A report prepared by civil and community organizations accused President Donald Trump's government of allowing serious civil rights violations during the “Metro Surge” immigration operation, deployed in Minnesota earlier this year and considered one of the largest immigration control operations recently carried out in the country.

The document to which EFE had access and which was released after a series of public hearings organized by immigrant advocates and community activists, maintains that federal agents made violent arrests in homes, workplaces and public spaces without presenting court orders, in addition to resorting to intimidating tactics that generated fear among entire communities.

According to the report, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent hundreds of agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service, known as ICE, to different cities in Minnesota last December. The deployment later increased to nearly 4,000 federal agents, following protests and unrest related to the operation.

The raids led to approximately 4,000 arrests before the federal administration scaled back the operation last March. That same month, Trump announced changes within the Department of Homeland Security and removed Kristi Noem from the position.

They denounce racial profiling and arrests without due process

The report ensures that during the raids there was a pattern of racial profiling, since many arrests occurred based on the physical appearance, language or accent of the people.

According to testimonies collected, several immigrants with pending asylum applications or valid legal documentation were arrested anyway, which civil organizations consider a violation of due process.

The report also documents complaints from detained people whose relatives and lawyers had difficulty locating them due to alleged deliberate errors in official records and changes in identification systems.

“Many detainees temporarily disappeared within the system,” said activists who participated in the hearings held on March 10.

One of the most delicate points of the report involves the use of force against minors. In one of the aforementioned cases, federal agents violently pulled a father from his vehicle while his children watched the scene in extremely cold conditions.

Likewise, witnesses reported the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and deterrent grenades during operations carried out in neighborhoods in northern Minneapolis.

Economic impact and claims of impunity

The document also refers to the deaths of citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who died after being shot during incidents linked to the operation. Civil organizations questioned the lack of independent investigations into both cases.

Ben Berkman, an attorney representing Good's family, said there are few legal mechanisms to hold federal agents accountable when alleged constitutional violations occur.

The report further indicates that there are currently more than 1,100 lawsuits filed in federal courts in Minnesota related to allegedly illegal detentions. According to the report, 76% of those arrested had no criminal record.

Those affected came mainly from Latin American countries, although there were also immigrants from Laos and Somalia.

The operation also caused significant economic consequences. A survey conducted by the Minnesota Latino Chamber of Commerce revealed that 86% of Latino businesses were affected during the federal deployment. Almost half of the businesses closed temporarily and many reported losses of more than 50% due to the fear of employees and customers to take to the streets.

Luis Miranda, a member of the organizing committee, said that the raids left a deep sense of fear in immigrant communities. “The goal was to intimidate and terrorize the families,” Miranda stated when describing the testimonies presented during the hearings.

The organizing committee announced that it will continue to hold similar events in other cities, including Chicago and California, while immigrant advocacy organizations demand greater federal oversight and profound reforms in ICE operations.