Minneapolis Police Challenge Vice President's Account of ICE Protest Incident
Vice President JD Vance is facing accusations from Minneapolis law enforcement officials of misrepresenting events surrounding alleged protests against immigration agents. The controversy stems from claims made by Vance following the death of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti on Sunday.
Vance's Controversial Account
Following the tragic incident, Vance took to social media platform X to share what he described as a 'crazy' story involving two off-duty Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol officers. According to the vice president's account, the federal agents were allegedly doxed while heading to dinner in Minneapolis, had their location exposed online, and were subsequently confronted by a mob at a restaurant.
Vance claimed that 'the officers were locked in the restaurant, and local police refused to respond to their pleas for help (as they've been directed by local authorities). Eventually, their fellow federal agents came to their aid.' The vice president reportedly heard this story during his visit to Minneapolis last week during a roundtable discussion with immigration officers.
Police Department's Contradiction
The Minneapolis Police Department has directly contradicted Vance's version of events, according to reports from Politico. A public information officer for the department stated that 'MPD monitored the situation and determined that the federal agents had sufficient resources available to manage the incident.'
Further clarification came from Sergeant Garrett Parten, who explained that records indicate the two agents 'were able to leave the area within approximately 15 minutes of the initial 911 call.' The sergeant added that 'MPD was later notified that one of their vehicles had been left behind. MPD monitored the vehicle until the agents were able to return and recover it.'
Conflicting Reports and Department of Homeland Security Perspective
In response to the police department's statements, the Department of Homeland Security provided Politico with an official report detailing the incident from the perspective of the immigration officers. The DHS document claims that on January 19th, a young adult male wearing a black mask was observed walking around the rental vehicle of the officers at a restaurant in southwest Minneapolis.
According to the federal report, 'the subject accused agents of being ICE personnel, referencing the Ford Expedition as a known ICE vehicle and claiming access to a database of such vehicles.' The document further states that soon afterward, approximately 30 individuals gathered around the area while 'a female subject behind the agents locked the restaurant doors, preventing exit.'
The DHS report maintains that the encounter lasted less than ten minutes and that agents noted local law enforcement did not respond to the situation. A DHS official had previously informed Vance that 30-50 agitators 'locked them inside the restaurant,' referring to the two off-duty officers.
Political Context and Response
This incident occurs against a backdrop of increased demonstrations in Minneapolis following former President Trump's immigration crackdown earlier this month. Vance's story frames immigration agents as victims of law enforcement missteps amid ongoing outrage over the fatal shooting of two Americans in the city.
While Vance's spokesperson declined to comment on the conflicting accounts, DHS officials have maintained that the vice president's statement was accurate. The Minneapolis Police Department's firm denial creates a significant discrepancy between local law enforcement's version of events and the narrative presented by federal officials and the vice president.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between different levels of law enforcement and raises questions about the accuracy of information being circulated at the highest levels of government regarding sensitive immigration-related incidents.
