Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne has disclosed his involvement with activist networks that monitor and respond to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the city, according to a video he posted to Bluesky.
In the video, Payne described participating in what he called a rapid response call that drew approximately twenty people to a location at 10 p.m. on a Sunday evening. "We just got down, clearing a rapid response call," Payne said in the video. "Make sure you are staying connected with your neighbors, and make sure you're staying safe, and staying vigilant." The council president referenced ongoing ICE activity in Minneapolis, saying "they are still abducting people and somebody got taken today."
The disclosure comes after Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis that has concluded. While ICE agents who were deployed specifically for the operation have left the city, permanently assigned agents continue their regular work in the Twin Cities area.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive advocates and immigration rights supporters frame rapid response networks as community safety initiatives designed to protect vulnerable residents from potential civil rights violations. Supporters argue that documenting ICE activity helps ensure accountability and allows community members to exercise their First Amendment rights to observe and photograph public officials at work.
Minneapolis City Council members have publicly associated themselves with these networks. Council Member Aisha Chughtai has described ICE arrests using language that emphasizes the community impact, referring to detained individuals as "our neighbor." In official proceedings, council members have discussed their interactions with rapid response groups and have worn whistles at meetings — a practice used by activists to alert others to ICE presence.
The City Council has also advocated for policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The council previously lobbied Mayor Jacob Frey to use the city's rainy day funds for rental assistance, and earlier this month indicated it may revise housing code to require landlords to accept Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers instead of Social Security numbers.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservatives and law enforcement advocates argue that rapid response networks interfere with legitimate federal immigration enforcement and potentially endanger agents. Critics note that some groups associated with these networks have been known to dox ICE agents and share their license plates online, a practice that can expose agents to harassment or retaliation.
The groups organize training sessions on how to document ICE agents and instruct members to follow ICE vehicles. Critics say these activities go beyond peaceful observation into intimidation and obstruction. Some enforcement advocates have questioned whether local officials should be publicly associating with networks that explicitly aim to disrupt federal operations.
The Minneapolis City Council's political makeup — with both majority and minority leaders representing the Democratic Socialists of America — has drawn criticism from those who argue the council's activism has influenced governance. The council has advocated for "economic blackout" days aimed at halting the city's economy for political leverage, and members have taken direct action against businesses allegedly connected to ICE operations, including refusing to immediately renew liquor licenses for hotels.
What the Numbers Show
The Minneapolis City Council consists of 13 members. Both the majority and minority leaders represent the Democratic Socialists of America, giving the body an overwhelmingly left-leaning composition. The council's recent policy initiatives include a proposal to allow tenants to pay rent using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, which would affect landlords who receive rental licenses from the city.
Operation Metro Surge was a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Following its conclusion, deployed ICE agents left the city, though permanently assigned agents continue their regular enforcement activities. Rapid response networks associated with Minneapolis activism reportedly include thousands of members who can be rapidly mobilized when ICE activity is reported.
The City Council's request to use rainy day funds for rental assistance, if granted, would have likely resulted in a downgrade of the city's municipal bonds, increasing borrowing costs. The council's advocacy for economic blackout days represents a policy position that aims to use economic pressure for political objectives.
The Bottom Line
The disclosure by Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne of his involvement with ICE monitoring networks highlights the ongoing tension between local progressive activism and federal immigration enforcement. The city's council, dominated by democratic socialists, has taken multiple policy positions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
What happens next: The council's proposed housing code changes, including the acceptance of ITINs instead of Social Security numbers, remain under consideration. These policies would affect how landlords verify tenant identity and could face legal challenges. The rapid response networks continue to operate, and their activities remain a point of contention between local officials and federal authorities. Enforcement advocates say they will continue to monitor both the networks and any local officials who publicly associate with them.