I would like folks to know what things are like here in Minnesota right now.
- Just talked to a past client. Her niece was pulled over by ICE in Saint Michael (a burb 30 min from Minneapolis) on Sunday. they said to her she had an accent and asked for her passport after she said she is a US citizen. She told them she doesn’t carry it with her. The Sheriff pulled up and told ICE she has a valid license and they need to leave. She is terrified.
- We have been advised by civil rights and immigration attorneys for us to know where loved one’s passports are located in case they are grabbed by ICE.
- In my neighborhood on Sunday, 20 ICE and DHS offices used a battering ram to go into a home without a signed judicial warrant to take a person, there were 5 kids inside as the officers came in with full guns and gear.
- In Richfield, two target employees, minors who are US citizens were wrestled to the ground in the front lobby and taken while onlookers screamed they were US citizens. They dumped them 8 minutes away at War Mart after they had beat them up.
- At Hyvee by my home, ICE took a 20 year old US citizen and member of the Red Lake tribe even while he told them he was a citizen. While this happened Robbinsdale Police were present and did nothing. He has since been released.
- We have numerous incidents where people who are US citizens who happened to be brown are stopped and asked if they are a citizen and asking where they are living.
- We have incidents where ICE is driving back to peoples homes to make them feel unsafe because they are following their consitutonal rights to observe. This has happened in Saint Paul to at least 1 person I know personally.
- ICE has been grabbing people without a warrant for the crime of being brown on average every 10-15 minutes across the entire metro area.
- I have numerous friends and family members who now have to stand on patrol in front of their school and daycare to make sure kids and staff can leave safely.
- Numerous immigrant owned restaurants and grocery stores are now limiting hours open, have security lock and unlock the door to let people in our out.
While all this is happening all over the entire metro area, more and more citizens of Minnesota are showing up to keep our community and immigrant neighbors safe from these federal thugs sent by government.