Federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis have sparked intense confrontations between protesters and ICE agents, with a second shooting incident occurring last night that has further escalated tensions in the Twin Cities.
READ ALSO | Do ICE agents truly have ‘absolute immunity’?
The Department of Homeland Security said an ICE officer shot a Venezuelan immigrant in the leg during what they described as a resisting arrest situation. According to DHS, two people joined the struggle, and an officer was struck with either a broom or a shovel before firing in what they claim was self-defense.
The shooting comes just one week after an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, an incident that initially sparked the wave of protests now gripping Minneapolis.
About 100 protesters gathered outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, which serves as the epicenter of ICE enforcement in the Twin Cities. The demonstrations have intensified as federal immigration operations have ramped up over the past two weeks.
"It's just rational that we feel threatened, even before, there were people gunned down in our streets, but now this outside force has invaded our area, and we cannot just sit back and relax," said Carol, a protester who has been demonstrating for several days. "We have to speak up and use our constitutional freedoms, exactly what our forefathers meant for us to do. We can't sit back and be complacent. We have to let our voices be heard."
Watch: Second ICE shooting in Minneapolis escalates tensions as protesters demand federal withdrawal
Protesters maintain their demonstrations have remained peaceful, claiming ICE agents are the ones escalating tensions through their enforcement tactics. Many demonstrators are calling on Governor Tim Walz to deploy the National Guard to protect protesters and ensure their right to peaceful assembly.
President Trump responded to the situation this morning by threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to deploy federal troops to Minneapolis to "stop the protesters and attacks on ICE."
The federal building has become a focal point where protesters regularly confront ICE vehicles leaving the facility, with demonstrators demanding the agency leave their city.
