ICE doesn’t need an introduction. The government agency has been rapidly mobilized as part of Donald Trump’s plans to expedite deportations across the country in a blitz of arrests, which have often put innocent citizens of the United States in extremely troubling situations. Sometimes, people get snapped up without cause and sent off to brutal prisons in foreign countries. Minnesota is no stranger to the ICE assault, and now things are going to get tough as multiple sheriff’s offices in the state have signed new agreements with ICE to work together and identify targets. Cass, Itasca, and more have joined ICE.
In a stunning and alarming Reddit post shared by Sahan-journal in the R/Minnesota page, and linked to a news story courtesy of the SahanJournal news, a multitude of offices have entered new agreements to cooperate with ICE in a bid to identify immigrants and empower ICE in the region. The agreement was signed by Crow Wing, Freeborn, Itasca, Jackson County, and Cass sheriff’s offices, and the 287g agreements allow ICE to delegate authority to local law enforcement. In the news report, Julia Decker, an attorney with the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, had this to say.
It makes it more likely that contact with local law enforcement will lead to more contact with immigration authorities
In the Reddit post, Minnesota locals, who are no strangers to ICE activity in the region, had many thoughts on the subject.
“A US Citizen was arrested and kept for hours before they finally looked at his ID. We cannot allow this shit in Minnesota.”
“None of us are safe.”
“The Supreme Court issued a stay on the Garcia case (man from Maryland who was thrown into the El Salvadorean prison and whom Trump refuses to bring back). If they rule that Trump’s actions were legal, ANYONE can be deported without due process, citizen or no.”
“Kandiyohi is interesting, Jennie-O is the largest employer in Willmar and is known for hiring illegal immigrants.”
“I understand you do not want ICE detaining folks, but assuming that they are going to (which is a safe assumption), would you rather that detainees stay in MN, or would you prefer that ICE takes them out of MN?”
Safe to say this is going to be a pretty divisive topic. As ICE activity increases in these specific counties, one can only assume that any immigrants are likely looking to avoid them as much as possible. Of course, that is much easier said than done for the people living there already.
