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I attended the MSP International Film Festival (MSPIFF) screening of #WhileBlack, a new documentary featuring Darnella Frazier, Diamond Reynolds, two Black women who filmed police murder of Black men in our communities. The documentary focuses on how social media platforms and corporations profit from viral Black trauma, while survivors endure lasting psychological and physical danger. I had the honor of being featured in the documentary alongside these powerful women and many other leaders in our community.
[Right to left] Council Member Wonsley, film producer Jen Holness, and Diamond Reynolds at the Capri Theater for the MSPIFF Screening of #WhileBlack
As of January 2026, the Legal Rights Center has launched the First Defense Hotline - the first program of its kind in Minnesota, providing free, high quality, early-stage representation to arrestees. The hotline serves to fill a critical gap in access to legal support for community members across Hennepin County who cannot afford a lawyer. Our communities deserve to understand and advocate for their rights - and it takes all of us to ensure that our community can access legal representation in every moment of need.
We invite you to join a broad collective of neighbors, frontline workers, organizers, and community leaders who are activated as supporters of the First Defense Hotline. Together, on April 25th, we will celebrate the project's launch and activate together in support of the First Defense Hotline.
First Defense Hotline Activation Kickoff
- April 25th, 2-4pm
- Arbeiter Brewing- 3038 Minnehaha Ave
- Free event, with refreshments available for purchase.
- Register here.
Flyer for the First Defense Hotline Activation event
Minneapolis is continuing to support renters and housing stability following Operation Metro Surge. While 30-day pre-eviction notice requirements remain the same, the City has expanded rental assistance to help residents stay in their homes.
Renters and property owners can find information about the 30-day pre-eviction notice and resources for renters on the City website.
Help for residents who are behind on rent
There are funds available for renters to access. With $2 million in City funding, alongside a $1 million private funding donation from the Wilson Foundation, this emergency rental assistance will be distributed through existing systems to deliver the aid quickly.
Through the City’s partnership with Hennepin County, the relief will reach renters faster and make it easier for residents to access help when they need it most. These funds will not require an eviction filing for residents to seek access.
This assistance is designed to:
- Help renters experiencing sudden financial hardship
- Prevent evictions before they happen
- Get support to residents quickly through trusted partners
The City will continue focusing on proven strategies that help renters stay in their homes while maintaining a stable housing market. We will also continue monitoring housing data closely and reassess policies if conditions change.
To access emergency rental assistance, complete an application on the Hennepin County website.
Join the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for an upcoming Town Hall event, in honor of Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This event will provide important information about victims' rights, available resources, and how the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office works alongside victims and families throughout the criminal legal system.
Town Hall on Crime Victims' Rights and Resources
- Date: Monday, April 20, 2026
- Time: 5:30pm – Refreshments, 6:00 – 7:30pm Program
- Location: 1256 N Penn Ave, STE 5200, Minneapolis, MN 55411
What to Expect:
- Information on your rights as a crime victim
- Support services and resources available
- Staff available to answer questions and guide you to helpful programs
- Space to learn, connect, and strengthen community support
All community members are welcome! Register Here!
Victim Services Town Hall flyer.
Minneapolis’ March 2026 eviction filing rates are up 60.3% compared to March 2025. Join the Housing Justice League for a training for community leaders on community eviction response. This event will be located in the Harrison Neighborhood, and is tailored for mutual aid organizers, rapid response networks, impacted community leaders, educators, social workers, advocates, tenant leaders, and elected leaders to:
- Bring more clarity to understanding the eviction process and timelines
- Raise awareness of the agency tenants have to intervene in the process
- Give emergent organizing networks and leaders the legal information to create strategies for eviction response and broad information sharing
We aim to give a legal overview of the eviction process, share resources for eviction defense, and arm advocates with the knowledge needed to keep neighbors housed and combat mass displacement. Here is the Registration Link.
Flyer for community eviction response event.
Summary: MPD has still failed to present on the Council’s legislative directive about their data retention of security camera footage that could be used to get accountability for residents during Occupation Metro Surge.
