Statement from Phillip C. Parrish, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
On this Juneteenth, June 19, 2025, a day meant to celebrate the liberation of enslaved people following the Emancipation Proclamation, it is nothing short of disgraceful that the head of the Star Tribune—whose leadership has allowed for such skewed reporting—dares to lament the enforcement of immigration laws as a “strain” on Minnesota’s agriculture. To Steve Grove, or whoever sits at the helm of this publication, I say this: your editorial cowardice and selective outrage expose a hypocrisy that stains the very legacy of freedom we honor today.
The Star Tribune’s recent article whining about Trump’s immigration crackdown ignores the brutal reality: for years, undocumented workers—many lured under false pretenses—have been exploited as modern-day slaves in our fields and factories. This is not a labor shortage; it is a state-sponsored travesty, perpetuated by a mindset eerily reminiscent of the slaveholders we fought to overthrow in 1865. The Emancipation Proclamation promised equality and fair labor—yet here we are, 160 years later, with the Star Tribune shielding a system that pays below-market wages to vulnerable immigrants while turning a blind eye to the fraud and human suffering it enables.
I stand for servant leadership and the protection of the innocent, principles I will bring to the Governor’s office in 2026. The head of the Star Tribune should hang their head in shame for advocating the continuation of this exploitation rather than demanding justice and fair wages for all workers—citizen or immigrant. Minnesota deserves better than a newspaper that prioritizes corporate profits over human dignity. On this day of emancipation, let us resolve to end this modern slave trade, not defend it. I call on Steve Grove to retract this shameful narrative and commit to reporting the truth—or step aside for someone with the moral clarity to do so.
Phillip C. Parrish
Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
Committed to servant leadership, community engagement, and ending fraud