Prof. Linus Chan Quoted in Sahan Journal About Multiagency Federal Sting on Lake Street

Professor Linus Chan, James H. Binger Clinical Professor of Law, was quoted in the Sahan Journal about the federal sting that occurred on Lake Street in Minneapolis. Tuesday’s enforcement actions were centered at the Las Cuatro Milpas, a Mexican taqueria, and involved more than 30 armed officers wearing badges from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In response to the action, Mayor Jacob Frey said the action “focused on drug trafficking, money laundering and human trafficking. Regardless, I just want to tell the community our police officers will not work to enforce federal immigration law, we will not be involved in federal immigration actions.” The scope of the action has some questioning the motives of the federal agents with the ACLU calling the event a troubling instance of militarized law enforcement operations intended to intimidate and that it was unlikely that armored vehicles and federal agents with automatic rifles were needed to execute a search warrant at a small business that resulted in no arrests. Prof. Chan said the armored vehicles and the composition of the different federal agencies present at Tuesday’s operation is “not usual” for immigration enforcement action involving multiple people. However, he noted that the administration has made immigration enforcement a top priority for all federal enforcement agencies. He said, “It’s very clear that immigration and customs enforcement was involved in whatever that action.” He said that because of the armored vehicles and high number of armed officers causing a disruptive scene in the surrounding area, “I don’t think what happened [Tuesday] would be something that a rational administration would want to happen. On the other hand, this administration seems to value fear, and so if that is what they wanted to do, then that’s what they’ll get.”