Hennepin County sheriff, hit from both sides over ICE, defends her record in re-election bid | Talking Points
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt is seeking re-election after taking fire from both sides in the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge, the ICE surge in Minnesota this year. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement threatened her with arrest for not helping the agency, while protesters accused her of being an ICE collaborator.
DFL delegates also denied her the party's endorsement in the nonpartisan race for sheriff.
Witt defended her record in an interview with WCCO's Esme Murphy, who asked how she answers the criticism that she was "too much in bed with ICE." Witt said her job is to protect everyone and that she can't discriminate based on whether someone is a Republican, a Democrat, the color of their skin or otherwise
"How am I not doing what I was elected to do?" Witt said. She added it "makes absolutely no sense" to say she is cooperating too much when she has "been served 18 subpoenas, threatening my arrest."
The New York Times reported that federal immigration officials began sending letters in July warning Witt she could face tampering charges. The dispute centers on when the Hennepin County jail turns people over to ICE. In February, Witt told WCCO the jail would cooperate with ICE if agents obtained a judicial warrant for an individual's arrest.
Sheriff's deputies were at the scene of protests, especially outside the Whipple Federal Building, an area that does not have its own police department.
Witt is also a key player in the coordinated law enforcement effort to target Somali gangs. At the podium in the fight against gang violence, she is often the only woman, and the only woman of color. Witt said it "doesn't feel so weird" now, but she said she initially worried about being judged for being a woman — and a Black woman — in the role.
Witt's opponent is Joseph Banks, who ran against her in 2022 and lost by about 30 points. Witt won that race as the first woman and first person of color to serve as Hennepin County sheriff. Asked by Murphy why he thinks he can win this time, Banks said he now has more name recognition.
Banks is a former police chief for the Lower Sioux Indian Community, home to Jackpot Junction Casino. He said that job meant dealing with thousands of people visiting the casinos every day.
Banks said he wants more cooperation with ICE.
"I think we have a responsibility to work with our federal partners to keep everybody safe," he said, adding he would "definitely make sure that we're in the room with Homeland Security."
