Pohlads: Strike Out Ice!
The Pohlad Family
Let’s talk about the Pohlad family! They’re homegrown local Minnesota billionaires—the 2nd wealthiest family in the state. They’re the owners of our beloved Minnesota Twins. They also own United Properties, the third largest developer in the Twin Cities. And they’re being “careful not to take sides” between ICE agents and the Minnesotans that the feds are attacking and killing.
The Pohlads have more power than just about any other Minnesotan to demand ICE get out of our state, and with construction workers particularly under threat, it’s critical that the Pohlads protect the workers on their jobsites. The Pohlads have spoken out against violence and signed onto a Minnesota Chamber of Commerce letter calling for 'cooperation,' but they’ve done nothing to demand accountability for ICE violence or end their operations in Minnesota. United Properties, their development company, has refused to make any public statement about the impacts of ICE escalation in construction despite us sending thousands of letters over the past month. Strong words are nothing without a call to action, and until the Pohlads use their wealth and platforms to demand #ICEOutOfMN, they’re letting both construction workers and Twins fans down.
Please help us turn the heat up by signing the petition now! Thank you for standing with construction workers.
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To:
The Pohlad Family
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Pohlad Family,
We the undersigned are calling for the Pohlad Family to publicly denounce ICE and other federal agent activity in Minnesota. The Pohlad Family is the second wealthiest family in Minnesota and owns the Minnesota Twins and United Properties, one of the largest housing developers in the state. The Pohlads have the unique opportunity to stand with the people of Minnesota today to call for ICE OUT NOW.
We have seen the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Minnesota corporations letter that was released in the wake of Alex Pretti’s murder and it falls short of what this moment demands of leaders in the business community. Breaking silence is not enough: we need powerful industry leaders like the Pohlad family to demonstrate courage and leadership by firmly standing on the right side of history and calling for an immediate end to the federal operations in Minnesota. In response to Tom Pohlad’s desire to “not necessarily take a side, so to speak,” we respond: not taking a side means betting against Minnesotan workers and families. Failing to use corporate power at this moment is complicit with the murder of our neighbors. The bravery of everyday Minnesotans in the face of unchecked federal violence has been overwhelming and astounding: it is time for you to join us.
We have been calling on United Properties to take steps to protect the workers on their construction sites from inhumane federal agent activity, including providing worker training and issuing a public statement about the harm this federal operation is causing. The actions of ICE over the past nearly two months in the Twin Cities not only hurt workers, but they are also hurting the entire industry as many projects have slowed down with workers afraid to leave their homes to go to work. As the leadership of United Properties, we urge you to take the following three steps immediately:
1) Publicly call on the federal government to stop harming housing development and end the ICE raids now.
2) Protect the workers on your sites by not allowing ICE or any other agents entry without a signed and valid judicial warrant, and ensure all workers and company employees and contractors are trained on this policy.
3) Meet with the Building Dignity and Respect Standards Council to adopt an enforceable worksite policy that ensures safety, dignity and freedom from fear, retaliation, unlawful immigration-related discrimination, or improper coercion.
Sincerely,