Where things stand now
• Officials subpoenaed: Leaders in Minnesota and the Twin Cities have criticized the Justice Department for subpoenaing them as part of an investigation into whether local officials obstructed federal immigration enforcement efforts that have drawn strong backlash.
• Church protest investigated: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said there would be arrests made related to the protests that disrupted a service at a St. Paul church where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent reportedly serves as a pastor. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is investigating. The church said it welcomes “respectful dialogue,” and is evaluating “next steps with our legal counsel.”
• Immigration tensions: Minnesota is the latest epicenter of the Trump administration’s turbocharged, coast-to-coast immigration enforcement crackdown.
Trial to begin for man acccused of putting a bounty on Bovino's head
Opening statements are set to begin today in the trial of a man accused of offering a $10,000 bounty for the life of Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino in Chicago last year.
Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, faces one count of murder-for-hire, according to the Associated Press. He has pleaded not guilty. A jury was selected yesterday.
Federal prosecutors allege Espinoza Martinez sent a Snapchat message in October to other gang members that read, in part: “10k if u take him down,” along with a picture of Bovino. The suspect allegedly offered $2,000 for information about the commander.
A criminal complaint cites an anonymous source who accused Espinoza Martinez of being a “ranking member of the Latin Kings.”
But his family and attorneys say he’s not in a gang. The father of three worked as a carpenter, according to the AP.
Born in Mexico, Espinoza Martinez has lived in the US for more than 30 years. He does not have legal permission to stay in the United States.
If convicted, Espinoza Martinez faces up to 10 years in prison.
Federal agents’ tactics have been scrutinized after operations in Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans, and currently in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Arrests by armed and masked agents have led to protests and intense standoffs in each region.
No one gets to impede law enforcement investigations, FBI director says
FBI Director Kash Patel defended subpoenas sent to several Democratic officials in Minnesota – including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey – as part of a probe into whether they obstructed federal immigration enforcement efforts.
Asked about the probe Tuesday night on Fox News, Patel said he “can’t comment on ongoing investigations.”
“But generally speaking, when you have subpoenas out, it’s not rocket science. Investigations are done by acquiring records. Investigations are then furthered by putting witnesses to the grand jury,” he told Fox’s Sean Hannity.
“No one – elected official, private citizen or otherwise – gets to impede and obstruct a law enforcement investigation,” Patel said.
Protesters confront federal agents, saying race is a factor in who ICE stops
A crowd of anti-ICE protesters in St. Paul confronted several ICE agents’ cars on Tuesday.
Some protesters argued with one agent, who can be seen wearing a mask, about whether race is a factor in recent arrests.
Watch the moment unfold here:
Hennepin County Attorney had this to say about the DOJ subpoenaing the offices of Minnesota officials
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, whose county was subpoenaed in the DOJ’s inquiry into several Minnesota government offices, condemns federal officers’ actions in the state.
Federal officials are targeting those who oppose the immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Here's the latest
Federal officials are amping up pressure on opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities, with several local and state leaders subpoenaed by the Justice Department and the threat of arrest and federal charges looming over some protesters.
The subpoenaed officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have, been vocal critics of the administration’s growing operation.
The subpoenas came as the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is investigating demonstrators who interrupted a church service in St. Paul Sunday, accusing them of “desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”
Here is the latest:
- DHS secretary says arrests coming in church protest: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday night there would be “arrests in the next several hours” related to the protest at the St. Paul church. As of early Wednesday, there was no word of any arrests made.
- Officials respond to subpoenas: Several leaders decried the subpoenas issued by the Department of Justice, with Frey saying it is an attempt “to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs,” and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison calling it “highly irregular.” St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her said she is “unfazed by these tactics.”
- CBP official defends ICE enforcement in the state: Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino, who has led many of the region-specific operations, defended ICE operations in Minnesota, saying the “operations are lawful.” Protest groups and local officials have made a “difficult operating environment” for federal agents, he said, blaming “agitators” for impacting ordinary citizens who are getting swept up in immigration enforcement operations.
- Justice Department moving prosecutors: Top officials at the Justice Department are pushing for a surge of prosecutors to help the US Attorney’s Office in Minnesota with cases during the federal government’s crackdown around immigration-enforcement protests.
What we know about the federal laws that could be used to prosecute Minnesota church protesters
As the Justice Department investigates anti-ICE protesters who disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sunday, it is leaning on two federal laws – one more than 100 years old – to justify potential federal charges.
“Everyone in the protest community needs to know that the fullest force of the federal government is going to come down and prevent this from happening and put people away for a long time,” Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, said on The Benny Show, a podcast by conservative influencer Benny Johnson.
Here’s what we know about the federal statutes Dhillon has cited in reference to the protest investigation:
• The FACE Act: The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act was enacted in 1994 and prohibits the use of force or physical obstruction to intentionally interfere with anyone lawfully exercising their First Amendment right of religious freedom. The statute also protects facilities that provide reproductive health services.
• The Ku Klux Klan Act: First enacted in 1871, the seldom-used KKK Act made it a federal crime to deny any group or person “any of the rights, privileges, or immunities, or protection, named in the Constitution,” according to the Office of the Historian at the US House of Representatives.
Read more about the laws and why context matters in this case here.
