Minneapolis leaders said Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE officer last week, was a legal observer of immigration enforcement. Around the country, volunteer observers go to public spaces where immigration enforcement is happening to record and document it — even as instances of aggressive responses from agents continue.
Dugan Meyer, a volunteer observer with Tucson’s Rapid Response group, says the local group has documented instances of excessive aggression.
“Observers, in particular, have been followed in their vehicles after we leave incidents where we were observing legally,” he said. “We have had ICE vehicles driven past observers, who are standing on neighborhood streets, at a very high speed, which is a jarring experience … clearly is an act of aggression meant to intimidate us.”
Meyer says the group has also seen federal law enforcement spray observers with chemical irritants and aggressively arrest people who are not observers. Meyer points out that the observers were not arrested, saying they are within their constitutional rights.
“Everyone is, I think, concerned a bit about their personal safety because we do face that type of threat, and the killing in Minneapolis is a reminder of that,” he said. “But nothing has really changed about why we do what we do.”
Meyer says observers like himself remain committed to supporting community members who may be affected by immigration enforcement.
“If anything, I think more and more people recognize what's at stake and are looking to join us in that,” he said.
Arizona AG tells community: Report ICE abuses
Attorney General Kris Mayes is asking people to report to her office any abuses by federal immigration authorities, following shootings last week in Minneapolis and Portland, including the killing of Good.
On social media, Friday, Mayes said there have been escalations of violence by immigration authorities, and she expected all federal agents operating in Arizona to “respect the law,” not to mask, to de-escalate violence when possible, and to stay out of schools, hospitals and churches.
She also said state and local law enforcement investigations are not being supported by the federal government and called it absurd to send federal agents to other states for what she called political stunts rather than pursuing felony crimes in their home states. Federal agents often operate in their home state.
PBS reported that the state of Minnesota as well as the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are suing the federal government, following Good’s killing, to stop the surge of ICE agents in their area.
Mayes asked that people immediately report any ICE abuses in Arizona to www.azag.gov/contact-us.
City of Tucson affirms people’s right to document public enforcement actions
The City of Tucson has created a web page to help people stay informed about federal immigration enforcement.
Tucson’s new “Know Your Rights Resources” page includes information on people’s rights, legal help, local immigration advocates, guides for workers and employers, and family preparedness plans.
The city also said they developed a protocol in case the president sends the National Guard without being requested by the local authorities, and that they’re prepared to file legal challenges over any improper troop deployment or activity.
A press release said the city does not condone the behavior shown by ICE agents, including wearing masks and actions that intimidate and confuse the public, and affirmed that people have a constitutional right to safely film and document public enforcement actions.
The city said if federal deployments occur, they will put updated information on their X and Facebook accounts.
