Education Minnesota President Monica Byron statement on charges filed against 15 Minnesotans who demonstrated against ICE during Operation Metro Surge
For more information, contact:
DOUG DOOHER
651-245-6141 (cell)
ST. PAUL, Minnesota. June 16, 2026 — The following statement can be attributed to Education Minnesota President Monica Byron:
“Today’s arrests are deeply troubling, both because they involve ordinary Minnesotans — including at least one educator and union member — and because they represent the latest chapter in a federal operation that has repeatedly divided communities and raised serious questions about civil liberties, transparency and accountability.
During Operation Metro Surge, Minnesotans checked on neighbors, helped students, supported families in crisis and delivered food and essential supplies. Those acts of compassion and solidarity are not crimes. They reflect Minnesota values.
Yet while community members face charges, Minnesotans are still waiting for answers and accountability in the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Minnesotans are also troubled by the images and reports emerging from today’s arrests. Armed federal agents entering homes and seizing community members is an extraordinary exercise of government power. Such actions demand careful scrutiny, complete transparency and respect for the constitutional rights of everyone involved.
We are still learning the facts surrounding these arrests and the charges that have been filed. Like every person accused of a crime in this country, those charged today are entitled to due process, a fair hearing in court and the presumption of innocence.
We are also mindful that federal officials have repeatedly offered narratives about Operation Metro Surge that many Minnesotans have found incomplete, misleading or disconnected from what they witnessed in their own communities. The allegations announced today should be evaluated through the judicial process, not accepted uncritically or tried in the court of public opinion.
Education Minnesota will continue to stand with our members, defend their rights and support communities working to ensure that truth, justice and accountability apply equally to everyone.”
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
