agencies had not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding these developments. The timeline for the council's findings and recommendations remains unspecified.
