"Federal Judge Limits ICE's Ability to Crack Down on Peaceful Protesters in Minneapolis"
A US federal judge has issued an order restricting the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents towards "peaceful and unobstructive" protesters in Minneapolis. The ruling bars federal agents from arresting or using pepper spray against those engaging in peaceful protest activity, including monitoring and observing ICE agents.
The decision comes ahead of planned weekend protests against the widespread immigration action in the city, which has been on edge since the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent earlier this month. Minneapolis officials have urged protesters to stay orderly and peaceful, while the state's National Guard has been placed on alert and other law enforcement officers have been deployed.
The ruling also limits federal agents from stopping or detaining drivers and passengers in vehicles where there is no reasonable articulable suspicion that they are forcibly obstructing or interfering with their work. "The act of safely following [immigration agents] at an appropriate distance does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop," the court order states.
In response to the ruling, the US Department of Homeland Security has stated that it is taking measures to protect officers from rioters and uphold the rule of law. The White House has also criticized the decision, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson calling it "absurd" and describing federal agents' actions as lawful and necessary to ensure public safety.
The investigation into allegations of obstruction by Minnesota Democrats Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is ongoing, despite criticism from both officials that the inquiry is an attempt to weaponize the justice system against opponents.
A US federal judge has issued an order restricting the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents towards "peaceful and unobstructive" protesters in Minneapolis. The ruling bars federal agents from arresting or using pepper spray against those engaging in peaceful protest activity, including monitoring and observing ICE agents.
The decision comes ahead of planned weekend protests against the widespread immigration action in the city, which has been on edge since the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent earlier this month. Minneapolis officials have urged protesters to stay orderly and peaceful, while the state's National Guard has been placed on alert and other law enforcement officers have been deployed.
The ruling also limits federal agents from stopping or detaining drivers and passengers in vehicles where there is no reasonable articulable suspicion that they are forcibly obstructing or interfering with their work. "The act of safely following [immigration agents] at an appropriate distance does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop," the court order states.
In response to the ruling, the US Department of Homeland Security has stated that it is taking measures to protect officers from rioters and uphold the rule of law. The White House has also criticized the decision, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson calling it "absurd" and describing federal agents' actions as lawful and necessary to ensure public safety.
The investigation into allegations of obstruction by Minnesota Democrats Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is ongoing, despite criticism from both officials that the inquiry is an attempt to weaponize the justice system against opponents.
But at the same time, I can understand why there might be concerns for public safety... I've heard those protests can get pretty intense! 
. It's absolutely nuts that ICE agents were being allowed to do whatever they wanted and still get away with it. I mean, what even is the point of having a federal judge if you're just gonna let the cops run wild? The fact that they can't use pepper spray or arrest people for peaceful protesting is huge, like, who needs that kind of stress on top of everything else? And now the DHS is all like "we need to protect our officers" – no, it's not your job to do that, it's yours to enforce laws, duh 
. This ruling feels like a win for everyone who's been protesting and speaking out against these injustices.
. Maybe a middle ground would be better? Like, having designated areas for protests and keeping the surrounding streets clear of obstacles 
. This order feels like a step in the right direction, but also kinda creates a power vacuum 
. What do you guys think? Should protesters have more freedom to roam, or should ICE agents be able to do their thing without worrying about being stopped by peaceful protesters? 
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. Can you believe the White House is already trashing a federal judge for doing their job? It's like they think ICE agents are above the law, no wonder the protests got out of hand 
. I'm all for keeping our streets safe, but not at the cost of human rights, ya know? The fact that Governor Walz and Mayor Frey are under investigation is suspicious, imo. It feels like they're trying to discredit anyone who speaks up against ICE's actions. We need more transparency and accountability in this whole thing 
. Minneapolis officials gotta step up their game too, can't just leave it to the cops to handle all the stress 
ICE agents gotta chill 
! Peaceful protesters r just tryna express themselves 
and be heard 
. Why do they need to be treated like thugs? 
The judge's ruling is a good start, but we still got more work 2 do 
. Protests r an important part of our democracy 
, and we gotta make sure ppl can exercise that right without fear of harassment 
or arrest 
and find solutions to the issues at hand 