Duluth City Council delays vote on eviction moratorium for those impacted by Operation Metro Surge

Community members voice concerns over immigration enforcement in Minnesota

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The Duluth City Council postponed a decision on a resolution calling for Governor Tim Walz to issue an emergency order for a temporary statewide program on financial residential assistance for families directly impacted by Operation Metro Surge. Dozens of community members spoke at the meeting, with some advocating for an eviction moratorium and others, including landlords and property owners, opposing it. The council voted 6-3 to delay the decision until their next meeting on February 23rd.

Why it matters

The proposed eviction moratorium is a response to the impacts of Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement action, on Duluth residents. The debate highlights the tensions between protecting vulnerable tenants and the concerns of property owners, as well as the limits of local government power versus state-level action.

The details

The resolution called for Governor Tim Walz to issue an emergency order for a temporary statewide program on financial residential assistance for families directly impacted by Operation Metro Surge. Dozens of community members spoke at the meeting, with Brandon Parker advocating for an eviction moratorium and Barb Montee, who manages 70 properties in Duluth, opposing it. Council member Wendy Durrwachter noted that only the governor has the power to institute a temporary eviction moratorium.

  • The Duluth City Council meeting took place on Monday, February 10, 2026.
  • The council is scheduled to revisit the resolution at their next meeting on February 23, 2026.

The players

Brandon Parker

A community member who spoke in favor of an eviction moratorium at the Duluth City Council meeting.

Barb Montee

A property manager in Duluth who spoke in opposition to an eviction moratorium, arguing it would hurt affordable housing providers and tenants.

Wendy Durrwachter

A Duluth City Council member who noted that only the governor has the power to institute a temporary eviction moratorium.

Tim Walz

The Governor of Minnesota, who would have the authority to issue an emergency order for a temporary statewide program on financial residential assistance.

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What they’re saying

“We ask that you treat this crisis of federal overreach like the emergency that it is and pass a non-binding eviction moratorium resolution as written because simple language lowers the barriers to access and this is simply a resolution calling upon the governor and state legislature to act.”

— Brandon Parker

“An eviction moratorium in my opinion will hurt more than it will help. If an eviction moratorium is passed that's affordable housing providers, those will be hardest hit, those tenants that are already hardest hit. Owners of rentals are working with their tenants that have been hardship by loss of employment.”

— Barb Montee, Property Manager

What’s next

The Duluth City Council is scheduled to revisit the resolution calling for a statewide eviction moratorium at their next meeting on February 23, 2026.

The takeaway

The debate over the proposed eviction moratorium in Duluth highlights the complex balance between protecting vulnerable tenants and addressing the concerns of property owners, as well as the limitations of local government action versus state-level intervention. The outcome of the council's next vote will have significant implications for Duluth residents impacted by federal immigration enforcement.