Former federal officer weighs in on ICE actions in Minneapolis
For 24 years, Eric O'Denius worked as a deportation officer, identifying foreign nationals in the country in violation of law.
He was based out of St. Paul, but he's well-traveled, having been to 23 countries and all over the U.S., and received commendation from the British government for work with missing and vulnerable nationals.
"I think I'm the first deportation officer with a human rights award," O'Denius said.
Reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement going door to door have circulated, and so too have videos alleging profiling based on race and ICE's apparent aggressive tactics.
While he said he cannot comment on specific videos until a court has had a chance to evaluate evidence, in his experience, O'Denius said federal officers seem to be held to a higher standard in Minnesota than other parts of the country when it comes to questionable conduct.
"Knowing these attorneys, as I have, going back to 1997... if somebody strays, it is very possible they will have to answer for it in federal court," O'Denius said.
On Thursday, two Target employees were arrested by ICE agents on the job.
A Richfield, Minnesota, lawmaker said they were citizens and released, but injured while in custody.
"The arresting of a U.S. citizen is always my biggest concern, because that is the, as they say, the one sin you really need to be careful about. If you can't properly differentiate between a U.S. citizen and a foreign national, you need to be in a different position," O'Denius said.