Voto Latino Calls for Accountability After Reports of Excessive ICE Force in the Twin Cities - Voto Latino

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Voto Latino Calls for Accountability After Reports of Excessive ICE Force in the Twin Cities

Washington, D.C — Since the launch of “Operation Metro Surge,” an overwhelming federal law enforcement presence has pushed the Twin Cities into a state of emergency, outnumbering  local police and spreading fear and chaos across the region. In broad daylight, Border Patrol and ICE agents have been captured on video terrorizing families and violating due process. In recent days alone, we have witnessed disturbing scenes:

  • The killing of Renee Nicole Good. 
  • The forced entry and door-to-door raiding of houses in St. Paul and Minneapolis. 
  • The dragging of a pregnant woman through the street, followed by an agent kneeling on the woman’s back as she lies face down in the snow. 
  • The tackling of staff and students at a Minneapolis high school after armed Border Patrol agents entered the grounds of a high school during dismissal.
  • The detention of four tribal members and documented patterns of racial profiling. 
  • The point-blank pepper-spraying of a state attorney, who witnessed an immigration arrest unfolding and approached the scene to act as a legal observer. 
  • Multiple instances where immigration agents drove around Minneapolis and questioned people, including U.S. citizens about their immigration status.
  • An attempt to detain a mother during a delivery service, who took refuge in a client’s house to escape ICE.

Voto Latino issued a forceful condemnation of the escalating and dangerous overreach by CBP and ICE:

“What’s currently unfolding in Minnesota with the deadly and excessive use of force by CBP and ICE should send a chill down the spine of every American. The loss of a life should have been the final wake-up call for both community members and our elected officials. When there is lack of accountability for those who swore to serve and protect our communities, it creates a culture of impunity, one that DHS has allowed to grow as its agents increasingly go rogue.

The response from concerned citizens in Minnesota is teaching us something profound: people are refusing to remain silent. Regardless of who they voted for in the last election, residents are taking accountability into their own hands by filming, organizing, and serving as witnesses. Americans voted for safety. They didn’t vote for this violent enforcement. The pain and violence inflicted by CBP and ICE agents go beyond partisan politics or immigration policy; this is about whether we still uphold America’s core values of humanity and dignity.”

The operation has effectively commandeered local law enforcement and drained public resources, forcing Minneapolis to pay over $2 million in overtime. Simultaneously, the local economy is in collapse, with businesses reporting revenue drops of up to 80%. Education has also been weaponized; Minneapolis Public Schools were forced to cancel classes, and the district has transitioned to optional remote learning through February 12 as families keep children home to protect them from federal agents. 

Voto Latino stands with Minnesota and city officials as they sue the Trump administration over ICE deployment. ICE must be held accountable and kept out of our cities, neighborhoods, schools, churches and hospitals. We demand justice for Renee Good and Secretary Noem’s impeachment.

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Voto Latino is a civic advocacy organization dedicated to educating and empowering the next generation of Latino voters while working to build a more inclusive and representative democracy. Since its founding, Voto Latino has registered nearly two million voters. In 2024, the organization took legal action to protect voting rights, filing multiple lawsuits in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina to safeguard access to the ballot ahead of the elections.