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Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Attacked with Liquid at Town Hall; ICE Actions Draw Scrutiny
Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar was attacked with an unknown liquid during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday, while separate incidents involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota and elsewhere sparked controversy and legal challenges.
According to Minneapolis police, an audience member sprayed Omar with a liquid using a syringe. Omar was unharmed and continued with the event. "I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win," Omar wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the incident. A BBC journalist at the scene reported the liquid had a sour smell resembling a chemical product. Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, was charged with third-degree assault in connection with the attack.
The incident occurred amidst growing scrutiny of ICE activities. Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, called for ICE to be "defunded and disbanded" following the second fatal shooting this month of an American in Minneapolis involving federal immigration agents. Cohen initially considered creating an ice cream in honor of Renee Nicole Good, the 37-year-old woman shot and killed by an ICE agent, Jonathan Ross, on January 7 in Minneapolis.
Separately, a federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked the deportation of a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, who were arrested in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, last week. Judge Fred Biery of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas issued the order, preventing the federal government from moving the boy and his father out of the court's jurisdiction while they challenge their deportation. School district officials confirmed the arrest occurred shortly after the father picked up his son from school. They were being held at an immigration detention center outside San Antonio.
These events unfolded as Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) called for the U.S. to arm Iranian protesters, stating on X, "We should be arming the protesters in Iran. NOW." Cruz argued that the overthrow of the Ayatollah would make America safer. His statement followed threats from Iran-backed militias against the U.S.
In another case involving federal law enforcement, a preliminary review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection's internal watchdog office found that Alex Pretti was shot by two federal officers after resisting arrest. The review did not indicate that Pretti brandished a weapon during the encounter, contradicting earlier claims by Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, who stated that Pretti had been brandishing a gun. The New York Times reviewed an email sent to Congress detailing the review's findings. Officials had provided no evidence to support Noem's claim, which was also contradicted by witness videos. CBP deployed more than 1,000 officers in response to the situation.
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