It may seem like ICE and its agents can do whatever they want without any consequences. But as we outlined in MSNBC this past weekend, victims of abuse still have a legal pathway to hold ICE and the federal government accountable, and we are training lawyers on how to help them demand justice.
The murders of Renée Good and Alex Pretti have caught national attention, but hundreds of Minneapolis residents have been attacked by ICE whose names and stories will never make the headlines. Our member attorneys on the ground have been flooded with requests from people whose civil rights have been violated.
That’s why last Friday, we brought together more than 150 attorneys for a training on the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), which enables a person who is injured, killed, illegally detained, or has property damaged by ICE agents to sue the federal government directly.
FTCA claims are complex, so we assembled some of the most skilled and successful practitioners in the country. They provided Minnesota attorneys with step-by-step guidance on the most common type of misconduct that they are seeing on the ground, including ICE agents pepper spraying protesters in the eyes with no warning, shoving people with no warning, and racially profiling people on the streets.
Attorneys walked away with materials to support their work moving forward and new partners in this fight, some with plans to join forces and work on cases together.
Last week’s training is just the beginning. At NPAP we know that it is not impossible to hold ICE accountable. Our members have been doing it successfully for years. And NPAP is here to support and mentor these attorneys until each victim gets justice, expanding to new cities to help attorneys file these complex, but powerful legal claims.
The events that have unfolded in Minneapolis since the start of the ICE surge have left many of us feeling horrified, hopeless, and helpless against this administration. Our training reminded us of how lawsuits–even if they are small– can shift power dynamics and strengthen community resistance. NPAP Member and FTCA expert Grace Jun said it best:
When we choose to take their FTCA cases, it is the first time that truly impoverished, marginalized people have felt heard…have felt like they are on equal footing with people in positions of power. It is a transformative tool for our clients, it is an amazing tool for empowerment. And our clients can take that feeling back to their communities and advocate for action.
–Grace Jun, Member, NPAP