WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a woman amid a surge in ICE activity in Minneapolis:
“As I’ve said time and time again, the Trump Administration’s militarized immigration raids are dangerous political theater meant to spread fear and advance an anti-immigrant agenda. And now, a surge in immigration enforcement activity has led to the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis. This loss of life is tragic, heartbreaking, and enraging, but I encourage all protestors to remain peaceful.
“A full investigation must be completed so the truth can be revealed. Video of the incident starkly contradicts DHS’s narrative, and the fact that DHS has jumped to characterize this shooting in ‘self-defense’ is rushed, at best, and a lie, at worst.
“In a November hearing challenging the treatment of press and protestors by federal immigration agents, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis said that their ‘use of force shocks the conscience’ and ‘this conduct shows no sign of stopping.’ And now their use of force has led to another shooting and another death. This must come to an end.”
Last month, Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) referred the unlawful actions of Trump Administration officials and federal law enforcement agents responsible for immigration enforcement to Attorney General Pam Bondi for investigation. Durbin has directed Senate Judiciary Committee minority staff to continue gathering evidence of potential violations of Section 242 and other federal laws, which will be provided to the Justice Department in due course.
In response to the Trump Administration’s surge in federal law enforcement in Chicago and continuous threats to deploy the military in the area, Durbin has taken a number of steps to push back on these unlawful actions carried out by DHS and Secretary Noem under the direction of President Trump. Durbin’s actions to push back on the Trump Administration’s so-called “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago can be found here. Durbin and Duckworth also released a fact sheet debunking DHS misinformation regarding immigration enforcement in Illinois.
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