PC and Immigration in Minnesota

So why weren't the Minneapolis police involved in raiding brothels in their own city? When St. Paul police were? Please note that this was indeed a prostitution investigation. Indeed, it was a international human sex trafficking investigation. So Minneapolis PD refused to participate because of a policy that they would not target illegals for investigations?

Seems to be a lot of confusion, thus my incredulous questioning of the "EXCUSE THE HELL OUT OF ME?" nature. I'd like to see the text of that email, because that "hands off" line doesn't stand up when you're talking about a human trafficking investigation. We're not talking about targeting illegals for immigration offenses. We're talking about targeting, essentially, slavers who happen to deal in (and be) illegal immigrants.

I note that the USA office for Minnesota has made a very real priority of child porn and human trafficking.

Absolutely!

The relevant bit of municipal code can be found here. [Title 2, Chapter 19.] It doesn't appear to preclude Minneapolis PD from joining the investigation, but it's sure broad enough to discourage MPD personnel from doing so unless copiously approved from the top down in advance. It also adds extra layers of paperwork, and leaves any employee in potential violation subject to discretionary disciplinary action.

"All such use of city public safety personnel under 19.30(a)(3) and (a)(4) shall be documented, including any applicable Department of Homeland Security mission statement and operational guidelines, the reason for the dispatch of personnel, the name of the homeland security agent in charge, and the name of the officer authorizing the use of city personnel...

...Complaints of a violation of this chapter shall be shall be subject to disciplinary action under the appropriate union contract, civil service commission rules, or department work rules. It shall not be a violation of this chapter to require the completion of I-9 forms or to inquire into or disclose the immigration status of the complainant or witnesses if necessary as part of the investigation of a complaint of a violation of this chapter, or if deemed necessary by the appointing authority in order to administer discipline for such violations."

Which makes it a political mine field, and a career-killer to even attempt to tiptoe through those tulips without massive sanction from above. Even then we know about the effects of gravity on excremental outfall on inclined surfaces, and what happens when the stink reaches the public. Scapegoating happens. The ordinance appears to have been written in response to the Homeland Security Act and the formation of DHS, which takes me right back to my title: Political Correctness and Immigration.

"This chapter clarifies the communication and enforcement relationship between the city and the United States Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies with respect to the enforcement of civil immigration laws. The city works cooperatively with the Homeland Security, as it does with all state and federal agencies, but the city does not operate its programs for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws."

Fine in theory. But in practice, did it result in the city either being cut out of the investigation, or refusing to join the investigation? THAT'S the question. The obvious hostility to federal authorities evidenced in the ordinance would not exactly encourage the USA office to ask for help and cooperation, nor would it exactly inspire zeal in cooperation from Minneapolis law enforcement. And I'm willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that any attempt to bring in MPD on such an investigation would produce major leakage of the existence of the investigation.

Lots of unknowns still out there, indeed.