BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
President Donald Trump appeared this week to soften his tone toward Minnesota’s Democratic leadership after a second fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents, signaling what he described as a desire to reduce tensions in the Twin Cities. Yet on Wednesday, there was little indication on the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul that federal enforcement tactics had meaningfully changed after weeks of confrontations, protests and mounting fear within immigrant communities.
The president sought to project a more conciliatory posture after ordering a leadership shake-up in the federal response, dispatching his top border adviser to Minnesota to oversee immigration operations. The move followed days of sharp criticism directed at state and city officials and came amid growing scrutiny of federal agents’ conduct after the killing of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti.
Trump said he spoke by phone with Gov. Tim Walz, whom he had repeatedly blamed for unrest in the state, and suggested the two men had found common ground. He later described a conversation with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as constructive, saying progress was being made toward restoring order.
Despite those remarks, immigration enforcement activity continued at a steady pace, accompanied by tense encounters between federal officers and activists who have been tracking operations across the metro area. On a north Minneapolis street, protesters blew whistles to alert neighbors to the presence of federal agents in an unmarked vehicle, then followed the car for several blocks when it pulled away before stopping again.
During one such encounter, journalists attempting to document the scene were confronted by officers from the federal Bureau of Prisons, who pushed one reporter, threatened arrest and ordered them back into their vehicle despite being told the individuals were members of the press. Multiple federal agencies have taken part in the operations, according to witnesses.
From inside their car, reporters observed at least one person being pepper-sprayed and another detained. It was not immediately clear whether the individual detained was the target of the enforcement action or a protester. Agents were also seen smashing vehicle windows during the confrontation.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, who traveled to Minnesota amid the unrest, said 16 people were arrested statewide on Wednesday on charges including assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement. She said additional arrests were likely as operations continued.
In a social media post, Bondi said federal authorities would not be deterred from enforcing immigration laws, emphasizing that the Justice Department would press ahead despite protests and political criticism. Requests for comment were left with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol.
In the suburb of Brooklyn Center, the tensions played out on a quieter scale. Half a dozen federal agents arrived at a single-family home in a residential neighborhood, repeatedly knocking on the door. One agent said they were seeking a man who had previously been deported twice and convicted of domestic abuse. According to the agent, the man ran into the house, but officers did not have a judicial warrant that would allow them to enter.
Activists again blew whistles as neighbors looked on. One agent expressed frustration, remarking that residents appeared more inclined to call police on federal officers than to cooperate with them. As agents prepared to leave, a woman from the neighborhood called out, urging them to reconsider their assumptions.
Kari Rod, a nearby resident, said she did not know the neighbors well but described them as friendly and responsible, recalling that they had attended her garage sale, maintained their yard and waved when she passed by. She questioned the accuracy of federal agents’ claims about the people they target, citing another neighbor who was deported to Laos last summer.
Rod said she trusted her own experiences more than official explanations, adding that she believed federal authorities had not been transparent about their actions.
Within Minneapolis’ immigrant neighborhoods, fear remains widespread. Daniel Hernandez, who owns the Colonial Market grocery store and runs a popular social media page providing information to the Hispanic community, said many families are still afraid to leave their homes. He said Latino-owned businesses across the area have shuttered, leaving streets unusually quiet.
Although his grocery store remains open, Hernandez said nearly all of the immigrant-run businesses that once operated inside the market have closed since late December, with no immediate plans to return. He said the reassignment of Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, a key figure in the crackdown, has done little to reassure residents.
According to Hernandez, while leadership may have changed, the tactics have not. He said trust in government promises of reform is extremely low among those most affected.
The immigration crackdown has also drawn sharp rebukes from the federal judiciary. In Minnesota federal court, Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz warned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had repeatedly failed to comply with court orders, citing 96 violations across 74 cases in January alone.
In a written order, Schiltz said the pattern should alarm anyone concerned with the rule of law, noting that the scale of noncompliance appeared unprecedented for a federal agency. Earlier this week, he ordered ICE’s acting director to appear in court after the agency failed to release an Ecuadorian man from detention in Texas as instructed. The judge later canceled the appearance after the man was freed but warned that future violations could prompt personal court appearances by senior officials, including Acting Director Todd Lyons.
ICE did not respond to a request for comment.
In a separate case, another federal judge issued a temporary restraining order barring federal officers from arresting and detaining resettled refugees in Minnesota. The order followed a lawsuit challenging a Homeland Security initiative aimed at reevaluating the refugee status of nearly 5,600 people. The judge ordered the immediate release of refugees held in Minnesota and required that those transferred to Texas be released within five days.
The decision drew swift condemnation from the White House. Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller criticized the ruling on social media, accusing the judiciary of undermining democratic authority.
As legal battles continued, hundreds of people gathered Wednesday night in frigid temperatures for a vigil honoring Alex Pretti, the intensive care nurse killed by immigration agents over the weekend. Attendees held candles and flowers while a band played near the site of the shooting. Some sang quietly, while others stood in silence.
Harmonie Pirius, a registered nurse who attended the vigil, said Pretti’s death had deeply shaken the medical community. She said many nurses saw themselves in him, noting that he was trying to help someone when he was killed.
Earlier in the day, Vietnam War veteran Donnie McMillan placed a handwritten sign reading “In remembrance of my angel” at a makeshift memorial. McMillan said he recognized Pretti from visits to the Veterans Affairs hospital where Pretti worked and described him as a familiar, compassionate presence.
The Department of Homeland Security said the two federal agents involved in the shooting have been placed on leave while investigations continue.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, also spoke out amid the turmoil, a day after she was attacked at a town hall meeting by a man who sprayed a strong-smelling substance at her as she criticized the administration. Omar said the events unfolding in Minnesota reflected a broader strategy of intimidation.
She accused the administration of using immigration enforcement to instill fear in Black, brown, immigrant and Muslim communities, arguing that the approach was less about public safety than about making certain groups feel unwelcome in their own state.
Original article
Comments