MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA — Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara publicly criticized federal immigration authorities this week, saying aggressive enforcement tactics are destabilizing the city’s Somali community and creating public safety risks following a tense confrontation between Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and protesters.
O’Hara said city police were called to the scene Tuesday after a federal agent requested assistance during a confrontation near a Somali business district. When Minneapolis officers arrived, they did not observe violence directed at federal agents and chose to leave in an effort to de-escalate the situation. O’Hara said the methods used by federal authorities raised serious concerns, particularly around identification and crowd control.
The incident followed days of heightened tension tied to an ongoing immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, home to the largest Somali community in the United States. Video from the scene showed an ICE agent kneeling on a woman’s back as she lay on a snowbank and later dragging her toward a vehicle before releasing her amid protests.
O’Hara warned that unclear identification by federal agents has led residents to question whether individuals claiming to be law enforcement are legitimate, creating opportunities for impersonation and increasing risk for everyone involved. He contrasted ICE tactics with the city’s emphasis on de-escalation training.
The Department of Homeland Security disputed the chief’s account, alleging protesters assaulted officers with rocks and pepper spray, resulting in injuries and criminal charges. Community members and former state lawmakers said enforcement actions have grown more aggressive in recent weeks, deepening fear and mistrust in neighborhoods already sensitive to policing issues.
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