Key Takeaways:
- The author, a Minneapolis resident, was arrested by ICE agents while trying to warn her neighbors of their presence
- The author and her friend were exercising their legally protected right to monitor and sound the alarm about government actions
- ICE agents used violence and intimidation, including pepper spray and smashed windows, to detain the author and her friend
- The author was held for eight hours without charges and witnessed the detention of many others, including children as young as 5 years old
- The author argues that ICE’s actions are designed to terrorize the community and that it is the responsibility of citizens to stand up to tyranny and protect their neighbors
Introduction to the Incident
The author of this article lives in a typical American neighborhood in Minneapolis, where community members look out for each other and treat one another with kindness. However, on January 11, the author’s peaceful life was disrupted when she heard reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in her neighborhood, violently grabbing people from their homes without warrants or questions asked. The author and her friend, Brandon, decided to take action and warn their neighbors of the ICE presence, exercising their legally protected right to monitor and sound the alarm about government actions.
The Confrontation with ICE Agents
As the author and Brandon drove to the scene, they saw ICE agents getting back into their unmarked vehicles. They followed the agents for about 40 seconds, blowing their whistles and honking their horns to warn their neighbors. However, the ICE agents responded with violence, surrounding the author’s car and yelling at them to stop following. One of the agents suddenly turned around and pepper-sprayed into the vents near the front windshield, causing the author and Brandon to become paralyzed with shock and pain. The agents then smashed the front windows of the car, dragged the author and Brandon out, and arrested them.
The Arrest and Detention
The author was separated from Brandon and put in a car alone with three agents, who began to taunt and intimidate her. One agent took a photo of her and showed it to the others, laughing, while another called her ugly. The author was denied her legal right to make a phone call and had to beg for water and to be allowed to relieve herself in a crowded cell. She witnessed the detention of many others, including children as young as 5 years old, and heard the sound of agents laughing and joking nearby.
The Broader Context
The author argues that ICE’s actions are part of a larger pattern of terrorizing and intimidating immigrant communities, and that the Trump administration’s lies and fear-mongering have created a culture of violence and division. The author notes that ICE has arrested people without cause, including a grandfather who was pulled out of the shower and taken into the freezing cold, and that local schools have been forced to cancel classes after ICE raids. The author also highlights the stories of Marine Corps veterans who have been detained by ICE, including one who had a gun pointed at her by the very government she swore an oath to serve.
Conclusion and Call to Action
The author is lucky to be back at home, but many others who were detained by ICE may never see their families or homes again. The author argues that it is the responsibility of citizens to stand up to tyranny and protect their neighbors, and that now is the time to join together and tell Congress to protect their freedoms by refusing to fund ICE’s assaults against them. The author urges readers to support their neighbors and to sound the alarm against government actions that threaten their liberty and justice. By standing together and exercising their rights, citizens can create a more just and compassionate society, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
