Tricia McLaughlin Defends ICE’s Visible Presence |
There is still chaos surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, and nowhere is the anger more palpable than in cities like Minneapolis. Protesters insist they are exercising their rights, even as some cross legal lines.
The distinction matters. Observing ICE is lawful. Obstructing ICE is not. And when citizens interfere with a federal operation, they risk serious consequences under federal law.
According to The Washington Post, “The fatal shooting of Renee Good last week, as ICE officers and residents faced off on a residential street here, has brought new attention to these activities. … Federal court rulings say citizens can observe and record police activity in public areas as part of their First Amendment rights, and many of the observers are doing nothing more than that.
“They say that they believe authorities are less likely to use force if someone is recording and that they are providing a public service by letting their communities know when federal immigration officers are nearby.
“But as officers and agents employ aggressive tactics, some activists have blown whistles to warn community members of approaching law enforcement, tried to follow immigration enforcement vehicles or used their own cars to block the roadways—entering murkier legal territory.
“Some legal experts said such behavior could in theory justify obstruction-of-justice charges, but they added that any such prosecution would be unusual.”
Against that backdrop, I spoke with Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the