Detention of Minnesotans by Immigration Agents Sparks Fear and Outrage
Many people were shocked by a video that went viral, showing immigration officers forcefully removing a woman from her car and pinning her to the ground. This woman, Aliya Rahman, a Bangladeshi-American and a U.S. citizen, was on her way to a medical appointment when she unexpectedly encountered an immigration operation and protestors. Amid the chaos, Rahman received conflicting orders.
Rahman is autistic and also recovering from a traumatic brain injury, leading to slower processing of verbal commands. Despite this, she was abruptly arrested for allegedly ignoring several orders. She was carried away by her limbs, causing her to fear for her life. She was then placed in a vehicle with three immigration officers. Rahman recalls hearing one of the officers jokingly refer to her as 'a body' over the radio.
Impact on the Community
Federal officials have hinted at the possibility of reducing the number of immigration agents in Minnesota, but any such reduction would depend on cooperation from state and local authorities. Even if this reduction happens, the community has been deeply affected by the recent events, including the questioning and detention of numerous citizens.
Rahman was taken to the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, where detainees are often held before being released or transported out of state. While there, Rahman experienced a severe headache and requested medical assistance for over an hour. Eventually, she lost consciousness and woke up in a hospital, where she was informed that she had sustained a concussion.
Even though her arrest occurred several weeks ago, Rahman still feels a profound sense of fear. She says, "I do not feel safe being in my own home, driving these streets... I am in a significantly better place than a lot of the other folks who have been detained."
Other Citizens Share Similar Experiences
But Rahman is not the only U.S. citizen in Minnesota with such a disturbing experience. ChongLy Scott Thao, a Hmong man and U.S. citizen, was forcibly removed from his home in just his underwear, sandals, and a blanket. Thao claims that the immigration officers drove him to a remote location, took his picture, and then returned him to his house.
Mubashir Khalif Hussen, a Somali-American and U.S. citizen, also had a frightening encounter with immigration officers. "I wasn't even outside for mere seconds before I noticed a masked person running at me full speed," Hussen said. "He tackled me. I told him, 'I'm a U.S. citizen.' He didn't seem to care. He dragged me outside to the snow while I was handcuffed, restrained, helpless and he pushed me to the ground."
Hussen is now part of a class action lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of racial profiling. He claims that after being detained, he was released and told to walk seven miles back to where he had initially been arrested. However, allegations of racial profiling have been vehemently denied by the Department of Homeland Security.
Legal Perspectives
Despite these denials, some legal scholars argue that these incidents represent a systemic violation of constitutional rights. Walter Olson, a senior fellow with a libertarian think tank, comments, "This is no longer just a series of accidents that could have been due to someone being badly trained or being a bad apple. This is a systematic assault on constitutional rights."
The Fourth Amendment protects people from being stopped without reasonable suspicion and being arrested without probable cause. It has been established by U.S. courts that skin color alone does not fulfill these criteria. However, a recent Supreme Court decision ruled that "apparent ethnicity" could be considered when determining reasonable suspicion, provided there are other factors involved. Legal experts suggest that this ruling may provide immigration officers with more discretion.
Olson warns that even if the immigration crackdown in Minnesota subsides, similar concerns could surface elsewhere. He refers to cases where judges ruled against the federal government during crackdowns in other cities. "And they were not led to call off or rethink the campaign. They just regrouped and came back to another state," Olson said.
Even Those Not Arrested Feel the Impact
Even those who have not been arrested are feeling the effects of these encounters with immigration officers. Luis Escoto, who owns El Taquito Taco Shop in West St. Paul, experienced a frightening incident when immigration agents surrounded his wife Irma's car as she was going out to get more lettuce before the dinner hour. Both Luis and Irma Escoto are U.S. citizens. Despite presenting their passport cards, an officer warned them that without proof of citizenship, they would be arrested.
Weeks later, Escoto is still upset and fearful. Some of his customers have even taken to escorting him and his wife home each night after the restaurant closes. Reflecting on his journey to citizenship 35 years ago, Escoto recalls asking a judge what would happen if he was stopped by immigration officers. The judge assured him, "Well, today you're proud to be a United States citizen."