Ask Sioux Falls city leaders to fight for truth, transparency, and our constitutional rights

Governor Larry Rhoden announced Operation Prairie Thunder in July as a multi-agency law enforcement public safety program aimed at supporting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with deportations and administrative tasks and to target violent crime and fugitives in the Sioux Falls area. During the press conference to announce the initiative, Governor Rhoden was flanked by Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken and Police Chief Jon Thum, among others, giving the impression of their support.

But violent crime in Sioux Falls is at a five-year low. And an increased law enforcement presence and ICE involvement do not necessarily make the community safer. Instead, it increases fear and distrust within immigrant and undocumented communities, making them less likely to report crimes.

Sioux Falls city councilors and the mayor have said their hands are tied when it comes to interfering with the governor's orders. The city lacks the legal authority to block the state-led initiative.

That doesn't mean our elected leaders can't take action.

We need city leadership that will fight for and protect the needs and wants of its residents at the state level and will commit to:

Protecting our constitutional rights and due process. Transparent policies prevent mission creep and ensure any cooperation with outside agencies stays lawful and narrow.
Relying on facts, not headlines. A quarterly public report lets all of us judge outcomes – stops, searches, arrests, use-of-force – so policy follows evidence, not press events.
Reflecting Sioux Falls values. We can have both effective public safety and dignity for our neighbors, including immigrant families.

What we want: A resolution from the city council to require the Sioux Falls Commission on Human Rights to track complaints related to racial profiling in policing and unlawful suppression of free expression complaints (and to publish results quarterly); to hold quarterly community hearings on the impact of Operation Prairie Thunder on the Sioux Falls community; and to ask the state for transparency regarding Operation Prairie Thunder.

Sioux Falls city councilors and the mayor have said their hands are tied when it comes to interfering with the governor's orders. The city lacks the legal authority to block the state-led initiative.

That doesn't mean our elected leaders can't take action.

We need city leadership that will fight for and protect the needs and wants of its residents at the state level and will commit to:

Protecting our constitutional rights and due process. Transparent policies prevent mission creep and ensure any cooperation with outside agencies stays lawful and narrow.
Relying on facts, not headlines. A quarterly public report lets all of us judge outcomes – stops, searches, arrests, use-of-force – so policy follows evidence, not press events.
Reflecting Sioux Falls values. We can have both effective public safety and dignity for our neighbors, including immigrant families.

Your signature tells Sioux Falls city leadership to adopt these reasonable, time-bound steps now so investigations can proceed lawfully, budgets stay transparent, and our community stays strong. Please sign and share.