“We’re going to live up to those values.” Obama sides with protesters as Minnesota becomes flashpoint in immigration fight.
Former President Barack Obama publicly expressed support for anti-immigration enforcement demonstrators in Minneapolis, criticizing what he described as aggressive tactics by federal agents during recent operations.
Speaking about ongoing protests in the Twin Cities, Obama said the American public is ultimately responsible for holding government accountable. “The answer is going to come from the American people,” he said. “We just saw this in Minnesota, in Minneapolis.”
He described federal actions carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis and St. Paul as “unprecedented,” alleging that agents were deployed without clear guidelines and engaged in tactics that included pulling people from their homes and dispersing crowds with tear gas.
The protests intensified following the fatal shootings of two Minnesota residents during encounters with federal agents. After the incidents, Tom Homan, the administration’s border enforcement chief, said federal immigration operations in the state would be scaled back.
Obama suggested that the shift demonstrated the impact of public pressure. “Right now, we’re being tested,” he said. “What we saw in Minneapolis and St. Paul … has been the American people saying no.”
In a joint statement last month, Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama described one of the deaths as “a heartbreaking tragedy” and called for federal law enforcement to operate in a lawful and accountable manner. They argued that certain enforcement tactics appeared designed to intimidate residents.
The remarks add the former president’s voice to a growing national debate over immigration enforcement practices, as protests continue in Minnesota and other cities.
