Law enforcement leaders across the Twin Cities say they have received a surge of civil rights complaints over the past two weeks involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents allegedly stopping people based on the color of their skin — including off-duty police officers.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley joined several regional law enforcement leaders in calling for greater oversight of ICE operations amid an expanded federal immigration crackdown.
Tensions in Minneapolis escalated following the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen who was fatally shot by an ICE agent. The incident sparked protests locally and nationwide.
Bruley opened his remarks by stating that neither he nor the other officials present were calling for the abolition of ICE.
“Immigration enforcement is necessary for our national security and for local security,” Bruley said. “But how it’s done is extremely important.”
He said local agencies have historically worked well with federal partners, including ICE, but noted a troubling change in recent weeks.
“We, as a law enforcement community, have been receiving endless complaints about civil rights violations in our streets from U.S. citizens,” Bruley said. He alleged that individuals were being stopped without cause and asked to produce immigration paperwork — despite being U.S. citizens.
Bruley said that those stopped were all people of color and that several off-duty police officers were among those targeted.
In one incident, Bruley said an off-duty Brooklyn Park officer was boxed in by ICE agents while driving. The agents allegedly demanded immigration documents, even though she is a U.S. citizen.
When the woman attempted to record the encounter on her phone, Bruley said the device was knocked from her hand. He added that agents had their guns drawn during the interaction. After the woman identified herself as a police officer, the agents left.
“I wish I could tell you this was an isolated incident,” Bruley said. “It’s not.”
He emphasized that the concern extends far beyond officers.
“If it is happening to our officers, it pains me to think of how many of our community members are falling victim to this every day,” he said. “It has to stop.”
Bruley warned that such conduct erodes trust that local police departments have worked for decades to build, particularly following the unrest that followed the 2020 killing of George Floyd.
He said he believes a small number of ICE agents may be responsible but called for stronger oversight to prevent further violations.
St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said city employees have reported similar encounters, though he noted firearms were not drawn in those cases.
“Law enforcement has more authority than a general citizen,” Henry said. “That means we have more responsibility in how we behave.”
He added that any system allowing U.S. citizens to be stopped or detained unlawfully is “clearly failing.”
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt echoed those concerns, speaking personally about the impact of racial profiling.
“I know what it’s like to be stereotyped, judged and profiled,” Witt said. “I am seeing and hearing about people in Hennepin County being stopped, questioned and harassed solely because of the color of their skin.”
She warned that discrimination is now spilling into law enforcement itself.
ICE has not yet publicly responded to the allegations.