Julian Go, a sociology professor, argues that ICE's tactics in the U.S. reflect an "imperial boomerang." This concept suggests that strategies of control and surveillance developed in colonial territories are later employed against citizens. Go's research points to how methods used in the U.S. military's westward expansion and in the Middle East are now used domestically.

The deployment of ICE agents and surveillance in cities like Minneapolis mirrors practices used in foreign conflicts. Tactics such as chemical irritants, less-lethal munitions, and facial recognition are employed against protesters and immigrants. This mirrors the historical pattern where colonial violence eventually returns to impact the colonizers, a phenomenon dating back to the brutal practices of the British Empire.

Go notes that the U.S. Border Patrol and ICE, though distinct from local police, are also impacted by this. They borrowed tactics from the military's conquest of the West. The former head of ICE operations in several cities, Greg Bovino, previously served abroad in various countries. This history further illustrates the "imperial boomerang."

Ultimately, this analysis raises questions about the militarization of domestic law enforcement. The imperial boomerang highlights the potential for tactics developed in the periphery to erode civil liberties at home. The trend suggests that the methods used at the border and in foreign conflicts will continue to influence how authorities police American cities.