ICE Can’t Even Clear First Step of Arresting Minnesota Protesters
Federal judges in Minnesota are rejecting arrest warrants for some anti-ICE protesters because federal authorities haven’t actually substantiated claims that protesters broke the law.
Federal immigration agents repeatedly failed to provide sufficient evidence that protesters had committed crimes, such as assault, when trying to obtain arrest warrants, said two people briefed on the discussions about the sealed court proceedings. MS NOW Friday.
In order to obtain an arrest warrant, a federal agent simply has to demonstrate that it is fairly likely that the suspect engaged in criminal activity — but apparently, they don’t even do that.
For example, U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Micko vacated a charge on an arrest warrant for Chauntyll Allen, one of the protesters arrested at a rally. Anti-ICE protest during services at Minnesota church Sunday. The warrant initially alleged that Allen had physically obstructed entry to a place of religious worship, hindering the religious freedom of the faithful. Jonah Kaplan of CBS News Minnesota reported that Micko had struck this charge from the arrest warrant, noting that there was “no probable cause.”
The other charge on the warrant alleged that Allen had committed conspiracy against rightsaccusing her and her fellow protesters of intending to harm, threaten or intimidate someone exercising their right to religion.
Micko also rejected the arrest warrant for journalist Don Lemon.
Customs and Border Protection Commander Greg Bovino said his agents were “working very hard with the Department of Justice” to obtain arrest warrants, even working “multiple days” to obtain a warrant for a person. Of course, Bovino is probably best known for his “outright lies” about protesters se.
