Border czar Tom Homan has said he'll eventually reduce the number of federal immigration officers in the state from 2,000 to about 150, but he says that depends on whether members of the public stop what he describes as interfering with agents work. Homan did not define what actions he views as interfering. But MPR News has reported, federal agents regularly tell people who are recording or objecting to their activities to stop impeding them.
Homan said in the past month, at least 158 of these interactions have led to arrests. 85 people have been charged in federal court.
Minneapolis attorney Bruce Nestor is representing several people accused of impeding or assaulting ICE or Border Patrol officers. He says citizens are being charged with felonies and are being forced to turn themselves in, give DNA samples and attend hearings.
“Yet what we've seen in the past few days is that all of these charges are now being reduced to misdemeanors by the prosecutors by the United States Attorney's Office,” said Nestor.
Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke to University of St. Thomas law professor Rachel Moran about what the law says about impeding federal officers.