Detained Women Say They Were Forced to Save ICE Agent’s Life During Seizure
In a dramatic and startling turn of events in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, two women who had just been detained by federal immigration agents found themselves acting as first responders when one of their captors suffered a seizure. The detainees, Tippy Amundson and Heather Zemien, were handcuffed in the back of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle when the incident occurred. Their account highlights both a profound moment of human instinct and a troubling lack of medical preparedness among the agents.
The surreal episode unfolded on the afternoon of January 22. Amundson, 39, and Zemien, 55, were being transported toward the Whipple Federal Building when the agent in the front passenger seat began to exhibit distress. He complained of not feeling well, his body started to tilt, and his words dissolved into incoherent sounds. To the women in the back, it was immediately clear what was happening: the man was having a seizure. “To us, it was obvious,” Amundson later recounted. “It wasn’t obvious to them.”
The two agents still in control of the vehicle appeared disoriented and unsure of how to react, prompting the handcuffed women to shout urgent instructions. Amundson, a kindergarten teacher with first-aid and CPR training, immediately recognized the danger that the agent would stop breathing due to his blocked airway. She pleaded with the driver to pull over and to unclip her restraints so she could help.
Once uncuffed, Amundson moved without hesitation. She ran around the vehicle and began maneuvering the seizing agent onto his side, a crucial step to prevent choking. Zemien assisted, and they continued to guide the remaining agents through the emergency, even reminding them to close the car doors so the agent wouldn’t lose body heat. “We had to tell them every step of the way what to do,” Zemien said. By the time emergency medical services finally arrived, the women had been holding the agent steady for several critical minutes.
After the agent was transferred for medical care, the agents put Amundson and Zemien into another vehicle and continued the drive to the federal facility. Amundson reportedly asked if they could just go home, saying, “We just saved his life. Is that cool with you?” An agent responded that it was not. However, once at the Whipple building, an officer in command approached the women. Their legal team and even their state representative were already mobilizing, having been alerted by a message Amundson had managed to send her husband using a voice command during the initial detention. The commanding officer informed the women that they would be released to their counsel and the state representative.
The women’s attorney has since praised their heroic actions. The incident has drawn attention to the ongoing federal immigration enforcement operation, known as “Operation Metro Surge,” in Minnesota. For Amundson and Zemien, the experience highlighted a critical safety issue. “It’s important for people to know how ill-prepared they are,” Amundson stated. They were detained, yet became the first responders, showcasing an extraordinary display of humanity in a situation marked by significant tension and controversy.
