U.S. News
Federal Agents Detain Citizen During ICE Operation
Clear Facts
- Tom Homan said ICE agents may briefly detain a U.S. citizen with reasonable suspicion during operations.
- ChongLy Thao, a U.S. citizen in Minnesota, was temporarily detained by ICE agents and later released after verifying his identity.
- ICE’s enforcement operation in Minneapolis targeted two illegal immigrants with violent criminal records, sparking protests after a separate shooting incident involving agents.
Tom Homan explained that federal immigration agents can briefly detain U.S. citizens if they have reasonable suspicion during enforcement actions.
He clarified that while questioning or a short detainment requires reasonable suspicion, an arrest needs probable cause.
“ICE can detain a U.S. citizen if they have probable cause or this person may have committed a crime. Detainment, short detainment and questioning, all you need is reasonable suspicion,” Homan told Cain.
“If they’re going to actually arrest a person and charge them, they need probable cause.”
ChongLy Thao, a 56-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, reported that agents briefly detained and restrained him during an operation, then released him once his identity was confirmed.
Homan emphasized that agents were tracking two illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes, including sexual assault of a child and domestic violence.
He described agents going to a Minneapolis house based on information about the suspects’ location, where they encountered Thao, who matched a description but did not cooperate with identity checks.
“This individual who matched the description, but they couldn’t verify his identity because he was uncooperative. He failed to do a fingerprint, a quick fingerprint check. He failed to do facial recognition. So ICE detained him until they found out who he was.”
Tensions in Minneapolis grew after an ICE agent shot one of three men who ambushed him during a traffic stop, coming after a separate fatal shooting involving another agent.
This led to protests and calls for resistance against ICE from city officials and activists, while speculation arose about presidential intervention using the Insurrection Act.
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