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<br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />Date: 2/23/2026 <br />Item No.: 7.a. <br />Department ApprovalCity Manager Approval <br />Item Description:Discuss Cities for Safe and Stable Communities Coalition <br />1 <br />2 Background <br />3 At the February 9 meeting, the City Council asked for more information to be brought back <br />4 regarding the Cities for Safe and Stable Communities Coalition, a collaborative group of <br />5 Minnesota cities advocating for public safety approaches that respect constitutional rights <br />6 while supporting community stability and local governance during the federal immigration <br />7 enforcement activities as part of Operation Metro Surge. Staff has reached out to coalition <br />8 representatives to see if a person could attend the February 23 City Council meeting to <br />9 answer any questions about the work of the group. Richfield Mayor Mary Supple plans to <br />10 attend the meeting to discuss the coalition's work and answer any questions. <br />11 <br />12 The coalition initially was created with 12 cities as members (Bloomington, Brooklyn <br />13 Center, Brooklyn Park, Columbia Heights, Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Hopkins, <br />14 Maplewood, Minnetonka, Richfield, St. Louis Park) and now has 30+ members, including <br />15 several communities in Ramsey County. <br />16 <br />17 The coalition's work is centered around three core principles; safety over partisanship, <br />18 economic stabilization, and local control and constitutional rights. Below is information from <br />19 the colation about each core principle: <br />20 <br />21 Safety over partisanship <br />22 Operation Metro Surge is making us less safe. We need immediate de-escalation and <br />23 improved coordination, subject to constitutional rights and the rule of law. The operation <br />24 pulls officers away from community safety needs and forces cities to absorb unsustainable <br />25 costs. The cost is not just financial; trust is also eroding. <br />26 <br />27 Economic stabilization <br />28 Operation Metro Surge is affecting Minnesota’s economy well beyond large city centers. It <br />29 is creating and exacerbating economic uncertainty. From business closures to workforce <br />30 instability and housing insecurity, the impacts weaken Minnesota’s economic engine. <br />31 <br />32 Local control and constitutional rights <br />33 We stand for the rule of law and the constitutional rights of our residents. This is not a city- <br />34 specific issue; it is a governance issue. Cities are held responsible for the wellbeing of our <br />35 schools, hospitals, businesses, and neighborhoods, and must be able to govern locally in <br />36 coordination with federal partners. We respect the role of federal immigration enforcement, <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />Qbhf!5!pg!2:7 <br /> <br />