Minnesota attorney general drops BAD NEWS for Trump & ICE
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Minnesota AG Keith Ellison is actively fighting federal obstruction in the investigations of Renee Good and Alex Prey's killings.
- ❖DHS and the Trump administration are refusing to provide evidence or engage in joint investigations, which Ellison calls a 'cover-up.'
- ❖Ellison's office is using court orders and a civil lawsuit based on the Tenth Amendment to compel federal cooperation.
- ❖The AG criticizes the use of masked, unidentified ICE agents, deeming it a tactic of authoritarianism that undermines procedural justice and invites impersonation.
- ❖Ellison suggests ICE functions as a 'paramilitary force' loyal to the President, rather than solely for immigration enforcement, and views federal actions as a 'loyalty test.'
Insights
1Federal Obstruction in State Investigations
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE are actively preventing Minnesota state investigators from accessing evidence and crime scenes related to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Prey. This includes refusing joint investigations, which is standard practice in use-of-force death investigations.
AG Ellison states, 'They have no legitimate basis to state that they're not investigating the death of Renee Good and then refuse us access to the evidence.' He also mentions calling federal officials multiple times without return calls.
2Federal Actions as a 'Cover-Up'
Ellison explicitly labels the federal government's actions—publicly exonerating ICE agents, refusing investigations, and denying state access to evidence—as a 'cover-up.' He challenges federal officials to 'prove me wrong' by opening files and allowing joint investigations.
Ellison states, 'I would say that that is a very reasonable conclusion to come to when you see the president, the vice president, and Christy Gnome all saying... and exonerating the people who shot and killed them... then you preclude the state from having access to certain items of evidence... yeah, I think that amounts to a cover up.'
3ICE as a Paramilitary Force
Ellison posits that ICE's primary role under the Trump administration is not immigration enforcement but rather serving as a 'paramilitary force' or 'Praetorian Guard' loyal to the President. He argues this force can be deployed anywhere, on anyone, without the local accountability mechanisms that govern state and local police.
Ellison states, 'I think that ICE is not really really intended to deal with immigration enforcement. I think their job is bigger than that. I think they are a paramilitary force who operates at the behest of one person and it ain't Greg Bravino. It is Donald J. Trump.'
4Challenge to State Sovereignty via Armed Federal Presence
Minnesota is pursuing a civil lawsuit against ICE and federal officials, arguing under the Tenth Amendment that the federal government cannot commandeer state resources. Ellison questions how the federal government can achieve objectives through flooding a state with '4,000 masked armed men' that it could not achieve through executive order or law.
Ellison explains their lawsuit: 'under the 10th amendment we're a sovereign state. We don't have to do the business of the federal government. They can't commandeer the resources of our state.' He then asks, 'If Trump couldn't do it with a executive order, how could he do it with 4,000 masked armed men?'
Bottom Line
The federal government's strategy of denying evidence and publicly exonerating agents in controversial use-of-force cases creates a 'loyalty test' for supporters, prioritizing political alignment over factual truth and due process.
This approach undermines public trust in justice institutions and sets a dangerous precedent where official narratives can supersede objective investigation, potentially leading to unchecked power and impunity for federal agents.
States and legal advocacy groups can leverage this pattern of behavior to strengthen legal challenges based on constitutional principles, highlighting the erosion of accountability and the need for transparent, joint investigations in all use-of-force incidents involving federal agents.
The masking and non-identification of federal agents (like ICE) are not merely operational tactics but are 'tactics of authoritarianism' that intentionally subvert procedural justice and invite criminal impersonation.
This practice makes it impossible for the public to hold agents accountable, fosters an environment of fear, and creates opportunities for bad actors to pose as law enforcement, further destabilizing public safety and trust.
Advocates for civil liberties and state governments can push for legislation or court mandates requiring clear identification for all law enforcement, including federal agents, when operating within state jurisdictions, to uphold procedural justice and prevent abuse.
Key Concepts
Procedural Justice
The concept that people are more likely to comply with law enforcement if they perceive it as legitimate and fair. This includes officers identifying themselves, showing their faces, and having clear agency insignia. AG Ellison argues that masked, unidentified ICE agents undermine procedural justice and breed suspicion.
Dual Sovereignty
The principle that both the federal government and state governments have sovereign powers. Ellison invokes the Tenth Amendment to argue that the federal government cannot commandeer state resources or dictate state actions, especially by flooding a state with armed federal agents to achieve objectives not obtainable through law or executive order.
Lessons
- Understand that prosecuting complex cases, even with video evidence, requires extensive investigation and is not a simple 'push play and win' scenario, as defense counsels utilize due process to challenge evidence.
- Recognize the importance of state sovereignty and the Tenth Amendment in resisting federal overreach, particularly when federal agencies attempt to operate without local accountability or commandeer state resources.
- Be aware of the implications of masked and unidentified law enforcement agents, as this practice can undermine procedural justice, foster distrust, and create opportunities for abuse or impersonation.
Quotes
"There's no legitimate position that that could justify that that behavior that speaks to cover up."
"I would not agree that it's just some easy thing, easily done, push play button, you win. That's not true."
"I think that amounts to a cover up. And if they don't like me saying cover up, prove me wrong. Open open up the file."
"That is that is horse uh crap. It's just a lie."
"The masking is 180 degrees away from legitimate constitutional law enforcement."
"I think that ICE is not really really intended to deal with immigration enforcement. I think their job is bigger than that. I think they are a paramilitary force who operates at the behest of one person and it ain't Greg Bravino. It is Donald J. Trump."
Q&A
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