There were claims online that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers had shot and killed a baby during unrest in Minneapolis. However, officials and hospital authorities have clarified that there is no evidence that ICE fired a weapon or that a child was shot. Instead, two children, including a six-month-old infant, were hospitalised after being exposed to tear gas during a protest.
According to reports, federal agents used tear gas during protests against ICE operations in Minneapolis. Authorities said firearms were not used in the incident involving the children and confirmed that both were treated for breathing difficulties. Officials said that the children were breathing on their own after receiving medical care.
Why have there been protests against ICE?
The incident occurred amid heightened tensions following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, who was killed earlier this month when an ICE agent opened fire during a confrontation with the deceased. That shooting has intensified the protests across the city and has brought ICE under intense scrutiny.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initially issued a social media post suggesting that protesters had irresponsibly brought children into a dangerous situation. The post urged parents to “please stop endangering your children,” but it was later deleted after backlash and accusations of misinformation.
One of the users commented on the post that, “The fine folks at DHS deleted this tweet because it was 100% false. They were driving home, got blocked by ICE and they deployed tear gas into their car. We should be able to trust our government to tell the truth at all times, or become illegitimate.”
Family disputes the official version
The family involved disputed the official version of events. Shawn Jackson who is the infant’s father, told Fox 9 that, “Officers threw flash bangs and tear gas in my car. I got six kids in the car. My six-month-old can’t even breathe. This was flipped over. My car filled with tear gas, I’m trying to pull my kids from the car.” His wife, Destiny Jackson, added, “My kids were innocent, I was innocent, my husband was innocent, this shouldn’t have happened. We were just trying to go home.”
ICE has come under growing criticism in recent months as it continues to expand enforcement operations across several US cities. Under initiatives such as Operation Metro Surge, the agency has deployed large numbers of agents to conduct immigration arrests, a move civil rights groups argue has led to aggressive tactics, racial profiling concerns and clashes with local communities.
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