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Since immigrants are barred from most <br />federal public assistance, the burden of <br />providing social services, education, and <br />health care falls to state and local <br />governments that are increasingly feeling <br />the financial impact of both legal and illegal <br />immigrants living in their communities. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities, together with the National League <br />of Cities, urges Congress to move quickly <br />to enact and enforce effective <br />immigration laws. <br />Federal and state governments must not <br />transfer responsibility for enforcing U.S. <br />immigration laws to local personnel, <br />including police officers, firefighters, <br />educators, health professionals, and social <br />service employees. Finally, federal and <br />state governments must not prohibit local <br />units of government from implementing <br />policies aimed at fostering positive <br />relationships between local government <br />officials, including law enforcement <br />personnel, and immigrant communities. <br />SD -43. Racial Profiling <br />Issue: The League of Minnesota Cities <br />recognizes that where profiling by law <br />enforcement officials exists, it must be <br />eliminated. The League supports action by <br />the State of Minnesota to fund and <br />implement effective and meaningful <br />responses to racial profiling that will <br />effectuate fair treatment of all people <br />regardless of age, race or ethnicity. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities supports efforts to ensure that all <br />interventions initiated by law <br />enforcement officials be based on an <br />objective demonstration of probable <br />cause to believe that a law has been <br />violated. A law enforcement official's <br />decision to stop, question or detain <br />individuals will be based solely on a <br />reasonable suspicion of illegal activity and <br />without consideration of age, race or <br />ethnicity. The League supports training <br />programs to support these goals and <br />recommends that the state develop, fund, <br />and present such training programs to all <br />law enforcement agencies in the state. <br />The League supports objective, well - <br />formulated statistical sampling by third <br />parties under the auspices of a state - <br />funded study to document and analyze <br />law enforcement interventions, coupled <br />with an effective means to sanction any <br />documented instances of inappropriate <br />treatment of citizens. Additionally, the <br />League supports state funding for video <br />cameras in police cars as an incentive for <br />voluntary local participation in data <br />collection efforts aimed at identifying <br />patterns of profiling. <br />SD -44. Legalization of Fireworks <br />Issue: In 2002, the state enacted a law <br />allowing the sale and use of non -aerial, non- <br />explosive consumer fireworks, including <br />sparklers, party poppers, snakes, and other <br />novelty items—relaxing the ban on <br />consumer fireworks in place in Minnesota <br />since 1941. In 2008, the Legislature further <br />relaxed the ban by increasing the amount of <br />explosive material allowed in legal <br />fireworks. <br />Local fire service professionals have <br />reported that consumers and law <br />enforcement personnel have had difficulty <br />distinguishing between legal and illegal <br />fireworks, and that the 2002 law resulted in <br />greater use in Minnesota of illegal fireworks <br />purchased in other states. <br />According to data provided by the <br />Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division, <br />injury trends and dollar losses related to <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2016 City Policies Page 28 <br />