Fear and anger spread after another immigration shooting in Minneapolis

A federal officer shot a man in the leg in Minneapolis after being attacked with a shovel and broom handle, further heightening the sense of fear and anger radiating across the city, a week after an immigration agent fatally shot a woman in the head.

Smoke filled the street on Wednesday night near the site of the latest shooting as federal officers wearing gas masks and helmets fired tear gas and grenades into a small crowd while protesters threw rocks and shot fireworks.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said during a news conference that the gathering was an unlawful assembly and "people need to leave."

Such protest scenes have become common on the streets of Minneapolis since a federal agent fatally shot Renee Good on 7 January amid a massive immigration crackdown that has seen thousands of officers sent into the Twin Cities.

Agents have yanked people from cars and homes and been confronted by angry bystanders who are demanding that officers pack up and leave.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the situation as not "sustainable."

"This is an impossible situation that our city is presently being put in and at the same time we are trying to find a way forward to keep people safe, to protect our neighbours, to maintain order," he said.

Frey described a federal force that is five times as big as the city's 600-officer police force and has "invaded" the city, scaring and angering residents, some of whom want the officers to "fight ICE agents." At the same time, the police force is still responsible for its day-to-day work to keep the public safe.

The Department of Homeland Security says it has made more than 2,000 arrests in the state since early December and is vowing to not back down.

Shooting followed chase

In a statement describing the events that led to Wednesday's shooting, Homeland Security said federal law enforcement officers stopped a person from Venezuela who was in the US illegally. The person drove away and crashed into a parked car before taking off on foot, DHS said.

After officers reached the person, two other people arrived from a nearby apartment, and all three started attacking the officer, according to DHS.

"Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life," DHS said.

The two people who came out of the apartment are in custody, it said.

O'Hara said the man shot was in the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.

The shooting took place about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometres) north of where Good was killed. O'Hara's account of what happened largely echoed that of Homeland Security.

Clashes in court as well

Earlier Wednesday, a judge gave the Trump administration time to respond to a request to suspend its immigration crackdown in Minnesota, while the Pentagon looked for military lawyers to join what has become a chaotic law enforcement effort in the state.

"What we need most of all right now is a pause. The temperature needs to be lowered," state Assistant Attorney General Brian Carter said during the first hearing in a lawsuit filed by Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Local leaders say the government is violating free speech and other constitutional rights with the surge of law enforcement. US District Judge Katherine Menendez gave the US Justice Department until Monday to file a response to a request for a restraining order.

Justice Department attorney Andrew Warden suggested the approach set by Menendez was appropriate.

The judge is also handling a separate lawsuit challenging the tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal officers when they encounter protesters and observers. A decision could be released this week.

During a televised speech before Wednesday's shooting, Gov. Tim Walz described Minnesota as being in chaos, saying what's happening in the state "defies belief."

"Let's be very, very clear, this long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement," he said. "Instead, it's a campaign of organised brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government."