Amelia Schafer 
ICT

At least one tribal member was arrested during widespread protests in Minneapolis following the shooting and killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by immigration agents on Jan. 24. 

In a social media post Saturday night, 13 individuals listed as “violent agitators” were photographed in law enforcement custody, including Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribal citizen, William Lafromboise, 23. 

Lafromboise was released just before midnight central time on Jan. 24. 

Lafromboise was arrested by ICE agents during an Anti-Immigration Control Enforcement protest in Minneapolis on Jan. 24 sometime around 2 p.m Central Time, family members told ICT.

The post said that he and 12 others assaulted agents or obstructed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. Lafromboise is wearing a gray Champions sweater in the photo.

“On January 24, our officers were swarmed and attacked by these violent agitators,” the post said.

They also accused the list of individuals for crimes against the agents including: throwing objects at agents, physically assaulting agents, ramming agents with vehicles, issuing death threats, obstruction of law enforcement, vandalization of government vehicles and brandishing homemade weapons. 

As of Jan. 24, charges have yet to be filed against Lafromboise. 

ICE did not respond to ICT’s requests about what charges Lafromboise is facing. 

ICE agents can arrest United States citizens who are in violation of United States Code Section 111 Title 18, which pertains to interfering with law enforcement investigations or assaulting federal officers. Immigration agents are considered federal law enforcement under this legal code. 

Assault on a federal law enforcement officer is a federal offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison under United States Code Section 111 Title 18. Penalties typically are determined by the severity of the assault. 

Tensions escalate in Minneapolis as ICE fatally shoots another protester

Initially, community members were concerned that Lafromboise had been detained by ICE. The family immediately contacted Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Chairman Garret Renville. 

Renville told ICT he had contacted the Department of Homeland Security and searched federal immigration databases prior to news that Lafromboise was arrested, rather than detained.

Reports indicate both ICE and FBI are making arrests. It’s not clear who is handling the arrests. 

Unverified claims of the detainment of a Standing Rock Sioux Tribe citizen have also been brought to the attention of the Standing Rock Tribal Council. 

This is a developing story. 

Amelia Schafer is a multimedia journalist for ICT based in Rapid City, South Dakota. She is of Wampanoag and Montauk-Brothertown Indian Nation descent. Follow her on Twitter @ameliaschafers or reach her...