Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has issued a statement in response to the conclusion of Operation Metro Surge, a federal law enforcement initiative that drew significant public attention and criticism. The announcement comes after weeks of community protest and reports of civil rights concerns.
Ellison stated, “The end of Operation Metro Surge, when it materializes, will be welcome news. Tragically, the surge is ending too late for Renee Good and Alex Pretti and all who loved them. It is ending too late for Liam Conejo Ramos and the other children who will have to live with the trauma of their detention. It is ending too late for everyone who was wrongfully and illegally detained. It is ending too late for Minnesotans who have endured racial profiling, for businesses that have closed, for children that couldn’t go to school, for the people who have fallen behind on their rent because they couldn’t safely go to work. This unprecedented, unnecessary, and unconstitutional exercise of force leaves much pain in its wake.”
He added that despite these consequences, he views the end of the operation as a victory: “Despite the pain, make no mistake: this is a victory. This is a victory for the rule of law, for the power of clear-headed, creative, lawful resistance, and for the strength of unity over division.”
Ellison credited Minnesota residents with bringing about an end to Operation Metro Surge through peaceful protest and by documenting incidents involving federal agents. “The people of Minnesota ended the surge. Your voices, your dedication to peaceful protest, your documenting federal agents’ abuses of power, and your commitment to protecting and providing for each other made this happen. In the face of Donald Trump’s campaign of revenge and retribution against us, you stood strong, stood for the rule of law, and stood for what we believe in Minnesota: that we are stronger when we stand together, that we all do better when we all do better, and that everyone deserves to live with dignity, safety, and respect — no exceptions,” Ellison said.
Looking ahead, Ellison called on Minnesotans to focus on recovery efforts while working to prevent similar events from occurring in other communities: “Now our attention turns to healing and to ensuring that what happened here over the past several weeks can never happen again — not to us, and not to any state, city or neighborhood in this country.”
Operation Metro Surge had been controversial due in part to claims about civil liberties violations such as wrongful detentions and racial profiling during its enforcement period.
