Authorities arrested more than two dozen additional people for their alleged participation in an anti-ICE mob that stormed a Minnesota church service last month. 
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that 26 more people had been arrested over the incident at Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18, where dozens of people showed up and screamed at congregants during a Sunday morning worship service over accusations that one of the pastors on staff worked for ICE. The protest was streamed live by former CNN host Don Lemon, who claimed he was engaging in independent journalism. 
Multiple left-wing activists have already been arrested over the protest. A judge on Friday unsealed an indictment charging 30 additional people with conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship. They were also charged with attempting to interfere with congregants exercising their First Amendment rights. 
“At my direction, federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, with more to come throughout the day,” Bondi said on X. “YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP. If you do so, you cannot hide from us — we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you. This Department of Justice STANDS for Christians and all Americans of faith.”
Those charged included Aziza Mohammed Aboud, Max Richard Adamson, Michael Walker Beute, Ezra Chaim Pye Blumenfeld, Shane Ryan Bollman, Kelly Ann Carey, Monique Cassandra Cullars-Doty, Tiffany Lynn Dunlap, Andrew Jared Edwards, Rachel Rose Goligoski, Amelia Cristin Hansa, Ariel Hauptman, Krista Erin Hogan, Heather Danae Lewis, Danielle Andrea Matthias, Catie Anne Michaelson, Eric Ryan Michaelson, David Anthony Okar, Jarmel James Perry, Cheryl Ann Persigehl, Emmar Monike Pineda-Moreno, Spencer Michael Rodriguez-Bocanegra, Katherine Elizabeth Shaw, Satara Diann Strong Allen, Charles Lee Swenson, Robyn Elise Swenson, Thomas Matthew Tier, Lee Elizabeth Wiedeman Tuggle, John Donald Vergin, and Mark David Weinfurter.
The indictment alleges that two of the defendants, Chauntyll Louisa Allen and Satara Diann Strong Allen, “conducted reconnaissance” around the church on January 17, took video of the area, and made preparations for the next day’s takeover. 
The indictment says that another defendant, Nekima Levy Armstrong, &#8220;interrupted the service with loud declarations about the church harboring a “Director of ICE” and indicating that the time for Judgement had come, and other defendants joined in by yelling and blowing whistles in a takeover attack on the Church, all of which quickly caused the situation in the Church to become chaotic, menacing, and traumatizing to Church members.” 
Another defendant, William Scott Kelly, told young kids at the church that their parents were Nazis, according to the indictment. “Do you know your parents are Nazis? They’re going to burn in hell,” he said, prosecutors allege. 
The indictment said that Lemon, who was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/don-lemon-arrested-by-feds-for-role-in-minneapolis-church-protest">arrested</a> last month over his participation, positioned himself in front of one of the church’s exit doors and “physically obstructed” congregants from leaving to ask them questions about immigration policy.

Don Lemon, Nekima Levy-Armstrong

Bondi Charges Dozens In Church Takeover And Signals What Comes Next

Dozens More Arrested For Storming Minnesota Church: 'You Cannot Attack A House Of Worship'

