Hennepin County prosecutors have launched a broad investigation into more than a dozen cases involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, including a high-ranking official of the U.S. Border Patrol, Gregory Bovino, to determine whether any laws were violated.
In a statement released Monday, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced the launch of the “Transparency and Accountability Project,” a group of prosecutors and a civilian investigator tasked with examining the evidence provided by the public through a portal set up by the office. Currently, the office is investigating 17 cases of alleged misconduct by immigration agents, including an incident near Mueller Park involving Gregory Kent Bovino on Jan. 21.
As part of the effort, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has also launched a new portal where people can report cases of alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents, including photos, videos, and descriptions of the incident they believe involved the federal agents’ misconduct. In the statement, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office also announced the closure of the previous portal, which was part of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
County Attorney Mary Moriarty assured the public of the office’s commitment to pursuing the cases, stating, “We will pursue the cases for which we have sufficient evidence, and we will work with local law enforcement agencies if necessary,” but also acknowledged that the cases involving federal agents might be more complicated, which could prolong the process of charging them.
This comes after a series of protests and clashes between police and demonstrators against Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement effort launched in Minneapolis and St. Paul, which critics say has caused widespread harm, even as the federal government claims the effort targeted the “worst of the worst” undocumented immigrants.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defended the actions of the immigration agents during the incident near Mueller Park on Jan. 21, stating the agents were “harassed by hostile crowds” during the targeted enforcement operation, as reported by CNN.
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