Public commenter criticizes chair’s prior remarks on protests, raises ICE concerns

Chris Matini spoke during public comment to criticize remarks made earlier by Chair Carrie Geithner regarding protests in Minneapolis and law enforcement. Matini called the chair’s comments "one‑sided" and urged elected officials to present balanced facts to reflect a diverse constituency.

Matini said that many protesters are peaceful and raised allegations about federal immigration enforcement practices: he named Renee Nicole Goode and referenced legal concerns about warrantless detentions and filming arrests. He cited independent reviews and a libertarian think tank’s analysis to state that a substantial share of people detained by ICE have no criminal record.

What happened at the meeting: Matini said the chair had expressed that "our freedom comes from laws" and that such comments appeared to frame protesters uniformly as lawbreakers. "The vast, vast majority of protesters are peaceful," Matini said, and he asked the chair to include a fuller set of facts when commenting publicly.

Context and limits: Matini cited outside sources and recent events as the basis for his remarks; those assertions were disputed or not otherwise addressed in the hearing record. No commissioner action followed the public comment.

Ending: The board moved on after public comment; Matini’s remarks are recorded in the public record of the meeting.