Department of Justice

Don Lemon

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Minnesota

Pam Bondi

St. Paul

The federal government&#8217;s presence in Minnesota may be winding down, but leftist activists are mobilizing to the Twin Cities for a week of harassing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, calling for the abolition of prisons, and eating at Mexican restaurants. 
Documents <a href="https://defendinged.org/investigations/a-minnesota-melt-the-ice-week-of-action-includes-a-scheduled-student-walkout-and-sit-in-school-patrols-and-a-training-session-on-sanctuary-schools-facilitated-by-rank-and-file-members/">reviewed</a> by The Daily Wire show the detailed coordination and planning that goes into a week of anti-law enforcement protests collectively called “Bring the Heat! Melt the ICE!.&#8221; From February 25 to March 1, anti-ICE organizers are demonstrating at the state capitol, at hotels where federal agents are staying, and hosting training sessions at local churches. 
“For months now, the Twin Cities have been at the forefront of a struggle against ICE in this country,” a <a href="https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Week-of-Action-Welcome.pdf">welcome packet</a> for the week of protest, originally obtained by Defending Education, said. “The stakes have been high, and many strategic and tactical innovations quickly developed here. Such experiments have been promising, but there&#8217;s a long journey ahead of us on the road to abolishing ICE, and we&#8217;re just getting started.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-1050391 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1.png" alt="" width="1995" height="772" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1.png 1995w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1-300x116.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1-1024x396.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1-768x297.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.56.35-AM-1-1536x594.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1995px) 100vw, 1995px" /></div>
The activists demand the removal of ICE from Minnesota, the release of “our abducted neighbors,” and closure of &#8220;detention camps,” a statewide eviction moratorium, the dropping of charges against protesters who harassed or assaulted ICE officers, amnesty for illegal immigrants, and the abolishment of ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and prisons. 
The protest comes after border czar Tom Homan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homan-strikes-deal-in-minnesota-yanks-hundreds-of-immigration-officers">announced</a> a massive drawdown of federal officers in Minnesota. Homan said he had reached a deal with local officials to get more cooperation for ICE officers seeking to arrest illegal aliens. 
One of the activities being planned for the week is protesting at hotels where ICE agents are staying. 
“Grab some friends, noisemakers, and head to a hotel that houses ICE on this list,” a <a href="https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2-23_WOA_Schedule.pdf">calendar</a> of planned actions says. “There is no big public noise demo—these are autonomous and decentralized. Please go to the training or check out this guide if you need support hosting one with your affinity group.”
<div id="attachment_1050343" style="width: 1430px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1050343" class="wp-image-1050343 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM.png" alt="" width="1420" height="430" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM.png 1420w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM-300x91.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM-1024x310.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.22.54-AM-768x233.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1420px) 100vw, 1420px" />Defending Education.</div>
Defending Education also obtained a spreadsheet showing hotels that were options for protests, which are being organized by the Sunrise Movement.
<div id="attachment_1050345" style="width: 2135px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1050345" class="size-full wp-image-1050345" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM.png" alt="" width="2125" height="803" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM.png 2125w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-300x113.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-1024x387.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-768x290.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-1536x580.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-10.23.47-AM-2048x774.png 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2125px) 100vw, 2125px" />Defending Education.</div>
Multiple anti-ICE protests are also planned at the state capitol building on Thursday and Friday, including a student walkout and sit-in organized by “Twin Cities student organizers,” according to the calendar. 
In the welcome packet, protesters are not instructed to obey the law, but just not document an illegal activity they engage in or witness. 
“In the event that somebody around you is engaging in illegal activity, do not take photos or videos of that, unless it is to record an interaction with law enforcement,” organizers said. “Don&#8217;t write in incriminating ways about illegal activity you observe or participate in.”
<div id="attachment_1050423" style="width: 1440px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1050423" class="size-full wp-image-1050423" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM.png" alt="" width="1430" height="366" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM.png 1430w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM-300x77.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM-1024x262.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-26-at-9.53.42-AM-768x197.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1430px) 100vw, 1430px" />Defending Education.</div>
Activists showing up for the week of action will also have the opportunity to join “school patrols” to drive around looking for ICE agents. 
“In Minneapolis, ICE incidents occurred at or within two blocks of public schools every single day for 6 weeks straight. We responded by running about 3000 patrol shifts per week, and that doesn’t even include private schools, charter schools or day cares,” the calendar says. 
The calendar and welcome documents reveal the scope of planning and professional coordination that go into these large-scale protests and the participation of churches and local teachers. 
For example, a Thursday training hosted by Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church is on creating “sanctuary schools.” The training was hosted by activist group Take Action MN. According to the group, they have a presence at “hundreds” of school districts. 
“Sanctuary school teams are a combination of educators and caregivers who do daily protective presence and rapid response around schools, coordinate mutual aid (rides, food relief, rent relief, legal support) and organize together for longer term demands like returning Sanctuary status to schools and abolishing ICE,” the calendar says. “Come learn from caregivers and organizers about how we started these teams and have grown them at hundreds of schools in districts across the state.”
The Minnesota Federation of Educators is set to host a training at the First Universalist Church focused on organizing “our schools to be bases of the working class.”
Erika Sanzi, the senior director of communications at Defending Education, told The Daily Wire that educators&#8217; involvement in these protests reveals how leftist ideology has infiltrated the education system. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s high time that people come to terms with the fact that the call is coming from inside the house. Groups of radicals and revolutionaries that have always agitated on the fringe are now becoming embedded in the K-12 ecosystem by way of teachers&#8217; unions, student unions and even teacher training programs,” she said.  
“The sooner the public accepts that these protests and walkouts are highly coordinated by outside actors, the sooner we can put a stop to it or at least drastically reduce it in our public schools,” she added. 
Other groups participating in the protests include Spring House Ministries, the Red Pine Revolutionary Collective, Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America, and Indigenous Roots. 
Activists will get free food from the group Seeds of Peace. Many will stay in other people’s homes for the week of protest. 
“Eat First. Then Smash the State,” the welcome packet said, noting that Muslims participating in Ramadan will be given priority for dinner meals. 
Organizers led by the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America are <a href="https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Twin-Cities-DSA-%E2%80%94-Donate-via-ActBlue.pdf">fundraising</a> on Democrat platform ActBlue for food, training, and lodging. 
Other tips from organizers include asking other people their pronouns, using Signal to communicate, and supporting a variety of Mexican restaurants located in St. Paul and Minneapolis. They also warn participants about “right-wing” influencers becoming embedded in their communication systems. 
“We also know that Minneapolis&#8217;s rapid response systems have already been infiltrated by right-wing influencers and government agents,” the welcome packet said. 
Activists are also encouraged to make pilgrimages to the location where convicted felon George Floyd died during an encounter with police, as well as the spot where Renée Nicole Good was shot after attempting to hit an ICE agent with her car.
“As resistance grows, so does our collective grief about those we have loved and lost in the struggle for liberation,&#8221; the welcome packet reads. &#8220;We ask that if you choose to visit these sites, please do so with respect and reverence.&#8221;

