Two women detained by ICE say they performed first aid on an ICE agent who suffered multiple seizures while the women were handcuffed in the back of the agency's SUV. Once uncuffed, they say they cleared his airway and held him until emergency responders arrived. After the agent was taken for treatment, the women were transported to the Whipple Federal Building and later released to their state representative. They say a commanding officer told them to report they had been treated kindly; their lawyers advised them not to discuss the arrest.
Women Detained by ICE Say They Saved Agent During Seizure — Then Were Told To Say They Were Treated Well
ICE
Two women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement say they provided emergency care to an ICE agent who suffered multiple seizures while the women were handcuffed in the back of the agency's transport vehicle.
The Minnesota Star Tribune published accounts from Tippy Amundson, 39, and Heather Zemien, 55, who say the incident occurred Thursday in Brooklyn Park when an ICE SUV stopped at a red light and the agent inside began seizing.
Immediate Response
According to the women, they repeatedly urged the driver to pull over and call 9-1-1. The SUV eventually lurched over a curb and came to rest angled on a sidewalk near Welcome Avenue. Amundson said she heard the agent's tongue and fluids obstructing his airway and asked officers to remove her cuffs.
Once uncuffed, Amundson — a kindergarten teacher with CPR and first-aid training — knelt beside the agent, tried to roll him onto his side and cradled his head through additional seizures. She says she removed his gun from its holster to reposition him safely. Zemien, a personal care attendant, rolled up a tactical vest and placed it under the agent's head to keep his airway open and urged officers to close the car doors to retain body heat.
Aftermath and Release
Emergency medical responders arrived several minutes later and took the agent for professional care. Amundson and Zemien say they were then transported to the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis. While there, a commanding officer told them they would be released to their counsel and to their state representative — but, they say, added that they should tell others they had been treated kindly while in custody.
The women told the Star Tribune they were advised by counsel not to discuss why they had been arrested. During the transport, Zemien was allowed one phone call, which she used to contact an attorney; Amundson used voice commands to notify her husband, who then contacted a state representative.
Context
The accounts arrive amid increased ICE and Border Patrol activity in the Twin Cities and heightened tensions following the recent fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent, Jonathan Ross. Advocates and local officials have criticized intensified enforcement actions in the area.
Note: The women’s descriptions are based on their interviews with the Star Tribune. Their attorneys asked them not to discuss the reasons for the arrests.
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