ICE in Minnesota – Days 65-66: Feds Make Arrests in Government Center as Local Police Advance Collaboration
Minneapolis, MN – Operation Metro Surge has entered its 66th day, representing more than two months of continuous incursion into the Twin Cities and the state as a whole by aggressive, anonymous, and largely unaccountable federal agents.
Although in recent weeks, following the killing of Alex Pretti, the federal government has worked to calm tensions around the federal occupation, thousands of immigration enforcement agents will remain in the state for the foreseeable future.
While agents are still present, so are the community members who are working to document their activity and hamper their operations. Below are some key updates from recent days in the struggle against ICE in Minnesota.
Thursday, February 5: Day 66
Large presence of local police stage for fourth noise demo at the Graduate Hotel, arrest 12 – More than 20 law enforcement vehicles, including a Minneapolis Police SWAT Bearcat, are staged on SE Beacon St as a noise demo has started at the Graduate Hotel. This was the fourth noise demo at the Graduate and one of multiple noise demos tonight outside hotels housing ICE agents in Minneapolis. See last week’s coverage of the third demo at the Graduate where police arrested nearly 70 people. Police arrested at least 12 people.
Full story: State and Local Police Make Mass Arrest Again at Fourth Graduate Noise Demo
For legal guidance and questions, the National Lawyers Guild has created ICEwatchlegal.org – A new website gives community members a legal resource for information regarding repression in the U.S. The site is a volunteer project of National Lawyers Guild attorneys and Minneapolis activists.
Trump changes course, says ICE shooting Good and Pretti ‘should not have happened’ – The president commented on the two killings expressing a dislike for both while maintaining that Renee Good and Alex Pretti were “not angels,” ABC reported. The comments, made to NBC during an interview Wednesday night, mark a change in the administration’s rhetoric around the occupation of the Twin Cities, which to this point has had a tone of full and unapologetic support for ICE activity in Minnesota.
Federal agents break into apartment building in Minneapolis, arrest man for threatening feds online – Masked federal agents arrested Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. “Kyle” Wagner, 37, in Minneapolis on Franklin Ave. after breaking into his apartment complex early Thursday morning and accusing him of cyberstalking and threatening agents on his social media accounts, according to CBS News (18 agents per Local video via Bsky, 2/5). Back on January 5, Wagner posted a video via his “kaos.follows” Instagram account (which seems to be suspended right now) of a man with an “SS” tattoo in Uptown that was purportedly an ICE agent (Reddit 1/6). In a video mirrored on other accounts he points out his apartment is four blocks from the site where federal agents killed Alex Pretti. The DOJ says three days later he threatened agents on a video, among other videos and threats.
Federal agents detained two people inside the Hennepin County Government Center – The agents, aided by Hennepin County Sheriff’s Deputies, detained Daniel Alejandro Torrealba Mendez and Joseelin Josimar Castillo Sequeara near the Government Center’s security screening area as they awaited their court hearing, according to the Star Tribune. The Fourth Judicial District spokeswoman Bonney Bowman told the Star Tribune that federal agents are allowed to be in any public area of the court house, where they can detain people.
ICE sent an immigrant to Mexico instead of back to Minnesota, defying two court orders – The federal government sent Emilio Pena Jimenez to Juarez, Mexico, instead of back to Minnesota where he was initially detained, the Star Tribune reported. His attorney requested a federal judge to hold the federal government in contempt for defying the two court orders. Federal agents arrested Pena Jimenez without a warrant during Operation Metro Surge in a Walmart in Apple Valley, and quickly sent to a detention center in El Paso, Texas, the very same day. Pena Jiminez has lived in the U.S. since 2000, is a small business owner and has no criminal history.
Residents continue forming filter blockades in South Minneapolis – Filter blockades continue to pop up in South Minneapolis as residents safety patrols in attempts to slow down or stop ICE agents in the area with plans for more on Saturday. A large banner appearing in the middle of George Floyd Square reads “Our neighborhood blocks ICE.”
Reported stabbing on St. Paul Aldine Street bridge – A post online reported, “A man who was standing on the Aldine bridge with anti-immigrant signs just stabbed a friend and neighbor,” however according to that source they were discharged from the hospital after getting stitched up. The alleged attacker had a sign, “Come legally or don’t come at all” (Bsky 2/5).
Government files motion to keep 5-year-old boy detained after courts ordered him returned home – A hearing is scheduled for Friday after lawyers for the Trump admin filed a motion to end the asylum claims for the family of Liam Conejo Ramos, reported MPR News. Ramos’ family attorney said the motion was “retaliatory.”
Wednesday, February 4: Day 65
Majority of voters disapprove of ICE, want them out of Minneapolis – A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday showed 63% of voters disapprove of the way ICE is enforcing immigration law and 60% believed ICE should withdraw from Minneapolis.
DHS had stockpiled more than 35,000 munitions in Minneapolis – In a leaked memo, the Department of Homeland Security had amassed more than 35,000 munitions as of Jan. 21, according to journalist Ken Klippenstein. The leaked memo included a ledger of munitions being shipped from the ICE Law Enforcement Support Center in Williston, Vermont, which shows a wide variety of crowd control munitions being used by the agency, including thousands of tear gas munitions in different forms. The aggressive deployment of such munitions in the Twin Cities has been a constant cause of concern.
700 federal agents reportedly to leave Minnesota at some point, 2,000 will remain – “Border czar” Tom Homan announced the reduction as part of his draw-down shortly after taking command of Operation Metro Surge, the Star Tribune reported. Homan said the reduction represents a de-escalation of ICE activity, which Homan said will continue to unfold in coming days, but thousands of federal agents will remain in the state until further notice. Homan tied the further wind down of the surge to the community response, saying he would like to reduce the total number of federal agents in the area to 150, but that depends on whether Minneapolis residents stop “impeding” federal agents.
Federal occupation takes a toll on Twin Cities children – A New York Times report detailed the traumatic struggle many young people in and around Minneapolis have been facing as parents are detained by ICE, school is interrupted, and neighborhoods become fearful. “It’s like living in fear all the time,” one 16-year-old told the outlet. Many children are taking classes online while others are coming to school without their classmates sitting next to them anymore. Teachers and other community members have been patrolling the streets around schools attempting to provide a layer of safety for the children.
Whistling community members repel agents after their brief attempt to wait for people coming out of courthouse – A City of Minneapolis Regulatory Services employee was video recorded speaking with federal agent who tells her amid whistles and dozens of activists that “it’s not worth it” to continue staking out the courthouse seeking an individual because of the community response.
Previous ICE blog update: ICE in Minnesota – Days 63-64: Gov’t Lawyers Quit En Masse, Pretti Killing Ruled Homicide, Minneapolis Peace Prize Nominee
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