ST. PAUL, Minn.—The Teachers/AFT and the Minnesota AFL-CIO slammed a grand jury indictment of 15 Minnesotans for opposing the GOP Donald Trump regime’s “Operation Metro Surge” targeting immigrants in the Twin Cities.
Daniel Rosen, Trump’s U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, told reporters on June 16 that the 15, whom he characterized as members of “antifa,” were “charged not for what they said but what they did” in protesting the mass roundups by ICE and Border Patrol agents.
Teachers/AFT President Randi Weingarten, a New York City civics teacher who also holds a law degree, virtually called that statement a lie, though she didn’t use that exact word.
The top count provides details of what it calls “a conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers carrying out their duties” i.e. the immigration roundups. No officers were injured and few were impeded, the details in the 94-page indictment show.
Other counts charge the protesters, who tried to block ICE agents from jailing people in the federal Whipple Building, with posting inflammatory videos on Instagram, following an agent from the building to his home in Hudson, Wis., kicking and denting an ICE car, side-swiping another agent’s vehicle on the road, and knocking a third agent’s notes out of his hand.
The indictment shows agents infiltrated the protest organizations. It has multiple references to “unindicted co-conspirators.”
And in one planning meeting the indictment directly quotes one defendant, Isaac (Ike) Sant, as saying “we cannot actually avoid infiltration, especially by the federal government” but should counter it with Internet-based thorough background checks “which would actually catch some spooks/infiltrators.”
Twelve of the 15 defendants were arrested the day of the indictments and another is in custody, Rosen told reporters.
Weingarten also again condemned the U.S. Attorney for not acting against agents who murdered observers Renee Good and Alex Pretti, a Veterans Administration nurse and AFGE member.
Her statement added one of the 15 defendants is a union member and another is an educator, but she did not identify them and the indictment did not list occupations or affiliations, except with the loosely organized groups whom Rosen alleged planned the opposition.
“Freedom of speech and the right to peacefully protest are cornerstones of American society. These rights are not privileges bestowed by those in power. They are fundamental freedoms etched into our Constitution that allow people to challenge injustice, hold their leaders accountable and make their voices heard,” she said.
“Today, the Trump administration is trying to criminalize those who speak up for their neighbors—trashing civil liberties, transparency, and accountability—and then pepper-spraying those who dare to call them out.”
“And while it hands out paper-thin indictments to protesters, it has failed to indict or even investigate the ICE agents who murdered Renée Good and Alex Pretti in cold blood.”
“Minnesotans have proven they are resilient in the face of adversity. They stand in solidarity and provide mutual aid and compassion because they cherish an America where people can organize and advocate for change without fear of retribution.”
“We stand with them in this tumultuous moment and will continue to remain vigilant in defending our 250-year-old freedoms—not just for one group or one cause, but for all.”
Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham also hit hard on the failure to indict or arrest the murderers of Good and Pretti. Local prosecutors have concluded both cases are homicides.
“Instead of holding federal agents accountable for shooting and killing Renée Good and our union brother Alex Pretti, the Trump administration continues to weaponize the Justice Department to settle political scores and intimidate American citizens for being good neighbors and exercising their constitutional rights.”
“Any charges should be based on credible evidence and established facts, not speculation or political pressure from the White House.”
“This past winter, the Trump administration tried to break Minnesotans’ solidarity and basic sense of decency by flooding our state with armed agents. They failed. Now they are trying to break us in the courtroom. They will fail again.”
At its convention just days before in Minneapolis, the AFL-CIO gave Minnesotan unionists in general the federation’s George Meany/Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award for their resistance to ICE.
Gov. Tim Walz, DFL-Minn., a member of Education Minnesota, the state’s joint Teacher-National Education Association affiliate, had no immediate comment.
But on June 1, he unveiled a truth commission, headed by a retired state judge and including representatives from the state ACLU, to investigate all of the activities of Operation Metro Surge.
Overall, Operation Surge agents arrested some 3,500 people and deported about 40%, the Minnesota Reformer reported. Most were sent to an El Paso, Texas “detention center,” then to Mexico and Ecuador.
Five of the defendants appeared in court on June 16 in a jammed courtroom. One asked why they were being indicted for holding meetings to plan their protests. The answer was that the meetings showed their conspiracy.
Outside the federal courthouse in St. Paul, Minnesota Public Radio reported, federal agents clashed with peaceful protesters, who tried to hold a courthouse door open so more people could enter. The agents hit the protesters with pepper gas and aerosol grenades.
The indictment is only the first step in the case, and Minnesota Public Radio pointed out that in past cases against Metro Surge protesters, it was the last. Of 36 people previously indicted on similar charges, 18 cases have been dismissed and charges were dropped against 11 others. One judge in those cases cited “thin evidence.” Given that track record, reporters questioned Rosen about the validity of the latest indictments. “You watch how it plays out,” he replied. “We’ll let the indictment stand on its own.”
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