Government

What to know about immigration enforcement in Roseville

How is the Roseville community impacted by ICE?

Naomi Krueger

05 Dec 2025 — 7 min read

With an increased presence of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Twin Cities and the recent termination of Temporary Protected Status for some people from Somalia and Burma, you may be wondering how Roseville is impacted.

Here's what we know:

City of Roseville

In Roseville, MN 11.5% percent of residents are foreign born. Roseville residents who are not U.S. citizens make up 4.6% of the total population, as of 2023. The population of Roseville increases substantially every day with visitors coming to work, dine, shop, and recreate in the city. City staff, police officers, and fire fighters/EMTs interact with anyone within the city who needs their services.

According to the Roseville Police Department Police Manual Policy 413:

"It is the policy of the Roseville Police Department that all persons are equally entitled to protection and that all persons should be able to access police services without regard to their immigration status."

The Roseville City Council passed an ordinance in 2017 which prevents any city employee—including police—from inquiring about a person's immigration status, unless it's related to a criminal investigation and not for the purposes of federal immigration law enforcement. Roseville Police are not authorized by the federal government to enforce federal immigration laws. However, there is no ordinance or policy limiting how the Roseville Police Department could collaborate with ICE. Minneapolis and Saint Paul are the only MN cities with "separation ordinances" which limit how local law enforcement can collaborate with federal immigration enforcement.

City policy does allow for members of the RPD to assist ICE in the following circumstances with supervisor approval:

"Members of the department are authorized to assist ICE when it is related to scene safety and/or the safety of ICE employees as they perform their duties. Members of the department are authorized to cooperate with a task force involving ICE agents as long as the focus of the task force is not immigration enforcement.

Member of the department will cooperate with ICE as specifically mandated by federal and state laws."

The Roseville Police Department does not plan to release a public statement related to recent federal immigration enforcement, according to city staff.

What to do if you are approached by ICE

The Roseville Reader asked city staff what residents should do if they are approached by ICE at their home or vehicle. They said that if Roseville residents ever feel unsure, unsafe, or harassed by someone claiming to be from a federal agency, you should prioritize your safety. If you believe a crime is being committed or you feel threatened, call 911. Roseville city staff said:

"If a resident calls 911 to report that they are being harassed by someone claiming to be from ICE, or they witness what appears to be an abduction or arrest without clear authority, Roseville officers will respond, assess the situation, and take appropriate action based on what they observe. That can include verifying the identity of individuals who claim to be law enforcement, checking for any immediate safety concerns, and investigating possible criminal behavior. Our response will always be driven by the specific context and our responsibility to protect community safety."

Roseville Area Schools

Roseville Area Schools is more diverse than the City of Roseville, but data on the school's immigrant population is not immediately available. However, 36% of students in the district speak a language other than English at home. After English, the most commonly spoken home languages for students are Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Karen, and Nepali.

The district includes parts of Roseville, Arden Hills, Shoreview, Lauderdale, Falcon Heights, Maplewood, and Little Canada. There are also students who open-enroll in Roseville Area Schools from other cities, including Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Yesterday, Superintendent Jenny Loeck sent a message to families reaffirming the district's commitment to all students' safety:

"We stand with all of our families, and we are committed to ensuring that every student feels safe in our schools and in our community. Students learn best when they are free from fear about their family’s safety, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect that sense of security. We are unwavering in our collective commitment to providing our students and families with a safe and supportive school community.

Changes in federal immigration enforcement practices do not change our district’s legal responsibility to protect the rights and privacy of our students, staff, and families. We will continue to follow our district policies and all state and federal laws. We also believe in the importance of a clear and fair path to citizenship for families who call our community home. ALL of our families are an essential part of who we are as a district."

Under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), personal information about students and families is protected. Public schools cannot provide private information about students, including immigration status, to anyone without an order from a US District Court.

Ramsey County Sheriff's Department

Ramsey County does not conduct immigration enforcement and does not hold non-citizens in the County jail for ICE.

Recently Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told the Pioneer Press that "his agency hasn’t been involved with any recent immigration raids or protests, but that his office is in the process of reviewing recent events to develop a policy on how deputies should approach potential future incidents."

Community Groups

Several Roseville organizations have made public statements of support for immigrants in the community. Here are a few:

In response to the federal government's termination of Temporary Protected Status for refugees from Burma, the Karen Organization of Minnesota (located in Roseville) issued a press release:

"As the first social services agency for people from Burma in the US, the Karen Organization of Minnesota is deeply concerned about the safety and wellbeing of all from Burma living in Minnesota and throughout the United States."

Do Good Roseville posted this statement as a profile picture on Facebook and also made this recommendation, "Do Good Roseville strongly recommends that you follow Unidos MN for up-to-date information about what is happening to immigrants in the Twin Cities."

This image was shared by Do Good Roseville on Facebook

The League of Women Voters Roseville Area shared a press release opposing ICE deployment in Minneapolis and Saint Paul:

"LWVMN stands unwaveringly with immigrants, refugees, and all members of our community who deserve safety, dignity, and equal treatment under the law. We believe in the rule of law, due process, and that fair administration of justice must be upheld for every person. These principles are threatened when federal enforcement tactics intimidate communities, suppress civic participation, or deter individuals from accessing essential public services, participating in civic life, or exercising their constitutional rights."

As of the publishing of this article, there has not been any publicized ICE activity in Roseville in recent days. If you know differently, please contact news@rosevillereader.com.

Update: This article was updated to reflect a response from city staff and the Roseville Police Department.