Protest For Immigrants And Against ICE In Minneapolis

‘Eat First. Then Smash The State.’ Inside The Anti-ICE Weeklong Plan

Illegal Immigation

Minneapolis

Vice President JD Vance announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration would withhold nearly $260 million in Medicaid funding for the Democrat-controlled Minnesota state government following the state&#8217;s massive fraud scandal.
Vance, who was tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the administration&#8217;s anti-fraud crackdown during the State of the Union address on Tuesday night, said that Minnesota must prove that it &#8220;takes its obligation seriously to be good stewards of the American people&#8217;s tax money.&#8221; According to Vance, the Trump administration is withholding reimbursements for Medicaid services that Minnesota already paid for out of the state budget.
&#8220;What this means is that first of all, the providers on the ground in Minnesota have actually already been paid,&#8221; Vance said at a press conference alongside Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services. &#8220;What we&#8217;re doing is we&#8217;re stopping the federal payments that will go to the state government until the state government takes its obligations seriously to stop the fraud that&#8217;s being perpetrated against the American taxpayer.&#8221;
Minnesota state leaders, including Democratic Governor Tim Walz, were informed of the Trump administration&#8217;s move, according to Oz, who said the federal government will hold the Medicaid payments until Minnesota properly addresses the fraud.
&#8220;If Minnesota fails to clean up the systems, the state will rack up $1 billion of deferred payments this year,&#8221; Oz <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026781835179565155">said</a>.
Oz assured reporters that the Medicaid funding freeze would not &#8220;hurt&#8221; Minnesota residents, since the state&#8217;s budget has a &#8220;rainy-day fund&#8221; to cover the lapse in funding.
&#8220;If providers and beneficiaries are worried about getting their money and services, please call your governor. These are services the governor has already paid for. We are just not reimbursing the state,&#8221; Oz said, adding, &#8220;This is not a problem with the people of Minnesota, it&#8217;s a problem with the leadership of Minnesota and other states who do not take Medicaid preservation seriously.&#8221;
Vance has zeroed in on 14 state programs in Minnesota, which include autism service providers and medical service transports that the administration believes are rife with fraud. The Trump administration is giving Walz 60 days to respond to its letter informing the state government of its freeze on Medicaid funding.
The vice president called out so-called services in Minnesota that have received millions in taxpayer dollars, only to make fraudsters rich. Federal prosecutors recently uncovered a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/federal-jury-finds-feeding-our-future-mastermind-and-co-defendant-guilty-250-million">massive fraud scheme</a> in Minnesota, resulting in dozens of convictions so far.
Minnesota&#8217;s “Feeding Our Future” program received federal funds and claimed to distribute meals to hungry children during the COVID pandemic, but allegedly never did so. The vast majority of those charged in the fraud scheme were of Somali descent.
Vance <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026778961930268688">said</a> on Wednesday that the administration also found that a Minnesota program that was supposed to help kids with autism &#8220;has made a number of people rich, not by providing services to needy children, but by allowing fraudsters to take money that ought by right go to American citizens and to American families.&#8221;
Dr. Oz said at the White House press conference that the new Trump administration effort would be the &#8220;largest anti-fraud effort of its kind&#8221; in the history of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services. Oz said that a fraud scheme in Minnesota pays mothers around $1,000 to falsely enroll their children as autistic and then Medicaid is billed for millions of dollars in &#8220;services that were never rendered.&#8221;
&#8220;These schemes disproportionately involve immigrant communities,&#8221; Oz <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026781360266830026">added</a>. &#8220;They&#8217;re able to organize efforts, and sometimes they don&#8217;t understand what&#8217;s going on. And ultimately, it diverts resources away from kids who truly have autism.&#8221;
Daycare and learning centers linked to Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis area have also come under <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minneapolis-daycare-fraud-has-been-going-on-at-least-a-decade-and-theres-video-to-prove-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scrutiny</a> for suspected fraud after independent journalist Nick Shirley posted a 42-minute video in December that showed him visiting numerous daycares that have received state funding, but don’t appear to be serving any children.

JD Vance

Vance Takes First Major Action As Fraud Czar With Sights Set On Minnesota

Fraud

Medicaid

Mehmet Oz

Tim Walz

Trump Administration

Two heroic off-duty Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers patrolling in Minnesota saved the life of a four-year-old boy who drowned after falling into a hotel pool.
The young boy&#8217;s panicked mother approached the off-duty officers last Friday as they were eating at a restaurant in the Minneapolis suburb of Plymouth hoping they could help save her unresponsive son. The officers jumped to the rescue.
The child had been under water for over five minutes after jumping into the pool to find a toy, the local police department said.
The agents performed CPR on the child for several minutes before paramedics arrived and he eventually regained consciousness.
The Daily Wire obtained a letter the Plymouth Police Department sent to ICE in recognition of their heroic actions, saying the federal officers responded &#8220;without hesitation &#8230; immediately began CPR and activated emergency medical services.&#8221;
&#8220;The child was not breathing and showed no signs of life,&#8221; the letter read.
&#8220;In a situation like this, the first few minutes of emergency aid and quality CPR are critical. Without the quick response and professional actions [of the officers] the outcome of this event would have likely been tragic.&#8221;
The department spoke with one of the officers, who they said humbly &#8220;tried to downplay&#8221; their lifesaving work.
&#8220;On behalf of the Plymouth Police Department, I want to extend our thanks and gratitude for the efforts [of the ICE officers] in saving the life of a 4-year-old boy &#8230; truly excellent work,&#8221; the department said.
The Department of Homeland Security is also praising the officers for their &#8220;heroism and swift action &#8230; to save the life of a sweet, innocent child.&#8221;
“If our agents had not been there and stepped up, this would have been a tragic outcome,” Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told The Daily Wire.
“Because of their training, these two agents were able to save a life. Our agents are the best of the best. Every single day they put their lives on the line to save American lives. President Trump and Secretary Noem will always stand with our law enforcement. If you see a law enforcement officer today, thank them for their service.”
Following two fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents, the Trump administration ended &#8220;Operation Metro Surge,&#8221; which deployed thousands of federal immigration agents to Minnesota to arrest illegal immigrants and investigate fraud.
The drawdown also came after President Donald Trump&#8217;s border czar brokered a deal, securing what he called &#8220;unprecedented cooperation&#8221; from local authorities who previously refused to work with ICE.
ICE still maintains an office in the Twin Cities and continues operations, albeit at a smaller scale.