Background: Several weeks ago, I authored a legislative directive requesting the Mayor and MPD provide an update on any operational changes that were made in order to retain potential evidence of unlawful actions by federal agents. This directive was approved unanimously by Council and signed by the Mayor, but MPD has refused to comply with the directive.
I presented on why this information is so important to residents and why MPD’s failure to comply harms citywide efforts to hold the federal government accountable for their hostile and dangerous actions in our city.
In early January, residents asked me to learn more about the Frey administration’s plans to retain security camera footage in case it could be useful in the future in getting accountability for residents. The City has hundreds of cameras that could have been used to gather evidence of illegal actions by the federal government. I do not believe the burden of documenting the egregious actions that took place in our city should solely be placed on the shoulders of the public, who already did so much to protect both their neighbors and our city during Operation Metro Surge.
When I reached out to the Office of Community Safety (OCS) to learn more about how they were approaching data retention, the Deputy Commissioner told my office that OCS would not be making any adjustments to their data retention policy based on guidance from the ACLU, and suggested if my office has issues with their guidance to reach out to them directly. I took the Deputy Commissioner’s suggestion and my office met with the ACLU. In that meeting, it was clear OCS had misrepresented the ACLU’s policy position on retaining evidence of unlawful actions by federal agents. Due to the confusing and conflicting information provided by OCS, I brought forward a legislative directive that was unanimously approved by the council and signed by the Mayor, with a presentation requested by March 24th.
OCS still has not responded to that directive, and no updates have been shared by OCS on the status of the legislative directive or its reason for delay.
Earlier this month, the city updated a website page that is a place for the public to “Learn about the impact of current federal actions and how the City is responding.” The video from a city-owned camera was uploaded for public review. This video was used as evidence to contradict the federal agents who shot a North Minneapolis resident. It led to charges being dropped from the victims in the case because it became clear federal agents lied under sworn testimony. This was a high profile case, but is a perfect example of the power and role the city has in holding federal agents accountable. The City has the potential power to use video evidence to exonerate innocent residents facing criminal charges, or to build evidence against federal agents who commit unlawful actions.
I am calling on my colleagues to utilize all our tools as a council to improve and strengthen our data practices and build resiliency as we prepare for the upcoming midterm elections and continue into the remaining years of Trump’s presidency.
Residents deserve to know the city is doing everything it can to utilize the experiences from this winter into better future responses. This is why it is imperative that OCS fulfills this legislative directive.
Key votes: No votes taken.
Summary: The City Council denied the appointment of Toddrick Barnette as Community Safety Commissioner, and released a public memo outlining Barnette’s record and their vision for the next Commissioner. The Mayor vetoed the Council’s denial, even after the City Attorney's Office confirmed that this veto does not result in Barnette’s appointment.
Background: On April 9th, the Minneapolis City Council voted to deny Mayor Frey’s nomination of Toddrick Barnette as Commissioner of the Office of Community Safety (OCS). The Mayor immediately stated that he intended to veto this denial. The City Attorney's Office had to do new research into what this would practically mean for the appointment, since it would be an unprecedented action. On April 14th, the City Attorneys released a memo confirming that “the availability of a veto does not mean that a veto results in an affirmative permanent appointment to a new term.” The memo states, “the only action that would result in a permanent appointment to a new term would be an affirmative vote of the Council consenting to the nomination coupled with approval by the mayor.”
Despite the Attorney’s Office confirming that a veto would not result in Barnette being appointed, Mayor Frey chose to proceed with a veto regardless. This solely symbolic action accomplishes no practical end and does not improve public safety outcomes for residents.
There are many reasons why council members were against the reappointment of Toddrick Barnette as Community Safety Commissioner that do impact public safety outcomes for residents. Council President Payne’s Office released a memo outlining many council members’ vision for the next Commissioner of Community Safety and outlines in detail the ways in which Mr. Barnette has failed to meet those standards. The mayor’s veto and claims of “political gamesmanship” fully ignore the substantive issues that the council laid out. It is my hope that Mayor Frey and Council will instead focus our time on working together to find a new Community Safety Commissioner that has the track record and expertise to meet the expectations of this role and advance forward effective safety outcomes for all of our communities.
