MINNEAPOLIS: A federal judge in Minnesota will consider whether to halt the deployment of thousands of immigration agents to the state, after the killings of two US citizens sparked uproar. Minneapolis has been rocked by increasingly tense protests since Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year old mother of three, in her car, on January 7. On Saturday, ICE agents killed intensive care nurse Alex Pretti, also 37, claiming he intended to harm them during a confrontation.
The US District Court for Minnesota will hold hearings in two key lawsuits, as pressure mounts for an independent investigation into the killings. In one case, Minnesota’s attorney general has asked a federal judge to halt the surge of ICE agents to the area. The other case focuses on stopping federal officials from destroying evidence related to Pretti’s killing.
The lawsuits highlight the deep rift between local and federal officials over the ICE deployment, which has put pressure on Trump’s aggressive deportation campaign. Democratic-led Minneapolis is a sanctuary city, meaning police do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. — AFP
