Former President Barack Obama sharply condemned the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a recent operation in Minnesota, likening their "rogue behavior" to tactics seen in "authoritarian countries" and "dictatorships." In an interview with liberal podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen released on Saturday, Obama described the federal agents' actions as "deeply concerning and dangerous," marking a notable departure from his usual low-profile approach in recent years.
Obama's remarks highlight a sweeping immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota that involved the deployment of roughly 3,000 federal agents. The effort, centered in Minneapolis and St. Paul, has drawn widespread attention due to numerous videos capturing aggressive tactics, including confrontations with the public.
During the wide-ranging interview, Obama emphasized the unprecedented nature of the operation. "It is important for us to recognize the unprecedented nature of what ICE was doing in Minneapolis, St. Paul, the way that federal agents — ICE agents — were being deployed, without any clear guidelines, training, pulling people out of their homes … tear-gassing crowds simply who were standing there, not breaking any laws," he stated.
The former president praised American citizens for their response to the incidents. He commended those engaging in "peaceful protests and shining a light on the sort of behavior that, in the past, we’ve seen in authoritarian countries and we’ve seen in dictatorships, but we have not seen in America."
Obama's public intervention represents a shift from his long-standing strategy of minimizing his presence to allow the next generation of Democrats to take the forefront. He had deliberately maintained a back-seat role throughout former President Joe Biden’s term, avoiding high-profile commentary on current events.
This is not the first time Obama has criticized federal agent deployments. He has previously spoken out against President Donald Trump’s use of such forces in U.S. cities, drawing parallels to his concerns over the Minnesota operation.
The controversy surrounding the ICE actions continues to fuel debate, with Obama's pointed words amplifying calls for scrutiny of the agency's tactics amid the high-visibility enforcement effort.
