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MN, Twin Cities Sue Govt Over Crackdown01/13 06:14
Minnesota and its two largest cities sued the Trump administration Monday to
try to stop an immigration enforcement surge that led to the fatal shooting of
a Minneapolis woman by a federal officer and evoked outrage and protests across
the country.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota and its two largest cities sued the Trump
administration Monday to try to stop an immigration enforcement surge that led
to the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by a federal officer and evoked
outrage and protests across the country.
The state, joined by Minneapolis and St. Paul, said the Department of
Homeland Security is violating the First Amendment and other constitutional
protections. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order to halt the
enforcement action or limit the operation.
"This is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities in Minnesota,
and it must stop," state Attorney General Keith Ellison said at a news
conference. "These poorly trained, aggressive and armed agents of the federal
state have terrorized Minnesota with widespread unlawful conduct."
Homeland Security is pledging to put more than 2,000 immigration officers
into Minnesota and says it has made more than 2,000 arrests since December.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has called the surge its largest
enforcement operation ever.
Tension brimmed again Monday, five days after Renee Good was shot in the
head by an ICE officer while behind the wheel of her SUV. From a large school
walkout to emotional visits to a flower-covered memorial for Good to agents
firing tear gas to break up crowds, Minneapolis remained on edge in the
aftermath of the shooting.
There have been dozens of protests or vigils across the U.S. in recent days
to honor the 37-year-old mother of three and to passionately criticize the
Trump administration's tactics.
Since the deployment in the Twin Cities, whistle-burst warnings by activists
are commonly heard when immigration agents flood streets. Witnesses have
regularly posted video of federal officers using tear gas to discourage the
public from following them.
Feds say they're protecting the public
The Minnesota lawsuit accuses the Republican Trump administration of
violating free speech rights by focusing on a progressive state that favors
Democrats and welcomes immigrants.
"They're targeting us based on what we look and sound like. Our residents
are scared. And as local officials, we have a responsibility to act," said St.
Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, who was born in Laos.
In response, Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused
Minnesota officials of ignoring public safety.
"President Trump's job is to protect the American people and enforce the law
-- no matter who your mayor, governor, or state attorney general is,"
McLaughlin said. "That's what the Trump administration is doing; we have the
Constitution on our side on this, and we look forward to proving that in court."
The Trump administration has repeatedly defended the immigration agent who
shot Good, saying she and her vehicle presented a threat. But that explanation
has been widely panned by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
and others based on videos of the confrontation.
The government also faces a new lawsuit over a similar immigration crackdown
in Illinois. More than 4,300 people were arrested last year in "Operation
Midway Blitz" as masked agents swept the Chicago area. The lawsuit by the city
and state says the campaign had a chilling effect, making residents afraid to
leave home.
The lawsuit seeks restrictions on certain tactics, among other remedies.
McLaughlin called it "baseless."
Students walk out of school
Hundreds of students on Monday walked out of Roosevelt High School in
Minneapolis, where federal agents had deployed tear gas on students and staff
last week. Adults wearing safety vests cleared traffic, and many parents who
are Roosevelt alumni showed up in old school wear.
Marchers held signs that said, "ICE out" and "Welcome to Panem," a reference
to the dystopian society from the "Hunger Games" book series.
Agents also fired tear gas to break up a crowd of people who showed up to
see the aftermath of a car crash just a few blocks from where Good was killed.
A crowd emerged to witness a man being questioned by agents who had rear-ended
his car.
"I'm glad they didn't shoot me or something," Christian Molina told
reporters.
Standing near his mangled fender, he wondered aloud: "Who's going to pay for
my car?"
In St. Cloud, 65 miles (104 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis, hundreds
of people gathered outside a strip of Somali-run businesses when news spread
that dozens of ICE officers were there.
Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, federal authorities filed charges against a
Venezuelan national who was one of two people shot there by U.S. Border Patrol
on Thursday. The U.S. Justice Department said the man used his pickup truck to
strike a Border Patrol vehicle and escape the scene with a woman.
They were shot and eventually arrested. Their wounds were not
life-threatening. The FBI said there was no video of the incident, unlike the
Good shooting.
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