Key votes: Council will vote on the Mayor’s veto at the Council meeting on April 23rd. Nine votes are needed to override the veto and sustain Council’s denial of the appointment. Fewer than nine votes would fail to override the veto, but would not result in Commissioner Barnette being appointed.
Summary: Council Members are authoring an ordinance to protect renters from discrimination or retaliation based on their immigration status.
Background: Council Members Chavez, Chowdhury, Chughtai, and Osman are authoring an ordinance to protect renters who may face unfair treatment due to their immigration status. It prohibits landlords from inquiring into immigration status, requiring prospective tenants to disclose their immigration status, or denying a rental application based solely on an applicant providing an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) instead of a social security number.
The ordinance creates new protection against retaliation for all renters, including prohibiting a landlord from increasing rent, decreasing services, altering an existing rental agreement, filing a legal action against a tenant or applicant, contacting federal or state law enforcement related to a tenant's or applicant’s immigration status, or seeking to recover possession of the unit as retaliation for a tenant reporting a code violation, joining a tenant union, or speaking publicly about their experiences. I look forward to supporting this ordinance as we work to improve protections for immigrants and for all renters in our city.
Key votes: The immigration status of renters ordinance was forwarded with recommendation by the Public Health, Safety and Equity Committee. The full Council will vote on the ordinance on April 23rd at 9:30am.
Summary: The Climate & Infrastructure Committee received a report on the City’s progress on Vision Zero, the goal of zero traffic deaths.
Background: The City has a multi-year plan called Vision Zero, which aims to reduce traffic deaths to zero by 2027. This week, they published the annual report from 2025, the annual crash study, and presented on the status of the program and the work ahead.
The Vision Zero initiative is extremely important. No resident should fear for their lives while walking, biking, rolling or driving in Minneapolis.
This week at the Climate and Infrastructure (C&I) committee meeting, staff provided an update on this work and outlined the ways they’ve made significant progress in making our bike paths, streets, and sidewalks more safe and accessible for all residents. They also affirmed that even with such great progress, they are continuing to refine their tools like road design improvements, traffic calming, traffic safety calming, and more to ensure no resident loses their lives or risk being harmed while using our bike paths, streets, and sidewalks. Staff will be bringing forward an updated Vision Zero 2036-2030 action plan to C&I this summer for Council consideration and public input. My office will share updates on when this process will kick off in the coming weeks.
Key votes: No votes taken.
Summary: The Office of Community Safety gave a presentation on their work from the first quarter of 2026.
Background: Every quarter, the Office of Community Safety presents to the Public Health, Safety and Equity (PHSE) Committee. There are individual presentations from the five departments within OCS: 911, Fire, Police, Neighborhood Safety (violence prevention), and Emergency Management. There’s also a presentation by the Office that coordinates the five departments.
This week’s presentation included many updates around resident priorities including 911 staffing levels, community safety ambassadors in Uptown, gun violence prevention, MPD response times, settlement agreement compliance, and more.
Some key highlights:
- The Office of Emergency Management response during Operation Metro Surge is being modeled by other cities who have been attacked by the federal administration or are anticipating being targeted.
- Fire is planning to expand the city’s successful Behavioral Crisis Response program.
- Neighborhood Safety has seen a 98% no reoffense rate from clients participating in its Group Violence Intervention programs (YGVI & GVI).
- MPD has reached a 70% clearance rate for its homicide cases; the highest it’s ever been. They are anticipating that clearance rates will drastically increase for non-fatal shootings as a result of implementation of their non-fatal task force (FAST), an initiative my office led on and worked with Council to fund.
You can read the slides or watch the entire presentation and discussion for more.
Key votes: No votes taken.
Contact Ward 2
Visit: minneapolismn.gov/ward2
Email: robin.wonsley@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2202
City Hall
350 S. Fifth St., Room 370
Minneapolis, MN 55415
For reasonable accommodations or alternative format please contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. Para ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311. |
![[Right to left] Council Member Wonsley, film producer Jen Holness, and Diamond Reynolds at the Capri Theater for the MSPIFF Screening of #WhileBlack](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/MPLS/2026/04/13526392/whileblack_original.png)
