I want to thank the Minnesota Immigrants Rights Committee and the Unlawful Assembly Marching Band for coming to town on July 9, insisting that Minnesota become a sanctuary state by refusing to violate basic human rights.

If I understood the July 11 Tribune article, our sheriff referred to 11 million undocumented people living in America as criminals who are committing a felony.

In truth, 11 million people living in the greatest democracy on earth are living in a police state. Minnesota becoming a sanctuary state would mean all of those detained in the Freeborn County jail by ICE could be released to get the truly “excellent care,” not in jail as the sheriff said, but at home with their families. If, indeed, there are any violent criminals among those arrested, they all deserve the same basic human rights protections as the rest of us living in America.

Ted Hinnenkamp

Albert Lea