Minneapolis Resident's Accent Gets Him Arrested, Detained by Border Patrol

[pnwmom]

Source: International Business Times

A Minneapolis resident was arrested by Border Patrol agents in front of his young daughter after officers questioned his accent and cited it as grounds for detainment, according to video footage that has sparked widespread condemnation. Ramon Menera, a US passport holder since 2019, was temporarily detained on Wednesday before agents released him after verifying his citizenship status.

The incident comes amid escalating tensions over immigration enforcement tactics, following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by an ICE agent and a massive data breach that exposed the personal information of 4,500 federal immigration officers. The case has intensified scrutiny of Border Patrol operations and raised questions about racial profiling in immigration enforcement.

Video captured on Wednesday showed Border Patrol agents confronting Menera in a Minneapolis suburb, with one agent demanding to see his paperwork after hearing him speak. When Menera pointed out that the agent questioning him also had an accent, officers immediately seized and arrested him.

Despite Menera stating he is a US citizen, the agent appeared unconvinced, citing his accent as reason to believe he was in the country illegally. Menera was detained temporarily before agents searched his name and discovered he had been a US passport holder since 2019. Officers also inspected his passport card, which he carried in his wallet.

Read more: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/minneapolis-residents-accent-gets-him-arrested-detained-border-patrol-1771677

[tishaLA]

1. It's a "Kavanaugh Stop"

because the stupid fuck wrote in an opinion a few months ago that you can detain someone based on their accent and perceived ethnicity. (Notably, he recently tried to walk that back in a footnote in a decision, ,but that's not going to stop DHS from having their way)

[mysteryowl]

2. Wow! What the H**L do people do that don't speak english?

Non-english speakers must all be in deep hiding.

[ShazzieB]

3. All of a sudden, speaking English with an accent is a crime.

And not speaking English at all must be a really heinous crime, which makes me think of my husband's grandparents. Both sets immigrated to the U.S. from Poland early in the 20th century and settled in a Polish neighborhood in Chicago. They all spent the rest of their lives in Chicago, and all of their kids, grandkids, and great grandkids have been born here in the U.S.

My husband's grandfather supported his family by working as a carpenter (a trade he also taught to my fil), while his wife stayed home with the kids. Mary (the grandma's name) lived to be 100 years old, and according to my husband, she never learned to speak English in all that time. Living where they did, I guess she didn't have to. They lived in a neighborhood where virtually everyone was Polish, and most, if not all, of the businesses were run by Polish people as well. There were all kinds of resources available to them that didn't require speaking English, including Polish newspapers and radio stations (some of each still exist in Chicago), and Catholic Churches with Polish priests.

I'm pretty sure Mary never became a U.S. citizen, but she and her husband came here in accordance with the immigration laws at the time and lived here legally. And yet she did not speak English. I can't help but think of her when I hear about ICE treating non English speakers and even people who speak the language with an accent like criminals. I'm glad she never had to witness or experience anything like that.