MINNEAPOLIS — In a harrowing turn of events in Minneapolis, Garrison Gibson, a Liberian man who had maintained regular check-ins with immigration authorities, found himself at the center of an intense immigration enforcement operation. Armed agents utilized a battering ram to enter his home without a legitimate warrant, prompting his attorney, Marc Prokosch, to label the action as a significant constitutional violation.
The recent backdrop includes a city grappling with unrest following a tragic incident last week when an immigration agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good, igniting widespread protests. Prokosch expressed outrage over the nature of Gibson’s arrest: This was an illegal search, absolutely, as the agents only possessed an administrative warrant, not the criminal warrant necessary for forced entry.
Gibson, who fled Liberia's civil war as a child, has a troubled legal background, including a dismissed drug conviction from 2008. He had been living legally in the U.S. under an order of supervision, necessitating regular check-ins with authorities.
In light of this latest incident, activists are rallying against what they describe as an aggressive immigration strategy fueled by the current administration. Demonstrations near Gibson's home featured chants, drum banging, and attempts by the community to disrupt the raid, highlighting the emotional toll on those involved, particularly Gibson's wife and child who were present during the arrest.
Many community members are left questioning the motivations behind these raids, especially in the wake of a fatal shooting involving immigration agents. Local leaders are urging federal authorities to reassess their tactics and consider the wider implications of such violent enforcement methods on historically marginalized communities.
In Minnesota alone, there have been over 2,000 immigration arrests since the commencement of this operation, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirming that additional federal agents will be deployed to further this aggressive strategy.
