A Judge's Ruling: What Happened to Garrison Gibson?

In a surprising turn of events, a federal judge in Minnesota recently ruled that immigration agents overstepped their boundaries. The judge ordered the release of Garrison Gibson, a Liberian man who was arrested in his home by heavily armed agents. The judge stated that the agents did not have the right to enter Gibson's home without his permission or a warrant. This incident happened just four days before the judge's decision.

Increased Immigration Arrests in Minnesota

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been increasing its immigration arrests in Minnesota. They claim this is part of their largest enforcement operation, with over 2,500 arrests since late November. Gibson's attorney, Marc Prokosch, was happy with the judge's order. He had filed a petition arguing that the arrest was illegal because the agents did not have a proper warrant. Gibson's wife and their 9-year-old child were home during the raid, and his wife was very upset by the arrest.

Gibson's Background and Legal Status

Gibson, who is 37 years old, had been held in an immigration detention center in Albert Lea after being moved from a large camp at Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas. The DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the judge's order. Gibson came to the U.S. as a child to escape the Liberian civil war. He had been ordered to leave the country because of a 2008 drug conviction that was later dismissed. He had been living in the U.S. legally under an order of supervision, which required him to meet regularly with immigration authorities.

Judge's Ruling and DHS Response

Just days before his arrest, Gibson had checked in with immigration authorities at a regional office. This is the same building where agents have been conducting enforcement raids in recent weeks. The judge agreed with Gibson's argument that the officials did not follow the rules. They did not give him enough notice that his order of supervision had been revoked or explain why. They also did not provide him with an interview right after he was detained.

A spokesperson for the DHS had said that Gibson has a long criminal record. This includes robbery, drug possession with intent to sell, possession of a deadly weapon, malicious destruction, and theft. However, court records show only one felony in 2008, along with a few traffic violations, minor drug arrests, and an arrest for riding public transportation without paying the fare.

Community Reaction

The Twin Cities have been experiencing fear and anger due to recent incidents involving immigration agents. This includes the killing of Renee Good, who was shot during a confrontation with agents, and a recent incident where a man was shot and wounded by an immigration officer.