The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reviewing the employment records of at least two businesses in the Minneapolis area.
The audits come amid heightened conflict in Minnesota over increased federal immigration enforcement and the fatal shootings this month of two U.S. citizens, Renne Good and Alex Pretti, incidents that have sparked protests across the country and disrupted daily life in Minneapolis.
Hennepin Healthcare, which operates the state’s largest safety-net hospital, and Mischief Toy Store, a small retail store in St. Paul, according to Bloomberg, received a notice from the Department of Homeland Security requiring them to submit documents confirming that their employees are legally authorized to work in the US.
Lindsey Middlecamp, an attorney with the Minnesota attorney general’s office, called the audits retaliatory at a court hearing this week, according to John Stiles, deputy chief of the office’s office. Stiles added that Middlecamp declined to provide further comment.
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Hennepin said he submitted the records to comply with federal employment eligibility regulations after a subpoena issued Jan. 8. Dan Marshall, co-owner of the Mischief Toy Store, which employs five U.S. citizens, said in an interview that the store has cooperated with authorities in checking the records of its employees.
Why are businesses in the Minneapolis area being inspected by DHS security?
Marshall noted that the request for the documentary came soon after his daughter, also a co-owner, appeared on television to rail against the government’s immigration enforcement.
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State and local officials say the audits are retaliation for the fallout from the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration in Minnesota, the report said. While employment audits are a standard part of U.S. law, trade groups and state officials reportedly raised concerns about the timing, adding to pressure on Minnesota employers already grappling with safety concerns and declining sales.
However, DHS has denied any connection between the two events.
A spokeswoman for the department, Tricia McLaughlin, said in an email: “Any claim that DHS inspected the Mischief Toy Store in response to an interview by the owner’s daughter is FALSE.” She added that the store is under a National Security investigation unrelated to the owners’ political views.
Matthew Webster, a senior immigration attorney at Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis, said his practice has seen more than triple DHS audits of business clients since December.
In earlier years, these audits generally focused on industries that employ seasonal workers, such as the hospitality industry, and were often initiated based on referrals from other government agencies. Now, Webster said, “we’re seeing both indiscriminate and retaliatory audits.” He added, “That’s the result of 3,000 ICE officers in the city.”
The audit notices were sent out before Trump made changes to the leadership overseeing the Minnesota operation this week. He also indicated a willingness to try to work with local and state officials to ease tensions after recent clashes.
