OP-ED: Minneapolis: When the Truth Becomes a Target

An Immigrant, an Easy Target

The victim of this shooting is an immigrant. Not a U.S. citizen, not a protected resident, but a man whose status makes him vulnerable, whose voice carries less weight than that of the officers who targeted him. In the America of 2026, being an immigrant means being a target. A target for stops, for arrests, for violence. A target for lies, too.

ICE was created to enforce immigration laws. But when its agents lie, when they shoot without cause, when they falsify reports, they are not enforcing the law—they are violating it. They turn a public service mission into a witch hunt, where the presumption of innocence no longer exists, where self-defense becomes a pretext, where the lives of others are worth less than their own.

At what point did we accept that an immigrant’s life is worth less than that of a police officer? At what point did we decide that lying was an acceptable tool of the trade?

Fear as a Management Tool

ICE does more than just control borders. It controls lives. It instills fear, divides families, and shatters dreams. And when its agents lie, they add humiliation to the violence. They tell immigrants: “Even if you’re right, even if you’re innocent, your word doesn’t count. We have the guns, we have the power, we have the final say.”

This Minneapolis case is not an isolated incident. It is a system. A system where fear is a weapon, where lies are a strategy, and where the truth is a threat.

A symbolic punishment

Suspending two police officers is a good start. But is it enough? No. Because suspension is a temporary punishment, a temporary removal that doesn’t fundamentally change anything. What’s needed is an independent investigation, exemplary punishments, and sweeping reform. What’s needed is for those who lie, those who shoot, and those who abuse their power to be held accountable. Not tomorrow. Now.

The communities of Minneapolis aren’t asking for an apology. They’re demanding justice. They’re demanding that the truth be restored, that those responsible be punished, and that practices change. They’re demanding to be treated with dignity, respect, and humanity.

Justice does more than just suspend. It restores. It protects. It prevents this from happening again.

Impunity: A Never-Ending Cycle

As long as police officers who lie, who shoot, who violate rights are not truly punished, the cycle will continue. As long as victims do not have access to impartial justice, trust will not be restored. As long as lies are tolerated, the truth will remain a target.

In Minneapolis, as in so many other American cities, the question is not whether this will happen again. The question is when. And who will be the next victim.

The Press, the Last Bastion of Truth

Without the media, without investigative journalists, without cameras rolling, this case would have gone unnoticed. A police report, an official account, and then nothing. Silence. Oblivion. But the truth has this power: it refuses to be silenced.

The media has a crucial role to play. It must reveal what official reports hide, give a voice to those who are being silenced, and expose the lies where others seek to impose silence. In Minneapolis, as elsewhere, the press is often the last bastion against arbitrary power.

When institutions lie, the media must speak out. When the powerful abuse their power, journalists must investigate. When justice falters, the press must stand firm.

The Danger of Normalization

The greatest risk in cases like this is normalization—that lies become commonplace, that abuses are seen as inevitable, that violence becomes routine. The role of the media is to reject this normalization. To say no. To shout the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Every article, every report, every investigation is a building block of transparency. Every word counts. Every piece of evidence exposes the truth. Every truth sets us free.

Organizations: The Voice of the Voiceless

In Minneapolis, immigrant rights organizations, anti-racist groups, and committed lawyers are fighting to ensure this case is not forgotten. They demand accountability, they call for justice, and they refuse to remain silent. They are the voice of those whom others seek to silence.

Their struggle is difficult. They must face indifference, threats, and pressure. But they won’t give up. Because they know that every victory, no matter how small, is a step forward. Every truth revealed is a crack in the wall of impunity.

Civil society is not merely a counterweight to power. It is often the only power left when institutions falter.

Hope Despite It All

Despite the lies, despite the violence, despite the abuses, there is hope. Because men and women refuse to give up. Because they still believe in justice, in dignity, and in the possibility of a more just world.

Their struggle is ours. Their hope is ours. Their determination must be ours.

Reforms: Always Promised, Never Implemented

After every scandal, promises pour in: reforms, commissions, audits. But real change is slow in coming. Because the system resists. Because those in power don’t want to let go. Because the truth is uncomfortable.

In Minneapolis, as elsewhere, reforms won’t come from the top. They’ll come from public pressure, from mobilization, from the determination of those who refuse to accept the unacceptable. And yet, we continue to wait.

How many lives must be shattered before things change? How many lies must be told before the truth prevails?

Solidarity as a Weapon

In the face of arbitrariness, violence, and lies, one weapon remains: solidarity. Solidarity between communities, between generations, and among those who refuse to submit. A solidarity that transcends borders, social status, and fears.

It is this solidarity that will make the difference. It is this solidarity that will forge a future where truth is no longer a target, where justice is no longer an illusion, and where dignity is no longer a privilege.

What This Case Tells Us About Ourselves

The Minneapolis case is not just a local story. It holds up a mirror to our societies, our fears, and our contradictions. It reflects back to us an image we do not like to see: that of a world where truth is negotiable, where justice is selective, where some lives are worth less than others.

But it also reminds us that change is possible. That it depends on us. On our ability to say no, to demand the truth, to reject the unacceptable. Minneapolis is not an exception. It is a call to action.

We have a choice. We can close our eyes, look the other way, accept the lies. Or we can stand up, speak out, take action. We can choose truth. We can choose justice. We can choose humanity.

The time has come

The time has come to say “enough.” To refuse to let the truth be a target. To refuse to let lies become the norm. To refuse to let the lives of immigrants, minorities, and the most vulnerable be considered less valuable than those of others.

The time has come to act. Not tomorrow. Now.

Signed, Maxime Marquette

Editorial Stance

This post is part of an effort to expose abuses of power and institutional lies. It aims to give a voice to victims, highlight systemic failures, and call for a fundamental reform of police and immigration practices in the United States.

Methodology and Sources

This article draws on information available in the press, notably the February 14, 2026, article in Libération, as well as contextual analyses and testimonies gathered from immigrant rights organizations.

Nature of the Analysis

This is an opinion piece that combines verified facts with a personal perspective, with the aim of sparking critical reflection and public debate on institutional abuses and the need for reform.