On Friday, at Minnesota's largest airport - Minneapolis–Saint Paul - police detained about a hundred clergy members who were protesting against deportation flights and calling for an end to the large-scale immigration operation that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security calls the largest in the country's history. The detainees were charged with trespassing and failure to comply, after which they were released.
The escalation of protests was triggered by the tragic death of Rene Good, who was reportedly shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on January 7. Since then, daily actions have taken place in Minnesota cities, and activists have begun to monitor the actions of federal forces.
Against this backdrop, media reports have emerged about the resignation of a high-ranking FBI agent who was dissatisfied with how the U.S. Department of Justice conducted the investigation into the killing.
Additional outrage among protesters was caused by instances of the detention of small children, including a two-year-old and a five-year-old, during immigration raids. Human rights advocates and lawyers argue that such actions violate the rights of families, while the Department of Homeland Security insists on the legality of its measures.
Protesters are demanding the removal of ICE from Minnesota and an end to policies they consider inhumane and threatening to the safety of local communities.
