Shocking Video from Minneapolis: Pregnant Woman Dragged by ICE Sparks Outrage

New Delhi: A disturbing video from the streets of Minneapolis has sparked outrage across the US after showing a woman, believed to be pregnant, being dragged on a snow-covered road by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a detention attempt. 

What Happened on the Street?

The incident occurred on Monday afternoon, when federal immigration agents were carrying out a targeted enforcement action near a busy neighbourhood in south Minneapolis. The video, which is shared widely online, shows a woman being held down in the snow by officers while the people watching shouted that she was pregnant and struggling to breathe. 

At one point, an agent appears to kneel on the woman’s back. Later, she was handcuffed and pulled by one arm across icy pavement toward a vehicle as residents continued to shout and protest. Some even threw snowballs toward the agents. 

According to ICE, the incident happened during 'Operation Metro Surge.'

Officials later confirmed the woman was released after the confrontation intensified. 

What Do Authorities Say?

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the video as deeply concerning, stating that federal agents requested local assistance after reporting they were under attack.

O'Hara criticised the federal agents’ approach, saying city officers are trained in de-escalation and that they did not see violence against ICE agents when they arrived to assist. 

"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.