Brooklyn Center Leaders React to ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
After a woman died from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer’s gunfire in a Minneapolis neighborhood, neighbors to the north are responding.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the shooting a “tragedy,” but said the officer’s shots fired were an act of self-defense. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey disputed that saying he saw video evidence and called it a “reckless use of power” by the ICE agent.
Brooklyn Center is the most ethnically diverse city in Minnesota. Both the city and a Brooklyn Center nonprofit have issued statements following the incident.
Brooklyn Center Response
The city of Brooklyn Center released a statement Thursday saying the city is committed to fostering a “safe, welcoming and inclusive community for all residents.” The statement said the city wants to ensure all residents feel safe seeking help and engaging with city services.
“The Brooklyn Center Police Department does not enforce civil immigration laws and does not participate in federal immigration raids or deportation efforts. Civil immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government. BCPD’s focus remains on local public safety and maintaining trust with the community it serves,” the city said in its statement.
Brooklyn Center also posted an Immigration FAQ on its website for information about ICE and other community resources.
ACER Response
The African Career, Education and Resource, Inc, or ACER, is a Brooklyn Center nonprofit for immigrants and people of African heritage that provides them with resources and employment connections.
Executive Director Nelima Sitati Munene sent out a statement Wednesday night. She said the event “marks a devastating and heartbreaking beginning to this year.”
“We are united in our grief, as we mourn a precious life that has been stolen. We stand in solidarity in condemning all forms of oppression, including what is currently showing up in the form of targeting of immigrants while compromising our collective safety and dignity of our neighbors. We are firm in our commitment to truth, justice, and condemning this senseless and hateful act,” Sitati Munene wrote.
She asked recipients to check on their loved ones and called for accountability.
“The slain individual, their loved ones, and the entire community deserve truth, accountability, and justice. Anything less would dishonor their memory, deepen the grief of the community, and stand as a profound betrayal to our democracy and the truth that our nation stands for,” Sitati Munene wrote.
Nelima Sitati Munene, executive director of ACER, speaks to CCX News in a 2025 interview
