(CNN) — The phrase “ICE Out” reverberated around the nation this weekend as protesters took to the streets, holding up signs and chanting in unison as they called for an end to the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.
Protesters marked a second day of rallies and marches after a nationwide strike on Friday prompted a shutdown of schools, workplaces and businesses from coast to coast. As demonstrations kicked off Saturday, President Donald Trump said he instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem not to intervene in protests or unrest in Democratic-led cities unless local officials formally request assistance.
People in major US cities continue to voice their solidarity with Minneapolis, where the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good have transformed the national conversation on immigration enforcement and appear to have driven a tone shift from the White House in recent days. Demonstrations have continued in cities such as Minneapolis, New York, Los Angeles, Portland and Austin over Friday and Saturday.
In the courts, several legal battles challenging Trump’s immigration policies continue to play out, with a federal judge issuing a scathing opinion Saturday, ordering the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father from a Texas detention center.
Liam and his father returned to Minneapolis Sunday morning after being held for more than a week in Texas, according to Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro.
Liam’s detention became another flashpoint in the criticism over heavy-handed immigration enforcement tactics used by the feds and fueled mounting outrage from community members and officials alike.
Meanwhile, a different judge denied a request from Minnesota, St. Paul and Minneapolis to halt Operation Metro Surge – the federal immigration operation that has seen thousands of agents dispatched to the Twin Cities. Local and state officials sued the federal government earlier this month, calling the operation a “federal invasion” that involves warrantless arrests and excessive force.
While the Department of Homeland Security celebrated the ruling, which allows the operation to continue while the lawsuit plays out, city and state officials said they were “disappointed” by the decision while reasserting their commitment to pursuing the case.
Here’s the latest:
- Trump and local police narratives clash: Local and state governments will be responsible for protecting their own property, along with federal property, with federal officials serving as a backstop, the president said, while warning against attacks on law enforcement. He cited an incident in Eugene, Oregon, claiming protesters broke into a federal building and damaged property while police failed to intervene. But the city’s police chief disputed that characterization of the response to the incident – which they declared a riot – saying officers ordered people to leave the area after breaches at entry points.
- Liam Ramos released: US District Judge Fred Biery admonished the Trump administration and ordered the preschooler and his father be released. The case against Liam – who was detained for more than a week with his father – originated in “the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children,” Biery wrote.
- ICE “on notice” in Chicago: The city’s Mayor Brandon Johnson on Saturday signed an executive order directing city police to investigate and document alleged misconduct by federal immigration officers with an eye toward prosecution. The move comes as nine local district attorneys launched a coalition this week to assist in prosecuting federal law enforcement officers who violate state laws.
- Journalists released from federal custody: Former CNN anchor Don Lemon and independent journalist Georgia Fort were released Friday after being arrested in connection with a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Lemon vowed to fight the charges against him, which include conspiring to violate someone’s constitutional rights and violating the FACE Act. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday defended the Justice Department’s decision to bring charges against Lemon, pushing back on claims that the case criminalizes journalism or was pursued for political reasons.“There was absolutely probable cause that a crime had been committed,” Blanche told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”
- Jail cooperation is key to federal drawdown: White House border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday he is working on a plan to eventually reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota, but he said the move will rely on whether local authorities allow ICE to take custody of immigrants in prisons and jails. Within hours, Trump appeared to contradict him, denying claims he was not pulling back.
- DOJ to investigate Pretti shooting: The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting of Pretti, US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday. The announcement means the agency is looking into whether the DHS officers who shot Pretti violated the law and marks an expansion of the federal government’s investigation into the matter. Later, Blanche said it was a “standard investigation by the FBI.”
The-CNN-Wire
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