Minnesota Could Prosecute the ICE Shooter. Trump Can’t Pardon Him.
slate.com
Shortly after an ICE officer shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, city leaders began looking into whether the officer had violated state criminal law.

Shortly after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday, city leaders began looking into whether the officer had violated state criminal law.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said, “We collectively are going to do everything possible to get to the bottom of this, to get justice, and to make sure that there is an investigation that is conducted in full.” Police Chief Brian O’Hara followed up by saying that the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is “investigat[ing] whether any state laws within the state of Minnesota have been violated.”

If they conclude that state law has been violated, the question is: What next? Contrary to recent assertions from some federal officials, states can prosecute federal officers for violating state criminal laws, and there is precedent for that.

  • Carmakazi@piefed.socialEnglish
    76·
    7 days ago

    Even in the bizarro world where an arrest warrant or indictment is issued, ICE will close ranks around their brother who just got a notch on his belt. No state cops are gonna slug it out with the feds to make that arrest.

    • mushroommunk@lemmy.today
      64·
      7 days ago

      Although you’re probably right, part of me really hopes that’s why Walz put the national guard on standby

      • Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        53·
        7 days ago

        That’s the stated reason that Walz put the national guard on standby. He said he put them on standby and that he wants ice out of our state; the implication there being that ice can leave on their own or be escorted out. He’s not running for reelection so he has no reason to hold back anymore. I have never seen him quite that clipped in a press release before. He is furious. We may have ice being forcibly deported by the MN national guard shortly here and that is going to get very interesting in a lot of ways

        • Zamboni_Driver@lemmy.caEnglish
          201·
          7 days ago

          I watched his speech and he doesn’t actually say that he is putting them on standby to defend against ICE. Reading between the lines, he seems to be putting them on standby to be ready to quell protest so that Trump can’t use the protests as an excuse to put federal troops in the area.

          • Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
            22·
            7 days ago

            What I got from the speech is the following in fairly quick sucession.

            1. We won’t have minnesotans fighting minnesotans.
            2. The minnesota national guard are minnesotans; they are your friends and neighbors.
            3. The minnesota national guard has been put on standby.
            4. Ice is not wanted in minnesota and they need to leave.

            The fact that points 1 and 2 were said right next to each other says to me at least that the national guard isn’t there for the protesters.

            • Zamboni_Driver@lemmy.caEnglish
              4·
              7 days ago

              What made me think that is that he rattles off a whole list of state agencies that were being activated to deal with the incident, and then his next words are we do not need help from the federal government.

              Quell the protest was probably the wrong wording. But I think that the national guard is being used to ensure that the protests are controlled and don’t escalate or turn to violence which would give the federal government an excuse to send troops…

              • Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
                4·
                7 days ago

                A lot of those same agencies are also the same agencies you’d activate if you were getting ready to boot out ice too though. I guess only time will tell exactly what is going to happen. But Walz did seem like he regretted and learned from his response to the George Floyd protests. It seems likely to me that he may swing the other way this time.

              • GreyEyedGhost@piefed.caEnglish
                1·
                6 days ago

                …and then his next words are we do not need help from the federal government.

                And what are ICE agents? I haven’t seen the interview, and your interpretation could well be correct, but it could as easily be, “We’ve had enough of federal agents entering our state and arresting and killing our citizens without warrants or due process.” Frankly, no state needs that kind of help. We will see.

        • 14th_cylon@lemmy.zip
          18·
          7 days ago

          He’s not running for reelection so he has no reason to hold back anymore.

          i am not even an american, but i’d really like to live in a world where running for reelection would be the reason not to hold back.

          • Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
            12·
            7 days ago

            Yeah, running for office they need to seem bland enough to appeal to the most people. It’s kind of a shitty system when you only see their true colors after they are done campaigning. Although, Walz at least has always been pretty transparent in that regard. He’s always just been a small town highschool coach. He’s not a political creature.

            I wish we could keep him in office. But in a way I am also glad he’s getting out of politics because especially these past several years it has been clear how hard the job is on him. Him getting out of politics is going to be bad for us but good for him because he is a good person. Asking him to run again would feel like kicking a puppy. He’s the only politician where I’ve ever felt like I needed to apologize to them for voting for them.

        • vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works
          6·
          7 days ago

          Hey just gonna point out that the civil war nearly started some years early due to slave hunters kidnapping folks in Northern states. The only reason that didn’t happen was largely due to luck and folks taking matters into their own hands to off slave hunters. I say this to make the point that this whole situation with ICE ain’t that far off.