Swimming pool in hotel, Albany, Georgia, USA

Heroic ICE Agents Save Four-Year-Old Boy From Drowning In Minnesota Pool

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The Trump administration arrested an illegal immigrant who pretended to be a United States citizen to become a corrections officer in Minnesota.
The alleged &#8220;serial immigration fraudster,&#8221; 45-year-old Morris Brown of Liberia, was captured on January 15 after going AWOL from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/serial-immigration-fraudster-working-as-a-minnesota-corrections-officer-arrested" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Federal authorities said the &#8220;serial fraudster was identified as part of the major enforcement operation that targeted suspected immigration fraud in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area last fall,&#8221; and had &#8220;multiple violations of U.S. immigration law, including overstaying his student visa and making false claims to U.S. citizenship.&#8221;
While the Trump administration recently ended its massive immigration sweeps in Minnesota, dubbed &#8220;Operation Metro Surge,&#8221; officials have made clear that they will not pull federal officers investigating fraud from the North Star State.
“Operation Twin Shield continues to deliver results as the Department of Homeland Security relentlessly pursues those who seek to cheat our immigration system,” USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said in a statement Wednesday.
“This alien tried every trick in the book to remain in the United States after losing legal status. We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure he faces justice for his many violations of the law,&#8221; Edlow added.
Brown came into the country in 2014 on a student visa that was &#8220;terminated&#8221; in 2015 after he failed to enroll &#8220;in a full course of study,&#8221; USCIS said.
He also joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2014, despite having no legal immigration status, and went AWOL the next year. He was later apprehended and discharged under other than honorable conditions in 2022.
He applied for a green card under the Liberian Refugee Fairness program in 2020, but was ultimately denied &#8220;due to misrepresentations, including his failure to disclose prior military service and his false claim to U.S. citizenship,&#8221; according to USCIS.
Brown then applied for citizenship &#8220;based on prior military service&#8221; in 2024.
Federal investigators probing allegations of fraud in the Twin Cities looked into Brown&#8217;s citizenship application, finding &#8220;evidence of marriage fraud and prior instances where he falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen in official documents,&#8221; USCIS said.
It was also discovered that he was employed as a corrections officer with the state.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections confirmed that Brown was employed from May 2023 to October 2025, saying that they&#8217;ve provided his employment documents to USCIS, <a href="https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/uscis-former-minnesota-corrections-officer-arrested-in-operation-targeting-immigration-fraud/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to local news outlet KSTP.
The department claimed to have adhered to federal document verification requirements when it hired Brown, the outlet reported.
“If these federal allegations are accurate, this individual engaged in sophisticated efforts to misrepresent their identity, extending well beyond Minnesota. We are grateful to USCIS and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] for their work in investigating and addressing immigration fraud,” Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell said. “We will continue to comply with federal law and work professionally with our federal partners.”
USCIS notified ICE of its findings, resulting in Brown being placed into removal proceedings and facing possible prosecution for his alleged fraud offenses.
Since the Trump administration commenced its mass deportation campaign, federal authorities have discovered several other instances of illegal immigrants working as law enforcement officers.
In early February, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-orleans-police-recruit-turns-out-to-be-illegal-immigrant-fraudster">ICE revealed</a> that officers had arrested an illegal immigrant from Cameroon who was just one week away from graduating from the New Orleans Police Department academy.
In October, federal authorities nabbed Radule Bojovic, an illegal immigrant from Montenegro, who was employed as a police officer with the Hanover Police Department in Illinois.
A judge later granted Bojovic a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-releases-illegal-immigrant-cop-from-ice-custody" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2,500 immigration bond</a>, and the police department has since allowed him to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-cop-previously-nabbed-by-ice-returns-to-work-for-illinois-police-department" target="_blank" rel="noopener">return</a> to work.

Federal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations

‘Serial Fraudster’: Feds Nab Minnesota Corrections Officer Who Lied About U.S. Citizenship

Feds Capture Illegal Immigrant Who Became Minnesota Cop, Went AWOL From National Guard After Lying A

