How Minnesota commissioner exposed ICE 'propaganda'
How Minnesota commissioner exposed ICE 'propaganda'
The Trump Administration continues to claim U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are targeting the "worst of the worst" offenders during ongoing immigration enforcement operations across the country. The documentary series "Thin I.C.E." details one state official's efforts to expose what he called "propaganda" from the federal government.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Trump Administration continues to claim U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are targeting the "worst of the worst" offenders during ongoing immigration enforcement operations across the country.
During Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — stated repeatedly that they were detaining rapists and murderers who were roaming the streets of Minnesota after being released from custody.
But those claims quickly fell apart last winter when state officials released detailed records proving many of the "worst of the worst" offenders were already in custody, had been transferred to ICE, or had no criminal records in Minnesota.
"Thin I.C.E.", a new docuseries from FOX 9 Documentaries, details one state official's efforts to expose what he called "propaganda" from the federal government.
‘This became a propaganda game’
What they're saying:
"Every name was checked. Every record was checked," said Paul Schnell, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Schnell, a long-time police chief, said he tried to explain to DHS officials that the information released on social media and at press conferences was inaccurate.
"Even when they were checked, they continued to push it," Schnell said in an interview. "You can only assume that this became a propaganda game."
Video of ICE transfers
Why you should care:
Schenell said his department coordinates the transfer of any inmate into federal custody if they have what’s known as an ICE detainer.
Yet, DHS repeatedly claimed several offenders were detained after being released from prison by Gov. Tim Walz.
Schnell eventually held a press conference in which he showed video of offenders being physically transferred to federal agents.
"I think showing the video became just a clear indication of what's happening and how what was being said by some in the federal government and what was being shared with Minnesotans, simply didn't match up to reality," Schnell said in the upcoming documentary.
Gov. Tim Walz said Schnell’s decision to release the video was a "big turning point" during the surge.
"It became very clear that this was about retribution," Walz said.
ICE detainers
The other side:
The Trump Administration also claimed that county jails were releasing violent offenders instead of holding them for ICE agents.
"The root cause of it was the refusal to cooperate with federal law enforcement in the first place," Rep. Walter Hudson (R-Albertville) said in an interview for the documentary.
ICE claims undercut by prison and jail records
Dig deeper:
However, records analyzed by the FOX 9 Investigators undercut DHS claims that ICE agents were picking up people recently cut loose by county jails.
Dozens of the "worst of the worst" offenders did not have criminal records or had not been incarcerated in Minnesota in years.
"They're giving us names that have, in some cases, have never even been arrested in our state," Schnell said.
Schnell and Walz said communication with the federal government improved once Border Czar Tom Homan took over immigration operations.
"I said, ‘you're asking, are we cooperating?’ You have just found out that we have always cooperated with you in our state prisons, and he acknowledged that," Walz said.
Watch Thin I.C.E. documentary series
What's next:
Thin I.C.E. is a three-part series by FOX 9 Documentaries detailing the Trump Administration's immigration operations in Chicago and Minneapolis that resulted in constitutional challenges, violent tactics and deadly shootings.
Thin I.C.E. Part I: "Worst of the Worst" premieres Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 10:35 p.m. on FOX 9 and streaming on FOX LOCAL and the FOX 9 YouTube channel.
- Nov. 4 - Thin I.C.E. Part I: "Worst of the Worst"
- Nov. 11 - Thin I.C.E. Part II: "Domestic Terrorists"
- Nov. 18 - Thin I.C.E. Part III: "Chaos"
The Source: FOX 9 conducted dozens of interviews, analyzed hundreds of court records and reviewed hours of body video footage recorded during immigration operations in Chicago and Minneapolis.