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Judges criticize ICE over Operation Metro Surge
Paul Blume joins us with the latest on growing scrutiny surrounding Operation Metro Surge. Federal judges are criticizing ICE over alleged violations of court orders tied to immigration arrests and detentions. We break down the judges’ concerns, the claims of bias now being raised, and what it could mean moving forward. You can watch Paul’s full report now on FOX9.com and the FOX 9 YouTube channel.
(FOX 9) - In an amended filing to the lawsuit brought earlier this year over the ICE surge, the State of Minnesota is now accusing the federal government of causing hundreds of millions of dollars in economic damage during its federal surge.
New accusations in major ICE lawsuit
The backstory:
The latest filing is an update to the lawsuit Minnesota brought in January as it sought to bring an end to the federal surge.
The lawsuit names the Department of Homeland Security, former secretary Kristi Noem, and now adds new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
The lawsuit originally cited "serious harm" caused by the ICE surge, like the shooting of Renee Good and other alleged violations of constitutional rights by agents.
Economic damage caused by surge
What's new?:
In the updated complaint, Attorney General Keith Ellison's office is alleging the federal occupation cost the state $610 million in economic damage and an additional $243 million in lost wages. Those estimated lost wages were all from workers in the Twin Cities, with $189 million in Minneapolis and another $54 million reported lost in St. Paul,
Attorneys for Minnesota based those figures on research done by researchers at the University of California San Diego's U.S. Immigration Policy Center.
‘Never again’
What they're saying:
Ellison's office says the state is fighting to have surge declared unlawful to "ensure similar violence and harm are not inflicted on another state or on Minnesota once again."
"During the unlawful Operation Metro Surge, DHS agents took the lives of two Minnesotans and caused severe harm to countless more residents of our state, to cities like Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and to the state of Minnesota itself," said Attorney General Ellison in a provided statement. "More and more data on exactly how harmful the surge was to Minnesota residents, workers, and businesses keeps coming in, so we are adding that information to our lawsuit against DHS. We are fighting to have Operation Metro Surge declared unlawful to protect Minnesota from ever having to endure another violent, painful, and destructive federal occupation again."