Immigration

Eighth-grade students at a Minnesota middle school were taught in geography class that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents use “tricky &amp; violent tactics,” and were given extra credit for watching a British-produced video on the problem of illegal immigration in the United States.
Materials <a href="https://defendinged.org/incidents/minnesota-eighth-graders-shown-videos-of-ice-arrests-and-alleged-harassment-of-u-s-citizens-principal-says-its-part-of-state-geography-standards/">obtained</a> by Defending Education show that the students at Hermantown Community School were given a highly politicized lesson on illegal immigration and ICE operations. The materials included a PowerPoint that adopted left-wing talking points on immigration and a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UznGbkMcEGw&amp;t=1s">video</a> produced by a British broadcaster on ICE operations in Chicago.
The instruction at the Duluth-area school took place in December 2025 and featured a PowerPoint where students were asked: “In what ways do people think the Ice agents have ‘gone too far’?”
The answer said that ICE agents use “tricky &amp; violent tactics,” that people have died in ICE custody, that agents have not filed “proper paperwork to track arrests,” and wear “masks to hide identities,” according to slides shared with The Daily Wire by Defending Education. 
<div id="attachment_1043893" style="width: 1458px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1043893" class="size-full wp-image-1043893" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.34.27-PM.png" alt="" width="1448" height="282" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.34.27-PM.png 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.34.27-PM-300x58.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.34.27-PM-1024x199.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.34.27-PM-768x150.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1448px) 100vw, 1448px" />Defending Education.</div>
Another slide accused ICE of arresting and harassing “thousands of LEGAL immigrants and 170 U.S. citizens — including being dragged, tackled, beaten, tased.&#8221; A <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QUG8czGScU&amp;t=395s">video</a> linked to in the presenation accused ICE of spying on American citizens. 
<div id="attachment_1044497" style="width: 1555px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1044497" class="size-full wp-image-1044497" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-16-at-10.38.40-AM.png" alt="" width="1545" height="1032" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-16-at-10.38.40-AM.png 1545w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-16-at-10.38.40-AM-300x200.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-16-at-10.38.40-AM-862x576.png 862w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-16-at-10.38.40-AM-768x513.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-16-at-10.38.40-AM-1536x1026.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1545px) 100vw, 1545px" />Defending Education</div>
One slide alleged that detainees were being placed “in overcrowded &amp; inhumane detention centers: super hot or cold, lights on 24/7, solitary confinement in a 2&#215;2 foot box, overflowing toilets, long term shackling &#8230; lacking medical care.” That slide also featured a graphic of a poster claiming the United States was “torturing migrants and asylum seekers.”
<div id="attachment_1043895" style="width: 1420px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1043895" class="size-full wp-image-1043895" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.51.25-PM.png" alt="" width="1410" height="1070" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.51.25-PM.png 1410w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.51.25-PM-300x228.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.51.25-PM-759x576.png 759w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.51.25-PM-768x583.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1410px) 100vw, 1410px" />Defending Education.</div>
Another slide downplayed the crime of illegally crossing into the United States.
“The government said they were going to focus on undocumented CRIMINALS, but they are actually deporting mostly otherwise law-abiding undocumented people,” the slide read.
<div id="attachment_1043897" style="width: 1436px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1043897" class="size-full wp-image-1043897" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.58.14-PM.png" alt="" width="1426" height="1072" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.58.14-PM.png 1426w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.58.14-PM-300x226.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.58.14-PM-766x576.png 766w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-13-at-1.58.14-PM-768x577.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1426px) 100vw, 1426px" />Defending Education.</div>
In an email obtained by Defending Education, Middle School Principal William Wietman said the presentation was in line with state geography guidelines.
“All of our social studies classes have a current events component to them and this information is part of the MN standards in geography,” he wrote.
Nicole Neily, founder and president of Defending Education, told The Daily Wire that the presentation was an example of students being subjected to leftist politics while in the classroom.
&#8220;It&#8217;s bad enough that this biased lesson is replete with falsehoods — but [for] the school principal to defend such garbage truly adds insult to injury,” she said. “Students are being force-fed ideological propaganda during finite lesson time (when they&#8217;re not being encouraged by activist teachers to walk out of their classrooms, that is) and told what to think, rather than how to think. It&#8217;s little wonder that families are fleeing the public education system in droves.”
Students in the class were also given an opportunity to watch a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UznGbkMcEGw&amp;t=1s">19-minute video</a> on their own time for extra credit. The video was produced by the British government-owned broadcaster “Channel 4 News.”
The narrator of the video said that those detained by ICE were denied “due process” and that President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration could “forever” change “America&#8217;s reputation as the land of the free.” He claimed that Trump wasn’t focused on “keeping people out” but “kicking them out instead.”
The British host also claimed that “most people in the U.S. without legal immigration status aren&#8217;t criminals,” ignoring the fact that they broke the law by sneaking into the country.
Another slide linked to a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGS90uRQOpY">video</a> from 2016 called “TRUMP IS WRONG: The USA Is ALREADY Great!” One of the reasons cited was having the “world’s largest immigrant population,” and that this “diversity” meant “we get to eat delicious food.”
Part of the <a href="https://files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/2076/Hcs/a5fc7d2a-bff6-4408-ac9a-7a277cd6dc4b/601_School_District_Curriculum_and_Instruction.pdf?disposition=inline">stated goals</a> of Hermantown Community Schools is to use a curriculum that is “antiracist” and “culturally sustaining.” It defines antiracist as “actively working to identify and eliminate racism in all forms in order to change policies, behaviors, and beliefs that perpetuate racist ideas and actions,” and “culturally sustaining” as integrating the practices of “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities who have been and continue to be harmed and erased through the education system.”

MixCollage-16-Feb-2026-10-40-AM-9724

SEE IT: The Anti-ICE Slideshow Given To A Middle School Geography Class

Education

Illegal Immigration

U.S.

Ex-CNN host Don Lemon pleaded not guilty in a federal court in Minnesota on Friday over his alleged participation in an anti-ICE mob that stormed a St. Paul church last month.
Lemon livestreamed as he accompanied a group of anti-ICE agitators who sat in the Sunday service at Cities Church before loudly interrupting and terrorizing congregants. The video showed Lemon appearing to cover for the group as they met to discuss their plans ahead of time.
Lemon described the operation as a &#8220;secret&#8221; and said, &#8220;[I] can’t tell you what is going to happen, but you’re going to watch it live unfold here on the Don Lemon Show.”
At one point, he said he “turned our camera off of them because they’re giving some critical information here.”
Lemon could also be seen thanking Nekima Levy Armstrong, who is also charged for her alleged role in leading the mob, and kissing her on the cheek. The ex-CNN anchor appeared in court on Friday alongside Armstrong and three other defendants.
Federal authorities arrested Lemon in Los Angeles late last month, charging him with conspiracy to violate the right of religious freedom at a house of worship.
He was also charged with violations of the FACE Act, which prohibits the disruption of worship services. The Biden administration infamously weaponized the FACE Act against peaceful anti-abortion protesters.
Lemon has maintained that his actions during the church-storming incident are protected by the First Amendment since he was there under the guise of being an independent journalist.
He could be heard in his livestream telling multiple parishioners that he was &#8220;not part of the group.”
“I’m just here photographing, I’m a journalist,” he said.
“We’re here just chronicling and reporting. We’re not part of the activist, but we’re here just reporting on them,” he said at another point.
An attorney representing Cities Church said Lemon is not immune from prosecution.
“By pleading not guilty, Don Lemon and other defendants are doubling down on their claim that the press can do whatever they want under the auspices of journalism, while also defending the invasion of a church. This was a coordinated planned operation,&#8221; Renee Carlson, General Counsel for True North Legal, said Friday.
&#8220;The First Amendment does not protect premeditated schemes to violate the sanctity of a sanctuary, disrupt worship services, or intimidate children. There is no ‘press pass’ to trespass on church property or conspire to invade religious worship,&#8221; Carlson said, adding &#8220;It is not ‘journalism’ to accost a pastor who was about to read Scripture to his congregation.&#8221;
During Friday&#8217;s hearing, Abbe Lowell, Lemon’s lead attorney, asked for his client&#8217;s phone back after federal authorities confiscated it during his arrest, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-lemon-cnn-minnesota-church-protest-immigration-4a110d3e097f86b696281b5c36ce3339" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press.
The phone is currently in the hands of the Department of Homeland Security and a search warrant for it is sealed, prosecutors said, adding that it can&#8217;t be returned until a search is completed.
When he exited the church, Lemon acknowledged the terror inflicted upon worshippers as he pointed out a father hugging his distraught child.
“You have to make people uncomfortable in these times. If you see how uncomfortable … and how harsh people are being treated on the streets, you have to be willing to go into places and disrupt and make people uncomfortable. That is what this country is about,” he later said.
Lemon also engaged in a debate with one of the parishioners who accused the ex-CNN host of merely posing &#8220;as a journalist.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/all-the-times-don-lemon-made-the-case-against-himself-in-his-livestream">All The Times Don Lemon Made The Case Against Himself In His Livestream</a>

