AP photographer captures the emotion of an immigration raid by focusing on the affected, not the officers
ADDS IDENTIFICATION: Teyana Gibson Brown, second from right, wife of Garrison Gibson, reacts after a federal immigration officer used a battering ram to break down a door before arresting Garrison Gibson, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — John Locher has been a staff photographer for The Associated Press in Las Vegas since 2014.
Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.
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Why this photo?
Whenever I’m asked to help with coverage of major news events, my first thought is to the people who are impacted. As journalists we want to tell the whole story, and an important part of that are the people affected and the emotional toll taken on them. So, when in the course of photographing this immigration raid, as soon as Teyana Gibson Brown came to the door and reacted to the armed federal officers, I immediately moved my focus to her.
How I made this photo
This photo was made while covering an immigration raid - which are difficult to find. In this case videographer Mark Vancleave and I had information that some federal enforcement officers were parked outside a home in the outskirts of Minneapolis. As we arrived, activists were banging on drums, blowing whistles and honking car horns in an attempt to disrupt the operation and warn neighbors. We jumped out of our car and started covering the scene. I continued to take photos as more officers arrived and used a battering ram to break in the door, leading to this scene where Brown came to the door to confront the officers.
Why this photo works
It works because it’s not just another anonymous ICE officer. The emotion of Teyana Gibson Brown, whose husband was the target of the raid, makes the raid immediate and personal rather than abstract.
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