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Charges dropped against women who claimed to help ICE officer
Charges have been dropped against two Twin Cities women, Tippy Amundson and Heather Zemien, after one of them helped an ICE agent during a medical emergency. The women were initially accused of interfering with federal officers during an operation in January in Brooklyn Park. However, while detained in the agents' vehicle, an agent suffered a seizure. The women stepped in to help, moving a tactical vest to keep him warm and protect his head. Now, the federal charges against both women have been officially dismissed.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Two Twin Cities women are speaking out after federal charges against them were dropped, following a dramatic turn of events involving an ICE agent’s medical emergency.
Women reflect on charges being dropped after ICE operation
What we know:
Tippy Amundson and Heather Zemien were initially accused of interfering with federal officers during an ICE operation in January. Newly obtained dashcam video from Brooklyn Park police shows both women being surrounded by ICE agents and detained.
The women say they were in their neighborhood observing ICE operations and honking their horn to alert others that agents were in the area. "We were looking out for our neighbors. We were observing things in our neighborhood," said Zemien.
Amundson shared her perspective on the situation, saying, "When we look at someone, we see their humanity, even if they have ICE law enforcement written on their vest, because I knew that somewhere, he had a wife, he had kids, he had a mom, he had a dad, and he is a valued human being no matter what."
Zemien said she was not surprised the charges were dropped, saying, "What did they have to hold us on? We’ve really had not did anything that wasn't within our rights to do."
Both women expressed relief at the dropped charges, with Amundson saying, "I think it's hard to put it into words. I think just knowing that potentially, I could have been jailed for a year away from my kids."
The women’s actions during the ICE operation
What they're saying:
While in custody and being transported in an agent’s vehicle, the women say one ICE agent appeared to have a seizure. Zemien described the moment, saying, "We were out there observing and documenting things that were happening to families, children in our neighborhood, and then we helped an ICE agent that that was having a seizure. I had to move a tactile vest to be able to help him, to keep him warm, to put it under his head."
The women say that, in that moment, they did not see an agent—they saw a person who needed help.
The backstory:
FOX 9 first covered this situation in January, shortly after it happened. The women were detained during an ICE operation in their neighborhood and later accused of interfering with federal officers.
Their story highlighted the human side of a tense situation, as both women emphasized their intent to observe and protect their community while also helping someone in need.
The decision to drop charges
Why you should care:
The case drew attention to the rights of community members to observe law enforcement and the unexpected ways people can come together, even in tense circumstances. The women’s actions during the medical emergency underscored the importance of seeing humanity in others, regardless of the situation.
Local perspective:
The Twin Cities community has followed this story since January, raising questions about the balance between law enforcement operations and community oversight.
What we don't know:
FOX 9 reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to ask why the charges were dropped but has not received a response. It remains unclear whether the women’s actions during the medical emergency played a role in the decision to dismiss the charges.