Journalist Don Lemon Appears In St. Paul Federal Court For Hearing

‘NOT GUILTY’: Don Lemon Has Day In Court, Rejects Charge In Church-Storming Case

Crime

As ex-CNN host Don Lemon livestreamed the storming of a Minnesota church last month, he documented several instances where he appeared to be covering the anti-ICE protesters&#8217; tracks as he accompanied them from start to finish.
Lemon&#8217;s livestream opened with him standing near the group of activists, who he said were &#8220;gearing up for resistance and protest.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
INTENT: The opening to Don Lemon’s insane livestream is an admission of foreknowledge that the group he was in contact with was going to storm a church, based on his prior communications with its leader. <a href="https://t.co/g0GVHB4871">pic.twitter.com/g0GVHB4871</a>
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BonillaJL/status/2013219366574145723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
The group gathered in a parking lot to practice anti-ICE chants.
At that point in his video, Lemon asserted that the operation was &#8220;secret,&#8221; adding, &#8220;[I] can&#8217;t tell you what is going to happen, but you&#8217;re going to watch it live unfold here on the Don Lemon Show.&#8221;
He continued to conceal the group&#8217;s plans, saying that he &#8220;turned our camera off of them because they&#8217;re giving some critical information here.&#8221;
Lemon could also be seen thanking the members of the group, including its ringleader, Nekima Levy Armstrong, who was also later arrested for her alleged role in carrying out the disruption.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨Pam Bondi just announced the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong, the alleged organizer of last weekend&#8217;s Anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul Church.
Here&#8217;s Don Lemon giving her an awkward kiss before it went down.
Could Don be next? <a href="https://t.co/8qiNyrN3Q1">pic.twitter.com/8qiNyrN3Q1</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2014361821537272139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;How are you? Good to see you,&#8221; Lemon said to Armstrong as he leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.
&#8220;We&#8217;re on, we&#8217;re not saying what it is, what&#8217;s going on, but thank you,&#8221; he said.
Lemon was seen entering the church and could be heard sitting in on the service.
The agitators then began their interruption.
He also acknowledged seeing the terror inflicted upon worshippers inside the church.
&#8220;I&#8217;m looking at a young man who&#8217;s in the corner. He&#8217;s frightened. He&#8217;s scared, he&#8217;s crying. People are leaving church,&#8221; he said.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/sJY801wVGQMO36wJ5eGDxQVokwToLzr32?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=ad2da589-22a5-4b28-93de-01ab31664461&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Don%20Lemon%20Stands%20Outside%20Minnesota%20Church&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fb6639645-345f-4255-93b9-9e952fd9e01d.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Outside, Lemon showed a father hugging his distraught child.
&#8220;You have to make people uncomfortable in these times. If you see how uncomfortable &#8230; and how harsh people are being treated on the streets, you have to be willing to go into places and disrupt and make people uncomfortable. That is what this country is about,&#8221; he later said.
He then asked Armstrong for help tracking down the pastor.
“Who is the person that we should talk to? Is there a pastor or something?” Lemon asked as Armstrong pointed toward the pastor, whom she said “might have run away.&#8221;
Lemon was also seen confronting the pastor, asserting, &#8220;Listen, we live in a — there&#8217;s a Constitution and the First Amendment to freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest.&#8221;
&#8220;Don&#8217;t you think that Jesus would be understanding and love these folks?&#8221; Lemon asked the pastor.
The pastor eventually asks him to &#8220;leave.&#8221;
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/heTuMW7dZshN3QGZL1VSHXpiLgBdQ8FL?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=7ca6fb45-f31f-4b8c-84fe-8b669b6e20e4&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Don%20Lemon%20Confronts%20Minnesota%20Pastor&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F773a300c-0de7-4610-8edf-7998b8cf2794.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Lemon was also seen lecturing a worshipper, who accused the group of &#8220;trespassing.&#8221;
He then attempted to challenge another with &#8220;facts,&#8221; asking questions like, &#8220;Did you know that undocumented people and immigrants commit far less crime than American citizens?&#8221;
When the parishioner said &#8220;we&#8217;re done here,&#8221; Lemon continued to push him: &#8220;You won&#8217;t listen, I&#8217;m giving you the facts.&#8221;
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/LsTMRuPylh561O01LJPBpLPc02oxeZ6ELY?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=ef0dc23d-f4a8-4856-b2d7-f2799f3a5cc2&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Don%20Lemon%20Lectures%20Churchgoer&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F151cb151-ac22-4a0b-acdd-1e7d57ad8004.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Lemon was seen standing outside the church, where he continued to push anti-ICE beliefs on the parishioners as they fled.
&#8220;I imagine it&#8217;s uncomfortable and traumatic for the people here &#8230; but that&#8217;s what protesting is about,&#8221; Lemon said.
The man hit back at Lemon, who said the ex-CNN anchor was posing &#8220;as a journalist.&#8221;
After departing the church, Lemon acknowledged allegedly taking part in keeping the group&#8217;s plans under wraps.
&#8220;What I said was going to happen happened. We could not tell you, you know, what it was,&#8221; he said.
Federal authorities arrested Lemon Thursday evening in Los Angeles. He faces charges of conspiracy to violate the right of religious freedom at a house of worship and violations of the FACE Act, a law that, in part, prohibits the disruption of worship services, which the Biden administration infamously weaponized against peaceful anti-abortion protesters.
He has since been released from custody, but continues to fight the charges.
Lemon claimed he was covering the protest as an independent journalist, asserting that his actions are protected by the First Amendment.
During his livestream, he also told multiple parishioners that &#8220;I&#8217;m not part of the group.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m just here photographing, I&#8217;m a journalist,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;We&#8217;re here just chronicling and reporting. We&#8217;re not part of the activist, but we&#8217;re here just reporting on them,&#8221; he said at another point.

