The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has launched a major legal challenge against the Trump administration, filing a federal lawsuit that accuses immigration authorities in Minnesota of conducting a campaign of racial profiling and unlawful arrests. The suit, filed on behalf of three US citizens, claims Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations have created a climate of fear and violated constitutional rights.
Details of the Alleged Abuses
The 72-page lawsuit, filed on Thursday, names the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), its secretary Kristi Noem, and several CBP officers as defendants. It describes a "startling pattern of abuse" that is fundamentally altering life in the Twin Cities and across Minnesota. The ACLU argues that Somali and Latino communities are being disproportionately targeted.
"Masked federal agents in the thousands are violently stopping and arresting countless Minnesotans based on nothing more than their race and perceived ethnicity," the lawsuit states. It further alleges that DHS's "crude dragnet" ensnares non-citizens without warrants and, critically, also sweeps up US citizens in the process, ignoring their documentation.
Plaintiffs' Harrowing Experiences
The lawsuit details specific incidents involving the plaintiffs. Mubashir Khalif Hussen, a 20-year-old US citizen, was allegedly detained by masked ICE agents in Minneapolis's Cedar-Riverside neighbourhood last December while walking to lunch. Despite repeatedly stating "I'm a citizen," he claims agents refused to check his ID, placed him in a headlock, and took him to the Whipple federal building. There, he was shackled, fingerprinted, and denied medical assistance and water before release.
In a separate incident in January, Hussen alleges that after his release, he was pepper-sprayed in the face by a federal agent from a passing car while he recorded a protest on his phone from a public sidewalk.
Another plaintiff, 25-year-old Mahamed Eydarus, was shovelling snow with his mother last month when they were surrounded by masked, plain-clothed agents. The agents allegedly demanded ID to ensure he was "not illegal," questioned his mother, and instructed her to remove her religious niqab. They also questioned why the pair were speaking Somali, referring to it as a "foreign language."
Legal and Political Repercussions
In statements, ACLU attorneys condemned the federal actions. Catherine Ahlin-Halverson of ACLU Minnesota called the practices "both illegal and morally reprehensible," a grave violation of fundamental rights that has spread fear. Kate Huddleston of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project stated, "The government can't stop and arrest people based on the colour of their skin... These kinds of police-state tactics are contrary to the basic principles of liberty."
The Trump administration has defended the Minnesota operations, stating they target individuals living in the US illegally, particularly those with criminal records, to combat widespread fraud. The DHS has also defended ICE's use of force as lawful and in self-defence.
However, the raids have faced intense scrutiny, particularly following the killing of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by a federal agent, which sparked protests. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and local officials have denounced the surge of thousands of federal agents as an unconstitutional "federal invasion" and a "campaign of retribution" that has terrorised communities.
The Guardian has contacted the DHS for comment on the lawsuit.
