Barack Obama publicly gave his support to demonstrators in Minneapolis for standing up to the “unprecedented nature” of the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Minnesota.

Speaking in an interview with progressive YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen on Saturday, the former president discussed the power that US citizens hold when standing up for the values they believe in and his hopes for the next generation of American leaders.

“The reason I point out that I don’t think the majority of the American people approve of this is because ultimately, the answer is going to come from the American people,” he said. “We just saw this in Minnesota, in Minneapolis.”

“It is important for us to recognize the unprecedented nature of what ICE was doing in Minneapolis, St Paul, the way that federal agents, ICE agents were being deployed, without any clear guidelines, training, pulling people out of their homes, using five-year-olds to try to bait their parents, all the stuff that we saw, teargassing crowds simply who were standing there, not breaking any laws,” he added.

The Twin Cities area of Minnesota has been the site of ongoing anti-immigration enforcement protests. These demonstrations have grown in scope following the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents.

But this week, Tom Homan, the US border czar, said that the Trump administration would be drawing down its immigration crackdown in Minnesota following the killings after initial escalations by immigration agencies. Many have credited the decision to draw back as proof that the protests were successful in sending a message.

“Right now, we’re being tested, and the good news is, what we saw in Minneapolis and St Paul, and what we’re seeing in places across the country, including here in Los Angeles, has been the American people saying no,” Obama said. “At least a good number of the American people saying, we’re going to live up to those values that we say we believe in.”

“As long as we have folks doing that, I feel like we’re going to get through this,” he added.

Obama, along with the former first lady, Michelle Obama, called the killing of Alex Pretti “a heartbreaking tragedy” and “a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault”.

In a statement released last month, the Obamas said federal law enforcement and immigration agents were not operating in a lawful or accountable way in Minnesota. They said the tactics employed by ICE and other federal agents seemed “designed to intimidate, harass, provoke and endanger the residents of a major American city”.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — As the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota winds down, Minneapolis will need to decide how to manage makeshift memorial sites for two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents last month.

Piles of flowers, signs and artwork swiftly formed to commemorate the lives of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the locations where they were fatally shot. The memorials are the site of candlelight vigils and musical performances and draw a regular stream of visitors.

The public grieving spots echo the community-driven memorial to George Floyd, who was murdered in 2020 by a police officer less than one mile (1.61 kilometers) from Good’s killing. It took the city more than five years to figure out how to officially memorialize the site of George Floyd Square, and construction is set to begin this year.

Now, the city has two more high-profile memorials to manage.

A memorial for Good sprung up within hours of her Jan. 7 killing on a Minneapolis street.

And before the smell of tear gas used by federal agents had dissipated on the day of Pretti’s killing on Jan. 24, Minneapolis protesters were already using branches, police tape and candles to mark the space. Later, people placed crosses, stuffed animals, American flags and images of Pretti.

Minnesota resident Karel Hoffmann said that while she remained outraged with Good and Pretti’s killings, the memorials represented community solidarity.

“This is so unfair, the trauma, for everyone, is too much,” Hoffmann said as she visited Pretti’s memorial recently. “We’re all in this together. And I’m really glad they have this here so everybody can come and be together.”

Lynn Elrod, a nurse, visited Pretti’s memorial last month and added her own offering: a plastic evergreen tree with red hearts and portraits of him and Good.

“I printed both of their pictures and put those on there again, just to signify the love that we have for both of them, really, and their contributions to the community and supporting their neighbors,” Elrod said.

The residential street where Good died remains open, but orange traffic cones offer a narrow walkway for those paying their respects, and a small band of volunteers watches over the mound of flowers, artwork and handwritten signs that has amassed between the sidewalk and the street.

Around the Pretti memorial along a commercial district known as “ Eat Street,” traffic lanes have been temporarily shifted and parking is closed off, said Jess Olstad, a spokesperson for the city of Minneapolis.

“The City’s top priority is to give our community space to grieve and heal,” Olstad said. “This both ensures emergency vehicles can get through the area and protects those who gather or visit the memorial.”

Olstad added that the city is “actively working on next steps, including continued community engagement regarding both memorials.”

Ally Peters, a spokesperson for Mayor Jacob Frey, said last week that it was “too early” to comment on whether the memorials would be made permanent.

___

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Hennepin County sheriff says her office has not entered into any new deals with the federal government, “despite what some influential leaders have conveyed.” 

This comes after White House Border Czar Tom Homan announced a major drawdown of federal immigration agents. 

Hennepin Co. Sheriff on ICE surge ending

What they’re saying:

Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt said in a news conference Friday that even though Operation Metro Surge is winding down, trust in law enforcement has been “eroded.”

Witt defended how her deputies handled Operation Metro Surge, calling the immigration operation “unprecedented” and said her deputies didn’t have a “template.”

She continued to thank her deputies for doing their job, but said her office will be addressing “all issues” and seeing what can be improved. 

The sheriff did reiterate her office has not “entered into any new agreements with the federal government, despite what some influential leaders conveyed.” 

“Communication and relationships will be critical as we move forward. I’ve always said that leaders at the local, state and federal level must come to the table together,” Witt said. “A real leader, a real leader prioritizes understanding, communication, reflection, and conveying truthful information responsibly, not just based off of your limited views.”

Witt went on to say that if anyone is “confused” about policies her office has adopted, they should “ask.” 

Hennepin Co. board told sheriff to not alter ICE policy

The backstory:

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution urging the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office not to change its policy on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

READ MORE: Hennepin Co. board tells sheriff not to alter ICE policy

The board passed the resolution Thursday afternoon, stating they support the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office’s current policy regarding cooperating with ICE, which is not honoring detainer requests from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

According to the resolution, the board is telling the sheriff to not make “substantive changes to the policy to voluntarily increase cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.”

The board goes on to ask the sheriff to notify the public and the board if there are any changes to the policy that would increase cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Operation Metro Surge ending: Minnesotans react

After more than two months of an increased immigration enforcement presence in Minnesota, Border Czar Tom Homan announced on Thursday that Operation Metro Surge would be drawing to a close, with most federal agents leaving by next week. FOX 9’s Soyoung Kim is live at the Alex Pretti shooting memorial site with reactions from Minnesotans.