It's Not About Training

People in Minneapolis and Saint Paul are now getting caught up in ICE tear gas attacks who are not involved in trying to deter them or daring to "scarily follow" them down the street. People who are just driving past the area of a raid (including people I know) or walking down a street in a busy commercial intersection (Lyndale and Lake).

Minnesota Public Radio's Matt Sepic was on WAMU's 1A show today recounting the details of the ICE home invasion in the near-north suburb of Robbinsdale (or North Minneapolis), in which five of them broke down a door to take a single person. They claimed they had a judicial warrant, but of course they didn't. In the video taken by one of the home's residents, which has been widely shared, she demands the warrant repeatedly, but they never show it. They shine a light in her eyes and at one point brandish a long gun at her. 

Sepic says a 9-year-old was in the house. 

All of this was done so they could kidnap a Liberian refugee man whose status is in dispute. He has an order for final removal, Sepic said, but has been checking in as ordered, including just a few days ago. When they could have detained him, as they have been doing to many other people. 

But no, they waited until Sunday to come and terrorize his friends or loved ones in this house, his neighbors who tried to come help, and anyone who heard about this — by illegally breaking down the door and raiding the house. 

MPR Reporter Matt Sepic, who is just about the most deadpan reporter you'll ever hear, ended this description to 1A's host with these words: "These are police-state tactics."

And two people who were detained while they were legally following an ICE vehicle, described on MPR the eight-plus hours they were held at the locally based federal Whipple Building, before they were released without charges. How they were treated, and what they heard and saw of the way the non-citizens were being treated. Note that one of them was told by an ICE member that Renee Good was a "lesbian bitch." 

At this point, the number of people carrying out perfectly legal activity who've had their car windows smashed must be over two dozen. And that's not counting people who ICE suspected of being undocumented, who also should not have their car windows smashed when ICE attempts detention. 

This is all obvious provocation by Trump's private army. He's wants people to fight back so he can declare the Insurrection Act. 

It's not about "better training." This is what they're trained to do. No more funding (my god, they have enough!).

And as soon as possible, get rid of ICE and "homeland" security. Restructure these departments to their pre-9/11 state.

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Update/addendum: From Jake Steinberg, who does maps and visual stories for the Star Tribune, and his colleague Jeff Hargarten:

There are now more federal immigration agents in Minnesota than the 10 largest Twin Cities police departments combined.

9% of ICE is in Minnesota right now, even though Minnesota has less than 1% of the nation's undocumented immigrants.

DHS forces outnumber the metro's 10 largest police departments.