Statement on ICE Operations and Community Response from the Adams County Commissioners
When it comes to situations of appalling violence, like that used by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agents in Minneapolis—as well as the power of a community to come together in resulting acts of bravery, patriotism, and humanity—it doesn’t matter where it happens. Our entire nation is deeply affected. We all grieve together. And we all have a decision to make on how we will move forward.
So, what does forward look like now?
To start, we stand with the impacted communities in Minnesota and across the country, including here close to home. No person should have to be afraid to go to work. No child should be scared to go to school. No parent should have to decide whether or not to open their front door for their baby. And never should a person fear for their life for standing up for what they believe to be just, peacefully, as is their right as an American citizen.
Since the start of the year, nine people have been killed in interactions with ICE. Their names, stories, and legacies will forever change the way we talk about this time in our country’s history. We echo the bipartisan demand for an exhaustive and fair investigation into the deaths, and we send our love and support to their families and loved ones. We will strive each day to hold space for those whose names and faces we don’t know, because their stories are just as important.
And finally, most importantly, as elected officials for this county we hold dear, it is our duty to uphold the constitutional rights of our residents. We aim to do this in our work each and every day. Importantly, we are actively working to make sure every person in our county knows exactly what those rights are, and how they can access help if they need it. Our local law enforcement agents, both at the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and in local jurisdictions across our county, are dedicated partners in this continued labor toward justice and compassion, working to uphold and defend civil rights for all our residents.
In Adams County, we want to move forward toward a future aligned with the values we have always strived to uphold: fairness, dignity, respect, and opportunity for all people, no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they look like. Every person is and always has been welcome in Adams County.
Moving forward feels heavy right now, but we do so emboldened by the acts of courage and commitment to community we’ve seen taken every day by ordinary people with extraordinary love for their neighbors. We’re proud to stand with you on the side of what is right: liberty and justice for all.
-Adams County Board of Commissioners
