A controversial plan addressing homeless encampments, while getting enough votes for approval, may never see the light of day.

The Humane Encampment Response ordinance does and calls for many things, creating a heavy lift for the city of Minneapolis and needs a lot of public dollars — including providing portable bathrooms, hand washing station, needle disposal supplies, and more.

It also sets up a seven-day pre-closure notice and provides free storage, which city staff says alone would cost millions. The ordinance also includes ensuring people have access to services and shelter. 

RELATED: Minneapolis City Council passes housing crisis policies as mayor expedites encampment closures 

“We seek to address the public health and safety concerns,” Aisha Chughtai, one of the three council members, said during Thursday’s city council meeting. “It also ensures that unsheltered individuals are given the basic dignity of time to make plans before a closure.”

Her colleague, Linea Palmisano, was first to express opposition. 

“I don’t know how we could suggest that we keep people in a situation where addiction, violence, trafficking — drug and sex trafficking and child trafficking — how that can be a humane response to encampments,” Palmisano said. 

At the posting of this article, we did not receive a statement from council member Aurin Chughtai, who said she’s supplying one — we asked how she responds to those who feel the ordinance encourages encampments to form and why it does not include steps to address crime that unfolds in encampments.

The one who needs to sign off on the ordinance, Mayor Jacob Frey, is clear on his stance. 

“I intend to veto it,” Frey told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, which will be effective as there was not enough support from council members to override it. 

“I don’t know how anybody could argue with a straight face that that is safe, and that’s the right way to do this,” Frey said, adding, “I don’t want to turn back that progress on an ordinance that would essentially make homeless encampments much easier to start open and then much harder to close.”

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Minneapolis City Council will vote on Thursday to bolster a 22-year-old ordinance that restricts police officers from helping ICE agents or taking part in federal immigration enforcement.

Minneapolis’ separation ordinance

The backstory:

The City of Minneapolis first passed its separation ordinance in 2003, following the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and ICE under the Bush administration. Cities across the country began passing laws, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, following suggestions from Attorney General John Ashcroft in 2002 that state and local authorities should act as conduits for federal immigration enforcement.

Among other requirements, Minneapolis’ separation ordinance forbids Minneapolis police from taking part in immigration enforcement or assisting ICE agents. It also prevents city employees from investigating an individual when the only law they’ve violated is being in the United States illegally. City employees are also restricted from inquiring about immigration status except when required to do so by law.

Big picture view:

This week, the council presented a revised version of the separation ordinance with tougher language intended to combat ICE, amid a targeted immigration operation ordered by President Trump focused on the Somali community. In recent weeks, ICE agents have been spotted across the Twin Cities, especially in predominately Somali areas. Just this week, an enforcement operation in Cedar-Riverside ended in a confrontation with ICE agents pepper spraying protesters. During that operation, city leaders say an American citizen was arrested by ICE agents, forcefully handcuffed, and hauled down to a detention center in Bloomington.

The current review of the separation ordinance was sparked by a federal raid in June on a Mexican restaurant that turned out to be a criminal investigation. The raid did, however, spark an anti-ICE protest and a heavy police response.

Minneapolis council considers changes

Local perspective:

The new ordinance declares the city will “vigorously oppose” any attempt to use city resources for immigration enforcement. The revised ordinance also codifies an executive order issued last week by Mayor Jacob Frey restricting ICE from staging operations in city-owned lots, parking lots or ramps.

There are exemptions that allow police to work with ICE or federal authorities for operations like criminal investigations. In those cases, the new ordinance requires police officials to prepare a report detailing the operation and explaining why the city took part and submit it to the mayor, the council, and the public. The ordinance also opposes the government’s practice of hiding the identity of federal agents, saying that working alongside anyone who lacks clear agency identification, who is masked, or conceals their identity or badges would be contrary to the values of the city and harmful to the trust and public safety of city residents.

Dig deeper:

Along with the separation ordinance, council also approved an additional $40,000 in funding for the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota to support legal services for immigrants in Minneapolis. The law center helps immigrants detained by ICE, those seeking citizenship, and provides advice for those at risk of immigration enforcement.

What’s next:

The Minneapolis City Council will meet at 9:30 a.m. to vote on the separation ordinance and other measures on its calendar. The separation ordinance is Item 1 under the Committee of the Whole schedule titled “Employee authority in immigration matters ordinance: Title 2.” We will stream the meeting in the live player above.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Residents in Minneapolis and St. Paul are working hard to manage the aftermath of a recent snowstorm, with snow emergencies still in effect.

Snow removal efforts continue

What we know:

Crews and residents are actively clearing snow from streets and sidewalks. 

Minneapolis residents must clear the entire width of city sidewalks within 24 hours to ensure accessibility.

Kevin Gilliam, a local homeowner, was seen snow-blowing his property to avoid dealing with hardened snow later. 

“I couldn’t get to it last night when the snow stopped around 8 or 9 o’clock,” said Gilliam. “I wanted to make sure I got the snow up, so it didn’t kind of freeze hard on the bottom.”

Neighbors lend a helping hand

What they’re saying:

Richard Cushing helped his neighbor Robert Young, who recently moved to Minneapolis from Colorado, dig out his car. 

Young was initially using a dust pan before Cushing offered a shovel. 

“Three things you need for the winter in Minnesota: a good shovel, good tires, and a good neighbor,” said Young.

Cushing noticed Young’s struggle and decided to assist. 

“I saw him trying to dig it out with a dust pan. And I thought, I have a shovel in my car, I can probably do better than that,” said Cushing.

“You use what you have. And that’s all I could find in the house. We just moved in here from Colorado, and it’s a totally different snow altogether. And the Colorado snow is light and fluffy, and you just kind of blow it off. This has got attitude. It’s going to hang around,” Young added.

What’s next:

Temperatures are expected to drop – which means cleaning up snow will become more difficult in the coming days.