DOJ, DHS Charge 15 in Minnesota Over Blocking Immigration Raids, Arresting 12

3 articles · Updated · NBC News · Jun 16

Fifteen Minnesota protesters were charged with conspiracy, assault on federal officers and destruction of government property over January and March actions against federal immigration enforcement; 12 were arrested Tuesday, one was already in custody and two remain at large.
Prosecutors said the group used vehicles, blocks of ice and homemade plastic, wood and metal shields to slow agents near a federal detention center, physically resist officers, and surveil law enforcement during the operation.
The case stems from the Trump administration's Metro Surge, which sent 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota in late November and drew repeated clashes as activists gathered to warn communities about ICE and Border Patrol activity.
That crackdown became nationally contentious after immigration authorities killed two U.S. citizens in separate confrontations, while Minnesota prosecutors later charged two ICE officers in unrelated alleged assaults on civilians during the same operation.