Stay informed with “First Look,” a daily email from OPB, delivering the most crucial news and cultural highlights from the Pacific Northwest directly to your inbox. This convenient service ensures readers receive a curated selection of essential stories. By subscribing, individuals can easily stay updated on the region’s top events and developments. Don’t miss out; sign up now to receive your daily dose of Northwest news.
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Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner pledged to protect residents’ Constitutional rights from federal agents, promising accountability for any violations, even if it meant waiting for a change in administration. He announced a national coalition of prosecutors, including officials from Minneapolis, Austin, Dallas, Tucson, Fairfax County, Arlington County/Falls Church, Portsmouth County, and Norfolk, to combat federal overreach. Krasner asserted local prosecutors’ authority to bring state criminal charges against federal officials, emphasizing that any convictions would be beyond the reach of a presidential pardon. The coalition aims to address potential violations and ensure justice is served, highlighting the importance of upholding the Constitution and the law.
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The article examines the relationship between ICE’s actions and the Third Amendment, which prohibits the government from forcing citizens to house soldiers. The author argues that ICE functions as a paramilitary force, conducting raids and relying on private businesses like hotels for logistical support, particularly lodging agents. They suggest that hotels providing housing for ICE agents are effectively providing infrastructure for an enforcement regime, and therefore, it is relevant to question if this violates the Third Amendment’s intent. The article concludes that private businesses should not be obligated to support state violence and that the government’s outrage at a hotel’s refusal to house ICE agents highlights the erosion of constitutional boundaries regarding government overreach.
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In a Sunday interview, Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino controversially claimed his agents, not the deceased protestor Alex Pretti, were the victims of the fatal shooting. Pretti, who was legally carrying a firearm, was shot by agents after an altercation during which he was sprayed with a chemical irritant and wrestled to the ground. Bovino asserted that Pretti forfeited his Second Amendment rights through his actions, which contradicted video evidence. These assertions were echoed by other Trump cabinet members on Sunday news programs, with officials inaccurately claiming that firearms are not permitted at protests.
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A federal judge in Minnesota ruled that ICE agents violated the Fourth Amendment by entering a man’s home without a judicial warrant. The agents’ actions mirrored an undisclosed ICE directive permitting entry with only an administrative warrant, a practice deemed unconstitutional by the court. The ruling came after agents forcibly entered Garrison Gibson’s home, despite his refusal to open the door without a judge-signed warrant and the presence of children inside. Following his release, Gibson was re-arrested by ICE, highlighting the agency’s continued detention authority even after a court finding of constitutional violation.
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An internal memo from ICE suggests that the agency is allowing agents to enter private residences without a judicial warrant, consent, or an emergency, which could violate the Fourth Amendment. The memo, which has not been formally distributed to all personnel, claims that administrative warrants drafted by ICE officials are sufficient for home entries. Critics, including lawyers and lawmakers, have argued that this policy is unconstitutional and a dangerous overreach of government power. Several officials, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, have called for investigations and hearings into the matter.
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Lawyers allege that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is actively preventing detainees in Minnesota from accessing legal counsel. This situation, according to several attorneys, represents a blatant disregard for the detainees’ constitutional rights. The concerns center around the core principles enshrined in the Fifth and Sixth Amendments, specifically the right to due process and the right to legal representation.
The attorneys paint a picture of deliberate obstruction. One lawyer, recounting their experience, described being physically barred from seeing their client for hours. Repeated attempts to gain access were met with a consistent denial, with ICE agents citing an inability to accommodate attorney visits.… Continue reading
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Trump administration by the ACLU of Minnesota and other law firms, alleging unlawful arrests by ICE and CBP agents. The lawsuit focuses on the impact of Operation Metro Surge, which has led to increased ICE presence and targeted Somali and Latino communities. The plaintiffs claim that federal agents have violated constitutional rights through racial profiling and unlawful seizures, citing instances of individuals being detained without warrants or verification of immigration status. The ACLU asserts that these practices are both illegal and morally reprehensible.
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In a recent case, Judge Amul Thapar argued that the First Amendment’s protection of free speech may not definitively apply to non-citizens within the United States. This assertion contradicts the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bridges v. Wilson (1945), which explicitly recognized free speech rights for resident aliens. Thapar’s historical argument, citing the Alien and Sedition Acts, is also flawed as these acts were widely criticized and deemed unconstitutional due to their infringement on speech, and were meant to apply to both citizens and non-citizens. Furthermore, restricting the speech of non-citizens would inevitably harm the free speech rights of citizens who wish to hear from them.
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Recent reports detail the detention of U.S. citizens by federal law enforcement agencies who lack proof of citizenship, a practice decried by civil rights advocates as a violation of constitutional rights. One such incident involved a Somali-born Minnesota man who was tackled and arrested despite presenting his REAL ID. This action is allegedly sanctioned by the Trump administration, with a top official falsely suggesting citizens must carry immigration documents. Critics point out that U.S. law does not require citizens to carry such documents.
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Federal Officers Use Crowd Control Munitions on Portland ICE Protestors
Stay informed with “First Look,” a daily email from OPB, delivering the most crucial news and cultural highlights from the Pacific Northwest directly to your inbox. This convenient service ensures readers receive a curated selection of essential stories. By subscribing, individuals can easily stay updated on the region’s top events and developments. Don’t miss out; sign up now to receive your daily dose of Northwest news.
