Minnesota Immigration Cooperation: No Statewide Sanctuary Law

Minnesota has not enacted a statewide sanctuary statute. The North Star Act, which would restrict state and local resources for federal civil immigration enforcement, was introduced in the 2023 and later sessions but has not become law; there is no Minnesota Statutes section codifying it. Absent a state mandate, immigration cooperation is set locally: Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Hennepin County, and Ramsey County have separation or limited-cooperation policies that restrict inquiries into immigration status and decline civil ICE detainers unaccompanied by a judicial warrant. Federal law, including Form I-9 verification, continues to apply to all Minnesota employers and agencies.

No statewide statute imposes penalties. Local separation policies set their own terms; state and local agencies otherwise follow federal law and honor judicial warrants and criminal-case cooperation.