Units from various agencies and levels of government are deployed to Minnesota, following the uprisings against the Trump administration’s anti-immigration measures and the shootings that left Renée Good and Alex Pretti dead. Deciphering the forces present with Rachel Moran, professor of law at St. Thomas University, in Minneapolis.
Published at
What are the different police forces in the United States?
Police forces in the United States consist of three main orders: local, state, and federal.
Federal agents report to agencies, themselves headed by departments, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice.
“But the vast majority of law enforcement operations are carried out by local police,” emphasizes Rachel Moran.
What is the difference between ICE and the US Border Patrol?
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the United States Border Patrol (or US Border Patrol) are two agencies that report to DHS.
ICE was created in 2003, after the September 11 attacks. In the process, the US Border Patrol, which had already existed since 1924, was integrated into a larger agency, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which reports to the DHS.
PHOTO KEREM YUCEL, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
ICE agents do not have a standard uniform. They often combine military-style clothing with body armor and everyday clothing. They often also wear a face covering. They were involved in the death of Renée Good.
Both ICE and the US Border Patrol have the authority to conduct immigration-related operations. ICE conducts operations throughout the United States, while the US Border Patrol usually operates near the border. US Border Patrol agents control entries and exits from the country and ensure that no one crosses the border illegally. However, they have also been deployed more recently in many cities to lead the campaign of repression of migrants desired by the Trump administration.
In theory, “federal agents have more limited powers than local police,” explains Rachel Moran. But in recent weeks, they have made mass, violent and arbitrary arrests in Minnesota, breaking into people’s homes without a warrant from a judge. Minnesota, Minneapolis, along with its sister city, St. Paul, have taken legal action in federal court to prevent what they call a “federal invasion” by the Department of Homeland Security.
How are federal agents recruited?
Over the past year, the Trump administration has rapidly expanded ICE and the Border Patrol. Congress allocated a staggering budget of $75 billion to ICE over four years, or $18.8 billion per year, almost double its budget under the Biden administration.
Many Homeland Security recruiting ads also ran, using military-style imagery, such as agents wearing tactical gear and driving combat vehicles. They call immigration an “invasion” and immigrants “enemies.”
“Their training period was also shortened,” emphasizes Rachel Moran. And we ask for a very low level of qualifications. »
In December, the Department of Homeland Security announced it had received more than 220,0000 applications and hired nearly 12,000 new ICE agents.
What about the National Guard?
The National Guard is made up of military reservists.
“Each state has a unit and the governor can decide to deploy it to support local police,” says Rachel Moran, for example during a natural disaster.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz authorized the deployment of the National Guard to maintain order at large gatherings following the death of Alex Pretti.
In the event of an insurrection, relying on theInsurrection Actthe American president can also mobilize the National Guard, as well as the American armed forces, even without the agreement of the local governor, to bring peace. This is also what Donald Trump has threatened to do on several occasions.
How to differentiate federal agents from National Guard troops?
ICE does not have a standard uniform per se. Its agents often combine military-style clothing with body armor and everyday clothing. They often also wear a face covering. “That’s a new element,” says Rachel Moran. In this way, the agents want to “protect their identity” during the operations they carry out, she explains.
National Guardsmen typically wear camouflage, tactical gear, and body armor similar to military uniforms, which can look very similar to ICE agent outfits. At the time of their mobilization in Minnesota, the National Guards also began to wear yellow vests to differentiate themselves from federal agents.
PHOTO ADAM GRAY, ASSOCIATED PRESS
In Minnesota, National Guardsmen began wearing yellow vests (our photo) to differentiate themselves from federal agents from ICE and the US Border Patrol.
Who is investigating who following the shootings?
Renée Good was killed by an ICE agent, while Alex Pretti was killed by a US Border Patrol agent.
The Department of Homeland Security announced it was investigating the two shootings.
Local and Minnesota police have also indicated they want to investigate to shed light on these events. But they complained that federal agents were obstructive, preventing them from accessing the crime scenes.
They also asked a judge Monday to force federal agencies to cooperate with them over Pretti’s death. In an order, the judge had already prohibited the agencies “from destroying or altering” any evidence related to this shooting.
The FBI opened an investigation after the death of Renée Good, before quickly closing it, leading to resignations within this agency reporting to the Department of Justice.
With the Washington PostTHE New York Times and Associated Press
