Local authorities in Minnesota say they are increasingly concerned about aggressive tactics used by some Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during Operation Metro Surge, a federal crackdown on illegal immigration.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said one of his officers was recently stopped by ICE agents and asked for immigration papers despite being a U.S. citizen.
“When they boxed her in, they demanded her paperwork, of which she’s a U.S. citizen and clearly would not have any paperwork,” Bruley said.
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The ICE officers had their guns drawn during the encounter, Bruley said. He noted that they eventually left without apologizing after the woman identified herself as a Brooklyn Park police officer.
“If this happens to our officers, it pains me to think of how many community members are falling victim to this every day,” Bruley said. “It has to stop.”
Bruley said he does not blame all ICE officers for incidents like this and stressed that he respects law enforcement broadly. He believes a small number of agents are engaging in inappropriate conduct.
“I don’t think the leaders in Washington, D.C., fully understand what some of their groups are doing on the street and how much damage they’re causing,” Bruley said.
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Bruley, along with St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry and Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, said the behavior of some ICE agents is eroding trust that local law enforcement has worked for years to build within the community.
They said documenting and reporting questionable encounters has been difficult because there doesn't appear to be a clear point person for the operation and many officers are masked or not easily identifiable.
Despite recent criticism, the Department of Homeland Security has defended the agents involved in Operation Metro Surge.
“In the last 6 weeks, our brave DHS law enforcement have arrested 3,000 criminal illegal aliens including vicious murderers, rapists, child pedophiles, and incredibly dangerous individuals. A huge victory for public safety," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on Monday.
