A federal judge has limited crowd control tactics Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents can use against “peaceful and unobstructive” protesters in Minneapolis. Judge Katherine Menendez ruled Friday that federal agents cannot arrest or use pepper spray on peaceful demonstrators, including those observing ICE operations.
Restrictions on ICE Tactics in Minneapolis
The ruling comes ahead of planned weekend protests against immigration enforcement in the city and follows the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent earlier this month. The US Department of Homeland Security stated it is taking measures to protect officers.
Minnesota officials have urged protesters expected to take to the streets this weekend to remain orderly and peaceful.
Approximately 1,500 active-duty soldiers are on standby in Alaska for potential deployment to Minneapolis, according to a US defence official who spoke with CBS News. The soldiers, from the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, would be deployed if former President Trump decides to use active-duty military personnel. No deployment decision has been made.
The state’s National Guard has been placed on alert, and additional law enforcement officers have been deployed in anticipation of both anti-ICE demonstrations and a counter-march planned by a conservative influencer.
Judge Menendez’s 83-page order prohibits federal agents from arresting individuals and using “pepper-spray or similar nonlethal munitions and crowd dispersal tools against persons who are engaging in peaceful and unobstructive protest activity.”
The ruling, stemming from a lawsuit filed by protesters in December, also restricts agents from stopping or detaining drivers and passengers in vehicles without reasonable suspicion of obstructing ICE operations. “The act of safely following [immigration agents] at an appropriate distance does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop,” the order states.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CBS News the agency “is taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters.”
The White House criticised the ruling, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson telling Politico, “This absurd ruling embraces a dishonest, left-wing narrative. Here’s the truth: federal agents have acted lawfully to protect themselves and ensure the integrity of their operations when individuals attempt to intervene.”
Minneapolis has been on edge since Good’s shooting on January 7, with protests occurring across the city. Clashes between protesters and federal officers have been reported over the past week.
On Saturday, the Minnesota National Guard posted on X that troops “are on standby, ready to assist local law enforcement and public safety agencies.” National Guard troops will wear high-visibility yellow vests to distinguish themselves from other agencies.
The Justice Department announced Friday it is investigating Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, over alleged attempts to impede federal immigration operations. Both Walz and Frey have condemned the ICE operations.
“A reminder to all those in Minnesota: No one is above the law,” US Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. The investigation was criticised by Walz, who stated, “Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.”
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