A federal immigration officer shot a man in the leg during an enforcement operation in north Minneapolis on Wednesday evening, igniting fresh protests in a city already on edge.
Confrontation and Crowd Control
The incident occurred at approximately 7pm local time, according to witness accounts. In the aftermath, several hundred protesters gathered at the scene, facing off against federal agents who had blocked off the area.
Officers deployed smoke and crowd control weapons, including pepper balls, as tear gas was used at the location. The confrontation unfolded against a backdrop of heightened community tension following the killing of Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent just last week.
Official Responses and Calls for Calm
At a late-night news conference at Minneapolis city hall, Police Chief Brian O'Hara stated that protesters were "engaging in unlawful behaviour" and urged everyone who had gathered to disperse.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey delivered a strongly worded rebuke of the federal officers' actions. "I've seen conduct from ICE that is disgusting and intolerable," Frey said. However, he also pleaded with protesters to leave the area, arguing that chaos would not help the city's undocumented immigrant community. "We cannot counter Donald Trump's chaos with more chaos," he added.
Broader Context of Immigration Policy
This violent episode in Minneapolis coincides with a major new Trump administration policy shift on immigration. The administration has announced an indefinite suspension of migrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries.
The freeze, which is set to begin on 21 January, targets individuals officials believe might become a "public charge" by relying on government benefits. A State Department cable obtained by The Guardian contains the full list of affected nations.
The situation in Minneapolis remains volatile, with community leaders calling for a full investigation into the shooting and the tactics used by federal agents during the subsequent protests.
