A federal immigration officer has been charged with assault after pointing a firearm at occupants of a vehicle during a traffic incident on a Minneapolis highway, marking what prosecutors say is the first criminal case against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent involved in the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement operations.
Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., 35, faces two counts of second-degree aggravated assault stemming from the February 5 incident on Minnesota state highway 62, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. An arrest warrant has been issued for Morgan.
Moriarty stated at a news conference that Morgan was driving a rented, unmarked SUV on the shoulder of the highway when another vehicle briefly moved onto the shoulder in an attempt to slow him down. The driver of that car was unaware Morgan was a federal officer. After returning to the normal lane, the vehicle was approached by Morgan, who pulled alongside and displayed his service weapon at the passengers inside.
According to charging documents, Morgan told a Minnesota state patrol officer that he drew his firearm and shouted "Police. Stop." However, the victims could not hear him because their windows were closed. The documents do not indicate the incident occurred as part of a law enforcement action.
Morgan and his partner, who was not charged, were heading to a federal building to conclude their shift when they became stuck in traffic. Charging documents emphasize that Morgan's actions fell outside the scope of a federal officer's authority.
"There is no such thing as absolute immunity for federal agents who violate the law in the state of Minnesota," Moriarty said. Morgan was charged with two counts because he threatened both occupants of the vehicle.
Second-degree felony assault in Minnesota carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison, or up to ten years if the assault inflicted substantial bodily harm.
The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice have not yet commented on the charges. Attempts to reach Morgan through phone and email were unsuccessful.
The case comes as federal immigration authorities have intensified enforcement sweeps in major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and New Orleans under the Trump administration's crackdown on unauthorized immigration.
Author James Rodriguez: "This is a rare moment of accountability, but it shouldn't take a gun-point traffic stop to prosecute misconduct by federal officers."
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