Today, Attorney General Keith Ellison released the following statement in response to recent reporting on the Department of Homeland Security’s surveillance of protesters in Minnesota:

“The Trump administration’s extensive surveillance of Minnesotans for exercising their constitutionally protected, basic First Amendment rights to protest and hold their government accountable is appalling and alarming. What it’s not is surprising. Trump has shown over and over he believes the federal government exists primarily to investigate, prosecute, and retaliate against his political enemies. America was founded on righteous protest and Trump’s retaliation against it is fundamentally anti-American. If Trump can’t handle peaceful, constitutional protests, his agents shouldn’t have abused their power, violated our rights, and shot two Minnesotans dead during Metro Surge.” – AG Ellison