Untitled design – 2026-02-02T105537.376

All The Times Don Lemon Made The Case Against Himself In His Livestream

FACE Act

Media

Democrats in Minnesota want the public to believe that ICE Watch groups that impeded federal agents from arresting illegal immigrants forced President Donald Trump to end &#8220;Operation Metro Surge,&#8221; his massive immigration sweeps across the state.
After White House border czar Tom Homan announced the operation would end Thursday, several Democratic officials in the state pushed the narrative that anti-ICE agitators were successful in their efforts and forced the withdrawal.
Notably, Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last month in Minneapolis, was reportedly a member of an ICE watch group. Alex Pretti, the man shot a few weeks later by Border Patrol, was also an anti-ICE activist who was seen on video kicking in a fed&#8217;s taillight before spitting on one of the officers.
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar came out Thursday to credit anti-ICE demonstrators, while also saying the work must continue.
&#8220;Minnesotans stood together, stared down ICE, and never blinked. Our state has shown the world how to protect our democracy and take care of our neighbors,&#8221; Klobuchar said.
She continued: &#8220;ICE withdrawing from Minnesota is just the beginning. We need accountability for the lives lost and the extraordinary abuses of power at the hands of ICE agents, and we must see a complete overhaul of the agency.&#8221;
Most of the 3,000 federal agents deployed to the Twin Cities will soon return home, while the roughly 150 feds who were there before the operation started will remain. Additionally, the agents tasked with investigating fraud cases and others deployed to crack down on anti-ICE agitators will also stay, Homan said.
<div id="attachment_1043563" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1043563" class="wp-image-1043563 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257841937-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257841937-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257841937-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257841937-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257841937.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Several members of the Minneapolis City Council also concurred with Klobuchar.
&#8220;Our community came together and pushed back an occupation of our city by the authoritarian Trump regime. A drawdown of this magnitude is something for our neighbors to be proud of. But we need ICE fully out of our city, not just reduced,&#8221; Aisha Chughtai, a member of the Minneapolis City Council, said.
&#8220;We need to stay organized and vigilant,&#8221; Chughtai said. &#8220;As a community, I hope we keep our arms wrapped around each other. The devastation caused by Operation Metro Surge cannot be quantified. We will need each other on the long road of recovery and healing ahead. Recovery starts with real transparency from all the individuals involved in this agreement. Minnesotans deserve transparency to be able to have accountability.&#8221;
Jason Chavez, Minneapolis City Council Member, called Homan&#8217;s announcement a &#8220;victory,&#8221; led by &#8220;the city&#8217;s residents, whose resilience, strength, and dedication led to the announcement that ‘Operation Metro Surge’ will end soon.&#8221;
&#8220;But we must not stop until ICE is completely abolished, and no more families are separated. I hope you’ll join me in continuing to carry the whistle of resistance, as our work is not done. I am still asking the community to remain cautious and vigilant until we can confirm what this truly means. We are still mourning, demanding justice, and we will never forget,&#8221; Chavez said.
One of the most prominent ICE watch organizations in Minnesota, Defend the 612, also took a victory lap.
“Minnesota is a state where neighbors have chosen to keep our neighbors safe. Minneapolis has become safer because tens of thousands of neighbors united together in common purpose to openly and courageously respond to the violent and immoral ICE surge day after day. At our schools, our hospitals, on our streets, and on our blocks,&#8221; Andrew Fahlstrom, an organizer with the group, said.
&#8220;If violent abductors truly leave town, having failed to intimidate or stop our community, the 612 has shown what it takes to truly become a Sanctuary City, in a Sanctuary State. We are all incredibly proud of what we continue to do together and build together. Nothing will ever stop the people of Minneapolis from protecting our neighbors.”
Homan said the decision to draw down the federal presence in Minnesota was motivated by &#8220;unprecedented&#8221; cooperation from local authorities, who have agreed to hand over illegal immigrants set to be released from jails.
The former ICE chief, however, made clear that the withdrawal doesn&#8217;t mean &#8220;we are backing down from immigration enforcement or mass deportations.&#8221;

Dems Try To Credit ICE Agitators With Ending Trump’s ‘Operation Metro Surge’ In Minnesota