Read More
Philly DA Joins Coalition to Prosecute Illegal Actions by ICE Agents
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner pledged to protect residents’ Constitutional rights from federal agents, promising accountability for any violations, even if it meant waiting for a change in administration. He announced a national coalition of prosecutors, including officials from Minneapolis, Austin, Dallas, Tucson, Fairfax County, Arlington County/Falls Church, Portsmouth County, and Norfolk, to combat federal overreach. Krasner asserted local prosecutors’ authority to bring state criminal charges against federal officials, emphasizing that any convictions would be beyond the reach of a presidential pardon. The coalition aims to address potential violations and ensure justice is served, highlighting the importance of upholding the Constitution and the law.
Read More
Hotels Housing ICE Agents: Ethics, Amendments, and Boycott Concerns
The article examines the relationship between ICE’s actions and the Third Amendment, which prohibits the government from forcing citizens to house soldiers. The author argues that ICE functions as a paramilitary force, conducting raids and relying on private businesses like hotels for logistical support, particularly lodging agents. They suggest that hotels providing housing for ICE agents are effectively providing infrastructure for an enforcement regime, and therefore, it is relevant to question if this violates the Third Amendment’s intent. The article concludes that private businesses should not be obligated to support state violence and that the government’s outrage at a hotel’s refusal to house ICE agents highlights the erosion of constitutional boundaries regarding government overreach.
Read More
Bovino: Pretti Forfeited 2nd Amendment Rights in Fatal Shooting, Critics Say
In a Sunday interview, Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino controversially claimed his agents, not the deceased protestor Alex Pretti, were the victims of the fatal shooting. Pretti, who was legally carrying a firearm, was shot by agents after an altercation during which he was sprayed with a chemical irritant and wrestled to the ground. Bovino asserted that Pretti forfeited his Second Amendment rights through his actions, which contradicted video evidence. These assertions were echoed by other Trump cabinet members on Sunday news programs, with officials inaccurately claiming that firearms are not permitted at protests.
Read More
US Judge: ICE Raids Require Warrants, Contradicting Agency Memo
A federal judge in Minnesota ruled that ICE agents violated the Fourth Amendment by entering a man’s home without a judicial warrant. The agents’ actions mirrored an undisclosed ICE directive permitting entry with only an administrative warrant, a practice deemed unconstitutional by the court. The ruling came after agents forcibly entered Garrison Gibson’s home, despite his refusal to open the door without a judge-signed warrant and the presence of children inside. Following his release, Gibson was re-arrested by ICE, highlighting the agency’s continued detention authority even after a court finding of constitutional violation.
Read More
ICE Memo Claims Home Entry Without Warrants: Fourth Amendment Under Threat
An internal memo from ICE suggests that the agency is allowing agents to enter private residences without a judicial warrant, consent, or an emergency, which could violate the Fourth Amendment. The memo, which has not been formally distributed to all personnel, claims that administrative warrants drafted by ICE officials are sufficient for home entries. Critics, including lawyers and lawmakers, have argued that this policy is unconstitutional and a dangerous overreach of government power. Several officials, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, have called for investigations and hearings into the matter.
Read More
Minnesota Lawyers Allege DHS Denies Counsel to Detainees
Lawyers allege that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is actively preventing detainees in Minnesota from accessing legal counsel. This situation, according to several attorneys, represents a blatant disregard for the detainees’ constitutional rights. The concerns center around the core principles enshrined in the Fifth and Sixth Amendments, specifically the right to due process and the right to legal representation.
The attorneys paint a picture of deliberate obstruction. One lawyer, recounting their experience, described being physically barred from seeing their client for hours. Repeated attempts to gain access were met with a consistent denial, with ICE agents citing an inability to accommodate attorney visits.… Continue reading
ACLU Minnesota Sues Trump Administration Over Constitutional Violations
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Trump administration by the ACLU of Minnesota and other law firms, alleging unlawful arrests by ICE and CBP agents. The lawsuit focuses on the impact of Operation Metro Surge, which has led to increased ICE presence and targeted Somali and Latino communities. The plaintiffs claim that federal agents have violated constitutional rights through racial profiling and unlawful seizures, citing instances of individuals being detained without warrants or verification of immigration status. The ACLU asserts that these practices are both illegal and morally reprehensible.
Read More
First Amendment Rights in the US: Applying to All, Regardless of Citizenship
In a recent case, Judge Amul Thapar argued that the First Amendment’s protection of free speech may not definitively apply to non-citizens within the United States. This assertion contradicts the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bridges v. Wilson (1945), which explicitly recognized free speech rights for resident aliens. Thapar’s historical argument, citing the Alien and Sedition Acts, is also flawed as these acts were widely criticized and deemed unconstitutional due to their infringement on speech, and were meant to apply to both citizens and non-citizens. Furthermore, restricting the speech of non-citizens would inevitably harm the free speech rights of citizens who wish to hear from them.
Read More
Trump Officials Falsely Claim Citizens Must Carry Immigration Papers
Recent reports detail the detention of U.S. citizens by federal law enforcement agencies who lack proof of citizenship, a practice decried by civil rights advocates as a violation of constitutional rights. One such incident involved a Somali-born Minnesota man who was tackled and arrested despite presenting his REAL ID. This action is allegedly sanctioned by the Trump administration, with a top official falsely suggesting citizens must carry immigration documents. Critics point out that U.S. law does not require citizens to carry such documents.
Read More