Two officers, who have not been named, were immediately placed on administrative leave, and an internal investigation is ongoing regarding their cases
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) acting director, Todd Lyons, has said that two of the agency’s officers might have lied under oath while giving testimony about the death of a migrant in Minneapolis last month.
Lyons said that the two officers, who have not been named, were immediately placed on administrative leave, and an internal investigation is ongoing regarding their cases. “Lying under oath is a serious federal offence,” Lyons said.
On Friday, a federal judge dropped charges against two individuals who were accused of attacking the officers.
What happened?
With all the ruckus that Minneapolis was witnessing last month, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that two men attacked federal officials with a shovel and a broom handle, which prompted the agents to shoot at them, injuring one of the men in the left leg.
At the same time, during a court hearing, Lyons said in a statement that the two officers in question provided false testimony. “Video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements,” he said.
He added, “Upon conclusion of the investigation, the officers may face termination of employment, as well as potential criminal prosecution.”
After the January 14 incident, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that the shooting followed a vehicle pursuit involving a Venezuelan national who was in the United States without legal authorisation.
DHS said that once the pursuit ended and the individual exited the car, a confrontation took place between him and a federal agent, which led to the agent firing his weapon.
Trump ends crackdown in Minneapolis
President Donald Trump’s pointman on Thursday announced the end of an aggressive immigration operation in Minnesota that triggered large protests and nationwide outrage following the killing of two US citizens.
Thousands of federal agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, conducted weeks of sweeping raids and arrests in what the administration claims were targeted missions against criminals.
“I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude,” Trump official Tom Homan told a briefing outside Minneapolis. “A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue through the next week.”
With inputs from agencies
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