Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has criticized federal immigration enforcement tactics following a chaotic incident in the city this week, during which a woman was dragged through a snowy street as tensions flared between officers, federal agents, and bystanders. Speaking to a local CBS News affiliate, O’Hara said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents appeared to make little effort to de-escalate the situation, even as crowds shouted at officers and threw snowballs. Video footage showed a federal officer drawing and waving a firearm at the crowd during the confrontation.
O’Hara said the incident highlighted a stark contrast between Minneapolis police training and federal enforcement methods. “We have been training our officers for the last five years very, very intensely on de-escalation, but unfortunately that is often not what we are seeing from other agencies in the city,” he said. The episode comes amid increased immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has recently drawn scrutiny after Trump made derogatory remarks about Somali immigrants and called for deportations following fraud-related charges involving dozens of people.
Democratic leaders in Minnesota have condemned the federal push, with O’Hara warning that ICE tactics — including the use of masks and unmarked clothing — are stoking fear in immigrant communities. ICE said in a statement that two U.S. citizens were arrested for assaulting federal officers during the incident. O’Hara said Minneapolis police officers determined the scene was secure upon arrival and disengaged once it was clear there was no ongoing violence.
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