Minnesota
Nationwide strike called Friday to protest ICE; Don Lemon arrested for Minnesota church protest
Journalist Don Lemon arrested by federal agents in LA
The attorney for journalist and former CNN host Don Lemon says he was arrested Thursday night in Los Angeles in connection to his presence at a recent protest inside in a St. Paul, Minnesota, church.
Attorney Abbe Lowell said Lemon was covering the Grammy awards when he was taken into custody.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing this work.”
Lemon was among a group that entered Cities Church off St. Paul’s Grand Avenue on Jan. 18, where one of its pastors, David Easterwood, leads the local ICE field office.
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said. “This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand. Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
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Richfield Public Schools says federal agents were on school bus route
Richfield Public Schools notified families Thursday of an incident involving federal agents.
The district says agents were on one of the school’s bus routes Thursday afternoon.
They say administrators were notified and leadership went to the bus to make sure students were safe. WCCO has reached out to school officials to learn more.
Border czar, president take conflicting “drawdown” stances
Conflicting information from the top voices on the federal crackdown is causing some confusion.
On Thursday morning, border czar Tom Homan spoke for the first time since arriving in Minnesota. Homan says Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told him that county jails may notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the release dates for criminals so they can take custody of them when they get out.
Ellison, however, said no agreements were made.
“I did not negotiate with Mr. Homan, come to any agreement or offer any compromise on the goal of keeping Minnesotans safe,” Ellison said.
Then later Thursday, President Trump shared a different message when it comes to the possibility of drawing back.
“We will keep our country safe, we’ll do whatever we can to keep our country safe. So not pulling back? No, no not at all,” Trump said.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who announced her Minnesota gubernatorial campaign early Thursday, appeared on CNN Thursday night to share her thoughts on the Trump administration’s mixed signals.
“I literally could not believe that the president said this tonight after trying to change the tone, trying to deescalate,” Klobuchar said. “But maybe I should believe it, because this shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
Trump calls Pretti “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist”
President Trump commented early Friday on the video showing Alex Pretti confronting federal immigration officers on a Minneapolis street 11 days before he was fatally shot in another encounter with Customs and Border Protection agents.
On his Truth Social platform, Mr. Trump described Pretti as an “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist.”
The president said Pretti’s “stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer, and then crazily kicking in a new and very expensive government vehicle, so hard and violent, in fact, that the taillight broke off in pieces. It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control. The ICE Officer was calm and cool, not an easy thing to be under those circumstances!”
Some businesses that closed for Minnesota strike won’t for national one
A nationwide strike is planned for Friday to stand with immigrant communities and protest ICE activity, but some Minnesota businesses may not be as involved this time around.
Minnesota showed up for a massive anti-ICE protest last week. Thousands took to the streets and an estimated more than 300 businesses closed.
Some, however, say another shutdown is not possible.
“This has been not just my reality, but this has been my worst nightmare,” said Daniel Hernandez, the owner of Colonial Market.
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Report: Memo orders ICE agents not to engage with protesters
After weeks of chaotic clashes, a top Immigration and Customs Enforcement official has reportedly sent a memo ordering agents not to engage with protesters.
Thursday morning, Border Czar Tom Homan discussed the ongoing crisis between ICE and protesters, saying the agency is working to alter how it operates.
“I do not want to hear that everything’s been done here has been perfect. Nothing’s ever perfect. Anything can be improved on. And what we’ve been working on is making this operation safer, more efficient by the book,” Homan said.
Reuters reports one of those changes is a memo headlined “DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS.”
“It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation. No one is going to convince the other. The only communication should be the officers issuing commands,” the memo reportedly reads.
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