Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison takes action with a lawsuit against the federal government. He hopes to end the intimidation campaign that the spate of ICE agents’ visits has constituted. The lawsuit deals with a growing concern about the behavior of federal officers. Their actions have done immeasurable harm to the surrounding community. Ellison excoriated the agents for their poor lack of training. He highlighted the trend of intimidation and harassment by Code Enforcement through aggressive tactics that intimidate and terrorize residents.
Ellison highlighted the striking difference between the behavior of federal agents and the Minneapolis police. He noted that it cost local law enforcement to have to respond to at least 20 different incidents. He characterized these occurrences as obvious kidnappings of the people of Minneapolis by ICE thugs. The shooting had further raised tensions in this already restive community, leading Ellison to file the lawsuit.
“They’re making unconstitutional arrests and using excessive force.” – Keith Ellison
In practice, plaintiffs’ lawsuit alleges that ICE agents have been ignoring the law and undertaking operations without abiding by required legal procedures. Ellison called out some real world examples in which DHS agents have invaded local businesses—including restaurants. They refused to show any warrants while demanding access to safe spaces. He stated, “DHS agents have barged into restaurants, asking to access secure areas. When asked to present a warrant, which is required by law, they respond, ‘We don’t need one.’”
Brian Carter, an assistant attorney general, said he will file a motion for a temporary restraining order. This action is merely the opening shot in a legal strategy aimed at halting the deployment of federal agents through this lawsuit and by other means. Ellison adamantly contends that this federal intervention is politically motivated. He is adamant that the Trump administration has singled out Minnesota for retribution due to their ethnic makeup and political leanings.
Ellison further underscored that Minnesota’s noncitizen immigrant population is just 1½ percent. That’s well below half of the national average! He claimed the federal focus on Minnesota is overkill. He says he knows it’s motivated by political bias, especially when one takes into account the state’s sizeable Somali immigrant population.
“This has to stop. Let’s be clear; this should have never started.” – Keith Ellison
The attorney general’s statement mirrors a wider strain of civil liberties concerns and views of immigrant residents in the state of Minnesota. He revealed that residents are living in fear of arbitrary detention, stating, “Because I don’t know when I’m going to be detained.” He invited participants, especially protesters who fell victim to these measures, to submit complaints about how they were treated.
Ellison vehemently opposed sending thousands of militarized DHS agents into Minnesota. He pointed out that this unprecedented move has devastated the surrounding community. He claimed that the justification provided for the feds’ actions is out of step with the reality on the ground. He posited that safety was not the biggest priority motivating these operations.
“The stated reason of this federal government for bringing in this full invasion of ice and border control is not safety.” – Keith Ellison
The lawsuit has attracted the attention of many other advocacy groups and community leaders who are bolstering Ellison’s efforts. AC Thompson, a protester, recounted a distressing encounter with federal agents: “My whole crew got pepper sprayed today by federal agents.” This new episode reveals an escalating conflict between community activists and federal agents.
As this legal battle unfolds, Ellison remains committed to protecting the rights of all Minnesotans and ensuring that local communities feel safe from overreach by federal agents. He emphasized the importance of freedom of the press in documenting these issues, stating, “The press is protected by the first amendment and is vitally important in this moment when freedom of the press and every first amendment right is under a threat.”