The Minnesota Building Trades and our affiliated unions represent 77,000 Minnesotans of all walks of life and political persuasions.  We have watched while the presence of ICE in our communities has wreaked havoc on our state, our industry, and the lives of many of our members.

The chaos created by ICE is directly impacting Minnesota’s construction industry.  We have heard numerous stories of union members having their constitutional rights violated, despite being American citizens or legal residents.  We see members hesitant to go to work or participate in our communities for fear of their safety and the safety of their families.  There is also the very real potential for investments to dry up based on the market instability this is causing in the state. 

If ICE and the Department of Homeland Security were truly invested in helping American workers and creating a fair playing field, their enforcement focus would be directed to the many unscrupulous construction employers that take advantage of immigrant labor by paying substandard wages in cash or off-the-books.  These employers cheat their workers, their competitors, and taxpayers, and they make up a sizeable portion of the industry.  Unfortunately, this is not about justice or fairness – it is about creating chaos and fear. We are relieved that things appear to be calming down, but we also know that the fight is not over. We stand in solidarity with every worker on every job site, and so we call on state and federal leaders to work together and return Minnesota to a place where workers’ rights are respected and protected, communities are safe, and our industry can thrive.