2026-03

Emergency Resolution:

In Defense of Academic Freedom and the Rights to Free Speech and Peaceful Assembly and Protest

Sponsored by

Sen. Teresa Ruiz (NJ), Sen. Margo Juarez (NE) and
Sen. Cristina Castro (IL)

Reported to the Caucus by the
NHCSL Education Task Force

Sen. Teresa Ruiz (NJ), Chair

Unanimously approved by the NHCSL Executive Committee on behalf of the entire Caucus on April 10, 2026

I. Recent Enforcement Actions and Constitutional Implications

WHEREAS, recent federal immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota, including large-scale operations reported as “Operation Metro Surge” in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan region, have generated widespread fear within immigrant communities and prompted sustained public demonstrations, raising urgent national concerns regarding the limits of federal enforcement authority in civilian settings; and,

WHEREAS, in Resolution 2025-05 this Caucus endorsed Safe Zone and Welcoming Learning Environment Policies for all students, regardless of immigration status; and,

WHEREAS, communities across Minnesota—including students, educators, journalists, legal observers, and neighborhood residents—have reported raids and confrontations occurring in proximity to schools, workplaces, and community spaces, raising concerns about the protection of constitutional rights and the safety of those engaged in civic participation; and,

WHEREAS, students and families have reported witnessing or experiencing immigration enforcement activity near school communities, creating fear among children, disrupting learning environments, and undermining the ability of educators and schools to provide safe and supportive educational spaces; and,

WHEREAS, allegations of excessive force, wrongful detention, retaliatory arrests, and fatal encounters involving immigration enforcement officials have prompted civil-rights investigations, litigation, and calls for accountability from educators, labor organizations, civil-rights advocates, and community leaders; and,

WHEREAS, publicly reported deaths occurring during or following encounters with immigration enforcement authorities have raised serious questions regarding accountability, use-of-force standards, and adherence to constitutional protections governing law-enforcement conduct; and,

WHEREAS, similar constitutional concerns have arisen in Oregon, Washington, D.C., Texas, and other jurisdictions where enforcement responses to public demonstrations resulted in litigation, judicial review, and national debate regarding protest rights and government use of force; and,

WHEREAS, national data indicate that more than 1,000 civilians are killed annually by law enforcement in the United States, underscoring the heightened constitutional risk when armed enforcement operations intersect with civilian protest activity; and,

WHEREAS, immigrant communities, communities of color, students, educators, labor organizers, journalists, and legal observers are often disproportionately impacted when enforcement activity intersects with civic participation and public protest; and,