Protesters in Minnesota and Illinois have used snowballs to resist federal immigration agents carrying out arrests, with videos showing confrontations in Minneapolis and Elgin. The incidents come as the Trump administration intensifies its immigration enforcement operations across the country.
In Minneapolis on Monday, agents were filmed attempting to arrest a woman while holding her in a snowbank. Bystanders shouted at the agents to release her, and some began throwing snow, according to footage published by Minnesota Public Radio. An agent was seen holding a Taser and pointing a weapon at the crowd, while another used an orange spray on protesters. One witness told the Associated Press that the snowballs were thrown only after agents began dragging the woman by her wrist.
Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara criticised the tactics used by federal agents, stating that his officers de-escalated the situation after determining it was safe. He noted that his force has trained intensively on de-escalation for five years, but that other agencies often do not display the same approach. Federal agents had called local police, claiming they were under attack.
In Elgin, Illinois, protesters threw snow at agents during a confrontation over a man's detention. Local media reported that agents responded with teargas and pepper munitions. The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota has sued the Department of Homeland Security, alleging violations of rights of those observing and protesting ICE actions.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson commented: 'ICE stays frosty … but rioters should be aware, assaulting an officer is a federal crime.' According to CBS, agents arrested US citizens in connection with the incidents, and DHS said that throwing snow and objects caused injuries including cuts. Criminal defence attorney Joe Tamburino warned that throwing snowballs could constitute assault if intent to harm is proven, and that targeting federal agents could lead to federal felony charges with severe penalties.
