Monday, February 16, 2026-Federal immigration agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are facing intense scrutiny after sworn statements filed in federal court portray a pattern of intimidation against protesters in and around Minneapolis and St. Paul.
According to the filings, civilians monitoring immigration enforcement said ICE officers repeatedly identified, tracked, and drove to the homes of people who had observed or followed their vehicles during protests, often making clear they knew where the critics lived. Several residents report that agents pulled up in unmarked SUVs outside their houses, photographed cars, and in some cases visibly lingered in front of homes, prompting fear and alarm among families.
Nearly 100 sworn statements describe these encounters, alleging that agents didn’t just monitor demonstrators in public spaces but took action that crossed into private life. One protester reported that after trailing what he believed were ICE vehicles, the same agents later arrived outside his suburban home in what he described as an intimidation visit.
Another resident says an unmarked SUV sped toward her car before slowing and shouting her name and address, a moment she interpreted as a threat. These accounts are now part of a civil lawsuit led by civil liberties lawyers asserting that such conduct chilled constitutional rights of free speech and assembly.
The federal government defends its tactics, with a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson saying agents act with reasonable suspicion and only to protect public safety and enforce immigration laws. Critics, including legal experts and advocacy groups, argue that showing up at people’s homes and using identifying information in this way may violate constitutional protections and blur the line between lawful enforcement and retaliation.
As tensions from “Operation Metro Surge” and related protests continue, courts are poised to weigh in on whether these actions overstepped legal authority or constituted unconstitutional intimidation of dissent.
0 Comments