I'm an immigration lawyer in Minneapolis. People are scared - here's what employers and employees should know about their rights.

"These are not normal times. There's a huge concentration of ICE enforcement right now in Minnesota, specifically here in the Twin Cities. My law firm works with both employers and their employees. Employees are very scared - they may be specifically being targeted by ICE, or they have family members or loved ones who are being targeted by ICE and they want to protect them, or they're just scared to be out in public."

"The ICE action isn't just against individuals who are foreign nationals in Minnesota; it's against anyone who appears to be a foreign national, or anyone who's questioned and believed to be not cooperating with ICE - and there could be potential consequences, as we've seen. It's a really difficult time for employers now, too. They're facing situations where they may have employees who can no longer work for them."

"ICE is coming to their parking lots or places of business; we're getting questions from employers about how to ensure ICE doesn't have access to their spaces. We know that this administration is taking a much broader interpretation of what rights they have in order to enforce immigration laws, and employers must be prepared for this. It's important for employers to know their rights As any law-abiding citizen or entity, you want to cooperate with law enforcement, but it doesn't mean that you don't"

A concentrated ICE enforcement surge in Minnesota, particularly the Twin Cities, is creating fear among employees and operational challenges for employers. Targeting extends beyond documented foreign nationals to anyone perceived as a foreign national or anyone believed not to cooperate with ICE. Employers face absenteeism, employees unwilling to come to work, and potential loss of staff, prompting considerations like remote work and alternative arrangements. ICE presence at parking lots and business sites raises questions about access and legal boundaries. Employers should know their legal rights, establish response protocols, and role-play how to interact with enforcement while balancing cooperation and protection of employees.

Read at Business Insider