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Law enforcement alleges racial profiling by ICE
Complaints are surfacing from law enforcement agencies in Minnesota about racial profiling by federal immigration enforcement agents. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard has the details.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Law enforcement leaders in Minnesota are raising concerns about racial profiling by federal agents, affecting both civilians and officers.
Law enforcement leaders speak out
What we know:
Minnesota law enforcement leaders are voicing concerns about racial profiling by federal agents. They claim their officers have experienced profiling while off-duty.
A Brooklyn Park officer reported being racially profiled in traffic by ICE agents, said Chief Mark Bruley.
"When they boxed her in, they demanded her paperwork, of which she's a U.S. Citizen and clearly would not have any paperwork," Chief Bruley said. "When she became concerned about the rhetoric and the way she was being treated, she pulled out her phone. In an attempt to record the incident, the phone was knocked out of her hands, preventing her from recording it. The officers had their guns drawn during this interaction. And after the officer became so concerned, they were forced to identify themselves as a Brooklyn Park police officer in hopes of slowing the incident and deescalating the incident down. The agents then immediately left after hearing this, making no other comments, no other apologies, just got in their vehicles and left."
Chief Bruley emphasized that this behavior is not widespread, but limited to a small group of agents in the Metro area.
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt expressed that these actions are illegal, and stain the reputation of local law enforcement.
Legal actions and accountability
Why you should care:
The ACLU has filed a racial profiling lawsuit, with Ali Dahar among the plaintiffs. Law enforcement attorney Imran Ali stated that lawsuits are appropriate for addressing these issues, but there is no mechanism for state-side investigations.
Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino maintains that the actions of federal agents are legal, ethical, and moral. However, several judges have disagreed, though the Supreme Court has sided with ICE on racial profiling issues.
What we don't know:
The specific outcomes of the ongoing racial profiling lawsuit filed by the ACLU remain uncertain.