Federal agents in Minnesota have been using the death of Renee Good, a woman who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, to intimidate protesters in the Minneapolis area. During confrontations with agents, some have invoked Good's killing to threaten observers and demonstrators.
In several instances, agents were heard saying that protesters had not learned their lesson from the incident, which has been widely interpreted as a veiled threat. These incidents have occurred amid broader scenes of violence inflicted by ICE and Border Patrol agents on protesters in the Twin Cities.
The Trump administration's Operation Metro Surge, which has deployed thousands of agents to the region, has been criticized for its impact on local communities. Protesters have reported being pepper-sprayed, having their cars vandalized, and facing physical attacks from agents.
Luis Argueta, a spokesperson for Unidos Minnesota, described one agent's comments as "a veiled threat." Andrew G. Celli Jr., an attorney specializing in police misconduct, said the agents' behavior was predictable given the Trump administration's actions.
On Sunday, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that hundreds more federal agents would be deployed to the region, adding to the surge of over 2,000 agents already on the ground. The violence continued on Monday as federal agents unleashed tear gas on a residential street.
The state of Minnesota and several city governments have filed a lawsuit seeking to end Operation Metro Surge, which they claim is aimed at combating social-services fraud in the state. The suit alleges that the operation has resulted in widespread abuses by federal agents and has had a significant impact on public safety and civic norms.
As protests continue to erupt across the Twin Cities, advocates and activists are warning of a growing authoritarian trend under President Donald Trump. While some outlets have covered these events as politics as usual, others see them for what they are: a dangerous assault on democracy.
In several instances, agents were heard saying that protesters had not learned their lesson from the incident, which has been widely interpreted as a veiled threat. These incidents have occurred amid broader scenes of violence inflicted by ICE and Border Patrol agents on protesters in the Twin Cities.
The Trump administration's Operation Metro Surge, which has deployed thousands of agents to the region, has been criticized for its impact on local communities. Protesters have reported being pepper-sprayed, having their cars vandalized, and facing physical attacks from agents.
Luis Argueta, a spokesperson for Unidos Minnesota, described one agent's comments as "a veiled threat." Andrew G. Celli Jr., an attorney specializing in police misconduct, said the agents' behavior was predictable given the Trump administration's actions.
On Sunday, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that hundreds more federal agents would be deployed to the region, adding to the surge of over 2,000 agents already on the ground. The violence continued on Monday as federal agents unleashed tear gas on a residential street.
The state of Minnesota and several city governments have filed a lawsuit seeking to end Operation Metro Surge, which they claim is aimed at combating social-services fraud in the state. The suit alleges that the operation has resulted in widespread abuses by federal agents and has had a significant impact on public safety and civic norms.
As protests continue to erupt across the Twin Cities, advocates and activists are warning of a growing authoritarian trend under President Donald Trump. While some outlets have covered these events as politics as usual, others see them for what they are: a dangerous assault on democracy.
This is getting super concerning. I think it's outrageous that federal agents are using Renee Good's death as leverage to scare people away from protesting. It's like, we get it, her life was lost, but this isn't the way to handle the situation. 
The fact that they're deploying more agents and causing chaos just makes things worse.
We need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions and make sure they're not undermining the democratic process.
... it's like the feds are trying to silence people who are just standing up for what's right. The fact that ICE agents are using Renee Good's death as a threat is just disgusting 
. It's not right, and we need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions.
... are we becoming more aggressive and authoritarian, or are we standing up for what's important? I'm seeing a lot of frustration with the Trump administration's policies, but I also see people being intimidated and hurt by federal agents.
. The state of Minnesota is already taking action, filing lawsuits and speaking out against Operation Metro Surge... it's time for the rest of us to do the same. We can't just sit back and let this kind of thing happen 
.
the whole thing feels so orchestrated and manipulative i hope we can find a way to stand up against this kind of intimidation and police brutality without resorting to more violence 
like how can ppl be so reckless with their power & threaten innocent lives? 
Renee Good's death was already devastating but now we got these federal agents trying to silence the voices of the people? 
it's not just about protestin' against the gov, its about havin' a say in how our country is run! 
and whats with this Operation Metro Surge? Sounds like a total overreach to me 
thousands of agents deployed & still, the violence continues? 
it's like they're tryna intimidate people into submission instead of workin' together to solve problems 
. It's like they're trying to silence people who are speaking out against injustice. And now we've got Secretary Noem announcing even more federal agents will be deployed? That just feels like a power play to me 
. It's like they're not taking public safety seriously unless it fits their agenda.
newsflash: if we can't protest without fear of violence, then what's the point of even having a democracy?
I'm getting really worried about the situation in Minneapolis right now. This is not just about immigration issues or social services, it's about the government sending in more agents to silence people and intimidate protesters... Like, what's next? They're already using Renee Good's murder as a tool of oppression 
. We gotta stay vigilant and fight for what's right! 
. Newsflash: it won't work! People will keep fighting for what's right, even if it means facing some aggression 
. We need to stand together as a community and demand an end to this authoritarian trend 
. We need to hold those in power accountable for their actions & make sure our democracy doesn't get trampled underfoot 
I think this is exactly what some of our opponents have been saying - that we're losing our democracy, that the system is rigged against ordinary people.
.
. They're above the law, or so it seems 
. And if you don't like it, they'll silence you with pepper spray or worse 
. Can't let this authoritarian trend slide, folks! We need to stand up for our rights and fight back against this kind of oppression 
. It's like, if we want to learn from this incident, let's talk about how to make sure something like it never happens again, not threaten people who are peacefully protesting 
. Can't let these agents keep running roughshod over our communities 
.