Rochester City Council

The Rochester Police Chief reported that preliminary figures indicate the department has responded to about 18 calls concerning potential ICE activity in the city in the last week or so.

The owner of the building previously asked for it to be removed from the historic district.

Monday’s vote and last month’s resolution come amid an ongoing federal immigration, crackdown in Minnesota, named “Operation Metro Surge” that has brought immigration enforcement agents to Rochester.

The resolution, which says about 4,000 Rochester residents are of Somali descent passed, on a 5-1 vote.

The Rochester City Council is scheduled to be presented with a consultants recommendations next week.

On December 8, the council approved a funding measure and an item that named an operator for the facility.

The Rochester City Council is scheduled to meet in a special session on Monday to vote on overriding the mayor's veto.

Councilmembers need a 5-2 majority to override a veto.

It’s the 11th and 12th vetoes Mayor Norton has issued since she began serving in the role in 2018.

The city had spent $7.7 million on the complex prior to Monday night’s vote.