Donald Trump

Tom Homan

ICE officers are leaving Minnesota as “Operation Metro Surge” comes to an end, Department of Homeland Security funding is set to run dry on Saturday, and an “illegal immigrant enclave” in Texas agrees to a $68 million settlement.
It’s Friday, February 13, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Homan Announces End To ‘Operation Metro Surge’</h2>
Border czar Tom Homan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-end-ices-operation-metro-surge-in-minnesota-homan-says">announced</a> the end of “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota on Thursday. 
Homan said he is satisfied with his meetings with local authorities and has sufficient cooperation to conclude the operation, which means officers and agents flown in from across the country will return to their home offices. More police chiefs and sheriffs are apparently on board with honoring ICE detainers, and ICE will be readily available and stationed near jails to pick up inmates, rather than forcing local jurisdictions to hold them longer than necessary. 
Homan added that President Donald Trump greenlit the decision. Homan’s announcement is the big step toward Trump’s softer approach toward interior immigration enforcement after the shooting deaths of two Americans by federal agents in Minneapolis.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Congress Stares Down Another Shutdown</h2>
Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homeland-security-shutdown-likely-as-schumer-accuses-trump-admin-of-thuggery?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Homeland+Security+Shutdown+Likely+As+Schumer+Accuses+Trump+Admin+Of+%E2%80%98Thuggery%E2%80%99">seems</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-will-shut-down-the-department-of-homeland-security-this-week-white-house-says?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Democrats+Will+Shut+Down+The+Department+Of+Homeland+Security+This+Week%2C+White+House+Says">poised</a> to experience a lapse in government funding on Saturday at midnight amid an intense debate on immigration reforms. 
A test vote in the Senate to see if there was enough support to pass another continuing resolution failed on Thursday afternoon. The House has gone home, but members could be asked to return if a deal is reached. 
Democrats have not appeared pleased with the White House&#8217;s counteroffer on immigration reform. Details on that counteroffer are still fairly unclear. Democrats want an end to masking for agents and a change in warrants. Warrants are likely to be the hottest topic among the changes, as shifting from administrative to judicial warrants for many of these arrests could make the process much more difficult.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump DOJ Settles Colony Ridge Suit</h2>
A settlement has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/colony-ridge-agrees-to-pay-68-million-in-penalties-for-illegal-immigrant-haven?author=Brent+Scher&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Colony+Ridge+Agrees+To+Pay+%2468+Million+In+Penalties+For+%E2%80%98Illegal+Immigrant+Haven%E2%80%99">reached</a> in the lawsuit against Colony Ridge, the massive Texas development that became a magnet for illegal immigrants. 
Colony Ridge was hailed by the developers as the fastest-growing development in the whole United States. But it wasn&#8217;t just a big development. The business model that The Daily Wire helped to uncover was that its marketing strategy was aimed exclusively at illegal immigrants, or at least foreign populations. 
Ultimately, the Biden administration sued the developer over loans and the marketing strategy. The Trump administration is now jointly settling this lawsuit with Texas&#8217;s Republican attorney general. The settlement reached lays the groundwork not only to put an end to the scheme but also to provide a major boost to the surrounding communities affected by it. The settlement is $68 million, not payments to anyone, but payments to fix what they created at Colony Ridge.

Border Czar Tom Homan Speaks In Minneapolis During Operation Metro Surge

Morning Brief: ICE Backs Down In Minnesota, A Shutdown Looms, & Colony Ridge Agrees To $68M Settlement

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The end is near for the Trump administration&#8217;s &#8220;Operation Metro Surge&#8221; in Minnesota.
After more than 4,000 arrests, many of the thousands of ICE and Border Patrol personnel sent to the Twin Cities from other areas of the country will soon return to their home offices, White House border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday.
Homan came to the decision with the support of President Donald Trump after seeing &#8220;success&#8221; with the operation, which has led to a significant drop in criminal illegal immigrants roaming the streets, &#8220;unprecedented levels of coordination&#8221; from local officials, and a decrease in anti-ICE agitator activity, he said. It also resulted in federal authorities tracking down 3,364 missing migrant kids who previously crossed the border alone.
&#8220;I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that the surge operation conclude,&#8221; Homan said during a press conference in Minneapolis.
But it doesn&#8217;t mean the Trump administration is backing down from its goal of carrying out a historic mass deportation campaign, he said. It also doesn&#8217;t mean ICE is leaving for good.
&#8220;A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue through the next week,&#8221; Homan said. &#8220;We have a lot of work to do across this country to remove public safety risks who shouldn&#8217;t even be in this country and to deliver on President Trump&#8217;s promise for strong border security and mass deportation. Law enforcement officers drawn down from this operation will either return to the duty station or be assigned elsewhere to achieve just that.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
BREAKING: HOMAN announces that he and Trump have agreed to end ICE&#8217;s &#8216;Operation Metro Surge&#8217; In Minnesota
ICE will still have a &#8220;footprint&#8221; in the Twin Cities that will include teams to prioritize arresting criminal illegal immigrants and violent agitators <a href="https://t.co/DOzHmoXbJk">pic.twitter.com/DOzHmoXbJk</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2021954564791140736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;For those who say we are backing down from immigration enforcement or mass deportations, you are simply wrong, look at the data,&#8221; he said.
While the drawdown continues, &#8220;a small footprint of personnel will remain&#8221; temporarily &#8220;to close out and transition full command and control back to the&#8221; local ICE office. That includes teams deployed to quell street violence and agents investigating fraud.
Homan also said he&#8217;s directed the &#8220;strategic&#8221; placement of officers near local jails in Minnesota to ensure they&#8217;re able to swiftly receive illegal immigrants that local authorities must release.
&#8220;Federal government personnel assigned to conduct criminal investigations into the agitators, as well as the personnel assigned for the fraud investigations, will remain in place until the work is done. I will also remain on the ground for a little longer to oversee the drawdown of this operation and ensure its success,&#8221; Homan said.
Trump sent Homan to Minneapolis last month to assume control over the operation, replacing Border Patrol&#8217;s Gregory Bovino. Bovino was known for his showy operations, where he waltzed around the Twin Cities flanked by burly federal agents and conducted aggressive roving patrols.
Homan came in and changed all of that, instructing federal agents to prioritize hardened criminals before nabbing anyone whose sole crime is being in the country illegally. The former ICE chief, however, made clear from the start that it didn&#8217;t mean that illegal immigrants without rap sheets were off the table.
Homan passionately emphasized that point during Thursday&#8217;s presser.
&#8220;I hear all the hate about you should arrest everybody. We are, but we&#8217;re prioritizing those who are the biggest threat to our community, the rapist, the murderers, the child molesters. That’s the right thing to do, but I’ll say it again. Present Trump made a promise of mass deportation, and that’s what this country’s gonna get,&#8221; Homan said.
&#8220;If you&#8217;re in this country illegally, you&#8217;re not off the table,&#8221; he said.

Border Czar Tom Homan Speaks To The Press In Minneapolis

Trump To End ICE’s ‘Operation Metro Surge’ In Minnesota, Homan Says

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