Judge orders release of Liberian man arrested in Minneapolis by agents with a battering ram

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News/AP

Jan. 16, 2026, 10:49 AM EST


A federal judge in Minnesota on Thursday ordered the release of a Liberian man four days after heavily armed immigration agents broke into his home using a battering ram and arrested him.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Bryan said in his ruling that the agents violated Garrison Gibson's Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure. "To arrest him, Respondents forcibly entered Garrison G.'s home without his consent and without a judicial warrant," he said.

The Department of Homeland Security has been ramping up immigration arrests in Minnesota in what the department has called its largest enforcement operation. DHS says its officers have arrested more than 2,500 people since Nov. 29.

Marc Prokosch, Gibson's attorney, said he was "thrilled" by the judge's order. He had filed a habeas corpus petition, used by courts to determine if an imprisonment is legal, and called the arrest a "blatant constitutional violation" since the agents did not have a proper warrant.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/judge-orders-release-liberian-man-arrested-minneapolis-agents-batterin-rcna254401

[WmChris]

1. Discipline

The agents involved need to be removed from duty if not jailed for breaking and entering and an armed abduction.

[underpants]

2. Good. They flew him to Ft. Bliss? Here's ICE's Detainee Locator.

https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/search

[cab67]

3. this doesn't mean he'll be going home any time soon.

The present administration has already shown a willingness to ignore the courts with these cases. They'll fight his release tooth and nail.

[multigraincracker]

4. I would think he might have a good case for false arrest and they could be liable for a large sum of money.

That might be filled in a Civil Court.

[azureblue]

5. worse for ICE

They can be sued individually. Despite what they are told, they have no immunity... I hope his attorney will find out who kidnapped him, and sue them for all they have. Once a lawsuit is filed, you can bet that will shake up ICE...

[JMCKUSICK]

6. 2 questions

1. Can all 2500 arrested do this?

2. Can they establish a class for class action lawsuits?

[BumRushDaShow]

7. A number of immigration lawyers

have actually created class action suits - I think for specific groups in some cases. They pretty much had to when the SCOTUS smacked down judges doing "nationwide" TROs from their own single district, instead of having it apply only to those who filed suit there.

[JMCKUSICK]

8. Now that you say that, of course I recall that. Thanks

[BumRushDaShow]

9. ...

Some examples -

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143487020
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143490971