The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota on Wednesday announced it is in the process of filing a lawsuit accusing federal agents of violating constitutional rights.

The state's ACLU chapter said it was filing the lawsuit on behalf of six community members. In a release, the organization said agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with other agencies, have "engaged in a series of indiscriminate immigration raids in which masked federal officers in militarized gear brandish rifles and abduct community members from local businesses, streets, and homes."

The ACLU also alleges the agents have interfered with community members' right to free speech via "harassment, intimidation, force, and detention," such as by using rubber bullets and chemical irritants and arresting observers and protesters.

"This lawsuit asks the court — on behalf of these ordinary people who have come together courageously to stand up for the rights of all Americans — to halt ICE's attack on First and Fourth Amendment rights," the ACLU said.

ACLU staff attorney Alicia Granse said the suit asks the court to declare the agents' behavior unlawful and issue an order prohibiting them from carrying out that behavior. The ACLU will also seek a temporary restraining order while the court adjudicates the case.

One of the suit's plaintiffs, Susan Tincher, said she went to observe ICE activity in her Minneapolis neighborhood on Dec. 9, and within 15 seconds of her arrival, she was "on the ground in handcuffs."

"There was no warning, no explanation, no chance to comply," Tincher said.

Tincher said she was taken to a facility where she was "put in shackles" and "held for five hours" before being released. 

"I did not obstruct. I did not disobey. I did not provoke violence," Tincher said. "I was on a public street and what followed was sudden, brutal and terrifying."  

WCCO has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

ICE agents surged into the Twin Cities for an enhanced enforcement operation earlier this month at the direction of the Trump administration. The Department of Homeland Security said agents have made more than 400 arrests since then. 

The agents have drawn the ire of both community members and Minneapolis city leaders. On Tuesday, Police Chief Brian O'Hara criticized ICE after agents held a woman down and dragged her along the ground in south Minneapolis. Agents also deployed chemical irritants, and at one point, an agent used a Taser before yelling, "Who wants more?" to a gathered crowd.

"We have been training our officers for the last five years very, very intensely on de-escalation, but unfortunately that is … often not what we are seeing from other agencies in the city," O'Hara said.  

ICE said agents "conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism" in responding to the crowd throwing snow and other objects.

O'Hara joined Mayor Jacob Frey and small business owners on Tuesday to discuss how ICE's presence is economically detrimental to the city.

 ACLU of Minnesota Executive Director Deepinder Mayell said the organization will announce further legal action on Thursday.  

"Since the launch of Operation Metro Surge, we have witnessed a remarkable string of unlawful activity targeting Minnesota communities and Minnesota values," Mayell said. "This affects us all."