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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — JANUARY 31, 2026 8 Salem, Arden Hills (Shoreview and St. Peter) — He agrees with everything people have already said. He wanted to share there are reports from parents in St. Peter that the surge has spread all over Minnesota. ICE agents are questioning their children at the playground. They ask them if they know where people from other countries live. That idea sickens him. At the very least, signage and more robust measures should be in place to prevent them from being in the parking lots of the playgrounds. Patrick Burlingame, Arden Hills — He thanked Council for the conversation. He's tired. Everyone he talks to seems tired. People are worn down, on edge and stressed in a way that feels different than usual. Whether or not everyone experiences this in the same way, the fatigue and anxiety are very real in the community right now. Over the past few weeks, he has spoken with neighbors, parents, business owners and community members across the city. What he keeps hearing isn't anger or ideology. It's uncertainty. People don't know what to expect, who is responsible for what or whether calling 911 will make a situation safer or more complicated. He understands the instinct to say that if people just follow the rules there won't be any more problems. That sounds reassuring on paper but public safety systems don't work on theory. They work on trust and predictability. When people can't reliably tell what will happen after they call for help, fear becomes a rational response. From his conversation with Staff, he understands the City realized a high level policy framework tied to the Ramsey County Sheriffs Office. The statement posted on the city's website explains that federal agencies operate independently and the sheriff's office gets involved when there is an immediate or emerging threat to public safety. He understands this language is intentionally broad for legal and operational reasons. There is currently no formal communication or coordination channel between the local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies. Just this week, senior leadership confirmed, there is not routine communication from the sheriffs office to the City regarding ICE related calls. An ICE related call appeared for the first time in the high level daily call summary only recently. Even with very limited detail, that tells him that these situations are occurring while visibility for residents and elected officials remains minimal. Ramsey County has introduced new guidance directing local law enforcement to accept and investigate alleged criminal conduct by federal agents. That underscores how important clarity and accountability are when enforcement activity intersects with community safety and public trust. The combination of broad policy and limited coordination are real consequences. He is hearing from residents, including long time homeowners, parents, business owners and particularly residents of color who are hesitant to leave their homes, hesitant to send their kids to school and hesitant to call 911 when something feels wrong because they don't know what will happen next. That uncertainty is already ripping outward. Schools are seeing attendance disruptions, teachers are carrying extra strain, businesses are struggling to staff shifts or keep doors open. These aren't abstract concerns. They are showing up in our daily life. He isn't here to debate federal immigration policy. He is here because local public safety only works when people trust it under stress. Our first responders exist to protect residents. When people are unsure about what will happen after they call 911, trust erodes and the system stops functioning the way it's supposed to. He doesn't expect instant fixes and he understands there are legal limits but leadership still matters. Acknowledging the uncertainty, clearly explaining what residents can expect when they call for help and committing to review if current guidance is sufficient will go a long way towards restoring trust. People need to know that asking for help won't put them at greater risk. Restoring trust isn't optional it's essential to safety, stability and cohesion of this community. Sarah Curtis, Arden Hills — She echoes many of the comments made. Many of the things she was hoping to bring forward as suggestions for action have been expressed. She would like to add