A 37-year-old woman in a car was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Wednesday. She is accused by Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, of using the car as a weapon against the agents at the scene. At the same time, ICE's response is being questioned by Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz.
ICE, which stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has received a growing budget since President Donald Trump took office for the second time. In most raids, the agency is at the forefront of Trump's campaign promise to deport migrants.
This summer, a campaign was launched to recruit 10,000 agents in addition to the already existing 6,000, reports the AFP news agency.
Response to September 11
The agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was created in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Since 2002, ICE has enforced immigration laws, investigated illegal immigration, and participated in removing undocumented migrants from the country.
The work takes place within the country's borders, while Customs and Border Protection mainly guards the country's borders. The demarcation has increasingly blurred under Trump's rule as various federal agents have been used to enforce immigration laws, reports the BBC.
Limited powers
The agents' powers differ from those of local police. They can stop and arrest people they suspect are in the United States illegally. However, they can only detain a US citizen if the person is resisting arrest or is violent.
Despite the restrictions, over 170 citizens have been detained during Trump's first nine months, according to the investigative news site ProPublica.
According to DHS, agents may only use deadly force if a person is deemed to pose an immediate threat of death or serious harm to someone, reports the AP news agency. Generally, deadly force may not be used to arrest someone or stop a fleeing vehicle if the person does not pose an immediate threat.
Fifth known death
The 37-year-old woman is at least the fifth person killed by an ICE agent since Trump took office, AP reports. Most recently, a Mexican man was killed in Chicago in September.
Internal investigations into shootings are conducted by federal agencies, but state and local authorities can conduct criminal investigations. Agents are not immune from prosecution if they acted outside their authority.
