Federal Court Rules Against ICE Raids, Requiring Judicial Warrants for Home Entries
In a major setback for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a federal judge in Minnesota has ruled that the agency's conduct in forcibly entering a man's home without consent is unconstitutional. The decision, issued by US District Court Judge Jeffrey Bryan on January 17, contradicts an internal ICE memo claiming that signed warrants issued by supervisors are sufficient authority to enter homes without prior notice.
Garrison Gibson, a Liberian national living in Minnesota under an ICE order of supervision, filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, which was granted. The court found that the agents' actions violated the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures.
According to Gibson's declaration, ICE agents arrived at his home on January 11 while his family slept inside, refusing to show him a judicial warrant before entering. Gibson claimed that the agents used pepper spray on neighbors who gathered outside, deployed a battering ram to force open the door, and handcuffed him without showing any evidence of probable cause.
The ruling is significant because it highlights ICE's internal guidance allowing officers to enter homes using administrative warrants, which are not signed by independent judges. This contradicts established Fourth Amendment limits on warrantless home entry, according to civil liberties advocates.
"This arrest violated the Fourth Amendment," Judge Bryan wrote in his decision. "The executive branch can't be in charge of deciding whether to give itself a warrant."
Critics argue that allowing executive-issued warrants to justify home entries would undermine the judicial check required by the Constitution, which demands neutral and detached review before the government enters private residences.
After his arrest, Gibson was taken to a detention facility where he claimed ICE agents posed for photos with him in humiliating poses. The facility has become a focal point for protests and community attention due to aggressive federal immigration enforcement operations.
ICE acknowledged the court's ruling but did not provide further comments before publication. Homeland Security Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin stated that people served with administrative warrants have received full due process, claiming officers found probable cause.
The decision is a major blow to ICE's handling of immigration enforcement, as it emphasizes the need for judicial oversight and adherence to constitutional limits on warrantless home entry.
In a major setback for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a federal judge in Minnesota has ruled that the agency's conduct in forcibly entering a man's home without consent is unconstitutional. The decision, issued by US District Court Judge Jeffrey Bryan on January 17, contradicts an internal ICE memo claiming that signed warrants issued by supervisors are sufficient authority to enter homes without prior notice.
Garrison Gibson, a Liberian national living in Minnesota under an ICE order of supervision, filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, which was granted. The court found that the agents' actions violated the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures.
According to Gibson's declaration, ICE agents arrived at his home on January 11 while his family slept inside, refusing to show him a judicial warrant before entering. Gibson claimed that the agents used pepper spray on neighbors who gathered outside, deployed a battering ram to force open the door, and handcuffed him without showing any evidence of probable cause.
The ruling is significant because it highlights ICE's internal guidance allowing officers to enter homes using administrative warrants, which are not signed by independent judges. This contradicts established Fourth Amendment limits on warrantless home entry, according to civil liberties advocates.
"This arrest violated the Fourth Amendment," Judge Bryan wrote in his decision. "The executive branch can't be in charge of deciding whether to give itself a warrant."
Critics argue that allowing executive-issued warrants to justify home entries would undermine the judicial check required by the Constitution, which demands neutral and detached review before the government enters private residences.
After his arrest, Gibson was taken to a detention facility where he claimed ICE agents posed for photos with him in humiliating poses. The facility has become a focal point for protests and community attention due to aggressive federal immigration enforcement operations.
ICE acknowledged the court's ruling but did not provide further comments before publication. Homeland Security Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin stated that people served with administrative warrants have received full due process, claiming officers found probable cause.
The decision is a major blow to ICE's handling of immigration enforcement, as it emphasizes the need for judicial oversight and adherence to constitutional limits on warrantless home entry.
! i mean, think about it - our 4th amendment rights are supposed to protect us from just anyone waltzing into our homes, right? and yet, ICE was basically doing that without a warrant. i'm glad the judge saw through their BS and ruled in favor of garrison's case.
. it's like, nope, not gonna happen. our constitution is all about checks and balances, and that includes making sure the government doesn't overstep its bounds in our homes.
. it's time for us to stand up for our communities and demand more transparency and fairness from our law enforcement agencies.
We can't have the court deciding who gets in and who doesn't. What about national security? The government should be able to act fast without all that bureaucratic red tape. And let's not forget, this is just one case... what if it sets a precedent for everyone to question warrants and authority? It's like, we're creating more problems than we solve 
. this ruling is super important cuz it says no more busting into ppl's homes w/o a warrant 
. gotta give props to Garrison Gibson for fighting back against those ICE agents 
#JusticeForGibson #ProtectOurRights #ConstitutionMatters 
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they're just making things up as they go along, what a joke 
. A signed warrant from a supervisor isn't exactly the same thing as a judicial warrant from an independent judge, I mean come on! 
yeah right, no one falls for that one 
.
. And then they had the nerve to pose for photos with him like he was some kind of prisoner 
.
. The executive branch trying to give themselves a free pass to enter homes without warrants is just ridiculous 
. This decision is a major blow to ICE's reputation and shows that there are still people who will stand up for the Constitution 
.
And what about due process? If there's even a chance of wrongful arrest or detainment, that's gotta be taken seriously. We need to make sure that our rights are being respected, even if it means being more vigilant about who's watching our backs. This whole thing just feels like a big ol' gray area...
. I mean, who needs judicial oversight when you've got supervisors signing off on things? Not a good look for ICE, tbh 
. Now we just gotta keep pushing for real change and transparency in our law enforcement 
.
- The court's decision highlights how ICE's actions can harm not just individual rights but also trust between communities and law enforcement. This ruling will help prevent future injustices like the one suffered by Garrison Gibson. 
I'm low-key surprised this took so long! I mean, come on, the 4th Amendment isn't exactly rocket science 
... Anyway, this ruling is a major win for due process, imo 
. ICE's got some 'splainin' to do about those internal memos allowing executive-issued warrants. It's all about checks and balances, folks 
Poor Garrison Gibson deserved way better than being humiliated by ICE agents 
. The fact that they used pepper spray and a battering ram is ridiculous, it's like they're trying to make an example out of someone 
. They're saying that signed warrants issued by supervisors are enough, but that's just not true 
. This ruling is a step in the right direction, but we need to keep pushing for change until we get real reforms 
.
. Good riddance 2 these aggressive raids 
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️... so yeah, basically means that ICE can't just waltz into your house without a proper warrant 
- we need those judicial checks in place to make sure our rights aren't getting trampled 
... I'm curious to see how ICE responds (or doesn't respond) to this 
The government gonna be like "oh no, we forgot to get your permission before entering your home" 
Not cool, dude.
. It's all about balance and stuff.
. This ruling in Minnesota is super important because it sets a precedent that even supervisors' warrants aren't enough to justify a home invasion 
.
. I'm glad Judge Bryan spoke up for justice and human rights. We need more of this kind of common sense in our laws 
. This ruling is a win for everyone who values their personal freedoms and deserves to be treated with dignity