The Department of Justice is investigating after a group of activists and ex-CNN host Don Lemon disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday.
Dozens of protesters crowded into Cities Church in St. Paul on Sunday as part of a “clandestine operation” to “disrupt business as usual,” activist leader Nekima Levy-Armstrong told Lemon, who embedded with the protest group. The protest lasted roughly 30 minutes and effectively ended the church service as it drove congregants out.
Lemon interviewed Levy-Armstrong ahead of &#8220;Operation Pullup,&#8221; as the protest was called, and followed agitators to Cities Church, conducting interviews, and, at times, arguing with members of the church and defending the “free speech” of the protesters, comparing the church invasion to the civil rights movement.
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Agitators aren’t just targeting our officers. Now they’re targeting churches, too.
They&#8217;re going from hotel to hotel, church to church, hunting for federal law enforcement who are risking their lives to protect Americans.
Tim Walz and Jacob Frey are responsible for whipping… <a href="https://t.co/O3WQ6Iftfe">https://t.co/O3WQ6Iftfe</a>
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEgov/status/2013011485476208754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Clips from Lemon’s coverage of the protest spread on social media and drew the attention of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Department of Justice&#8217;s Civil Rights Division.
“The [Civil Rights Division] is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers,” Dhillon said in a <a href="https://x.com/aagdhillon/status/2013003168179724426">post</a> on X.
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act, “prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services or to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship,” according to the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/freedom-access-clinic-entrances-places-religious-worship">Justice Department</a>.
Dhillon later suggested that Lemon is a target of the investigation as well, and could be prosecuted for his role in the protest.
“A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service. You are on notice!” Dhillon <a href="https://x.com/AAGDhillon/status/2013044166062936417">said</a>.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also responded to the incident on X:
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President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship.
The Department of Justice has launched a full investigation into the despicable incident that took place earlier today at a church in Minnesota.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/2013075971348332554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The protest was organized and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DToXsEEEVk2/">promoted</a> by the Racial Justice Network and Black Lives Matter Minnesota. Cities Church was targeted by the activists because, Levy-Armstrong claimed, one of its pastors works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“They cannot pretend to be a house of God while harboring someone who is directing ICE agents to wreak havoc upon our community,” Levy-Armstrong told Lemon. “I am a reverend on top of being a lawyer and an activist, so I come here in the power of the almighty God for righteousness, truth, and justice.”
On Lemon’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4ctuhv-cck">stream</a> of the protest, Levy-Armstrong led dozens of protesters into the church during services, crowding the aisle and chanting slogans such as “justice for Renee Good,” “hands up, don’t shoot,” and “ICE out of Minnesota.” As protesters chanted, Lemon monologued about the importance of the First Amendment, speaking out against perceived injustice, and the meaning of protesting.
“This is the beginning of what’s going to happen here. When you violate people’s due process, when you pull people off the street, you start dragging them and hurting them and not abiding by the Constitution – when you start doing all of that, people get upset and angry,” Lemon said as protesters shouted at the assembled church-goers waiting for the chaos to end.
Lemon compared the protest to the civil rights movement and asserted that the protesters’ actions were protected under the Constitution.
“There is nothing in the Constitution that tells you what time you can protest. You can protest at any time. That’s the whole point of it, to disrupt, to make uncomfortable. And that’s what they&#8217;re doing,” Lemon said. “When you see how uncomfortable people, uncomfortably and 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.”
Lemon at one point notes a “young man” in the corner of the church who Lemon says is “scared” and “crying.” The former CNN host turned YouTuber later states, “It’s uncomfortable and traumatic for the people here … but that’s what protesting is about.”
At one point during the protest, Lemon spoke to the church’s lead pastor, Jonathan Parnell. Parnell was not the pastor accused by protesters of working for ICE.
“It’s shameful to interrupt a public gathering of christians in worship,” Parnell told Lemon.
Lemon challenged the pastor, asserting that the Constitution and First Amendment protect the “freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest.”
“We are here to worship. We are here to worship Jesus because that is the hope of these cities, that’s the hope of the world is Jesus Christ, okay?” Parnell responded before leaving the interview soon after.

Don Lemon, Nekima Levy-Armstrong

Anti-ICE Activists Storm Minnesota Church With Don Lemon; DOJ Launches Probe

Department of Justice

Don Lemon

Harmeet Dhillon

Minnesota

Federal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations

LIVE UPDATES: Mayor Claims Unrest About ‘Love’ As Rioters Disrupt Church Service

Donald Trump

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Minneapolis

Tim Walz

Trump Administration

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey claims that what’s happening in his city, as anti-ICE protesters and rioters flood the streets following the Renee Good shooting incident, is all about “love.”
“It&#8217;s important to tell the whole country that this is not just about resistance here in Minneapolis, it&#8217;s about love. We are showing something far more powerful and consequential here, which is love,” Frey said on Sunday during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”
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“This is not just about resistance here in Minneapolis. It’s about love.”
Minneapolis Mayor Frey responds to protests following the deadly ICE shooting of Renee Good. <a href="https://t.co/IKC9tIZvsR">https://t.co/IKC9tIZvsR</a> <a href="https://t.co/zrGrnTEt6d">pic.twitter.com/zrGrnTEt6d</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2012901996240441766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“We are standing up for one another. You&#8217;ve got neighbors helping neighbors. You&#8217;ve got people uniting and coming together in this beautiful way,” he added. “And obviously we&#8217;ve got these threats out there from the federal government that were literally designed to intimidate Minneapolis residents, to intimidate me. But here&#8217;s the thing, we&#8217;re not going to be intimidated. We&#8217;ve got this beautiful city full of extraordinary people. I have never been prouder to be from Minneapolis.”
Video from the Minneapolis riots shows just how much “love” is being spread.
Footage that appeared online on Saturday shows a man being harassed and assaulted for wearing an American flag hoodie.
One of the protesters then tells the man that if he removes his hoodie, he “won’t get hurt.”
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Anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis made a man take off his American flag hoodie that said “Freedom”:
“Take it off and you won’t get hurt!” <a href="https://t.co/YmueZRICnO">pic.twitter.com/YmueZRICnO</a>
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) <a href="https://twitter.com/Julio_Rosas11/status/2012644193408012652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Anti-Islam influencer Jake Lang, who was in Minneapolis on Saturday to “burn a Koran on the steps of Minneapolis city hall,” was violently attacked and beaten by a mob of anti-ICE rioters.
In multiple videos, blood can be seen on his head and neck as he’s chased and harassed.
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🚨 JUST IN: Jake Lang FLEES anti-Islam protest by car in Minneapolis after violent leftists caused his head to bleed and chased him down the street
They attacked the car and tried to get inside
NOT ONE Minneapolis police officer was here.
That was on purpose. <a href="https://t.co/ypn8o03sXS">pic.twitter.com/ypn8o03sXS</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2012607242122490032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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A group of tech engineers were having lunch in Minneapolis when anti-ICE activists confronted them under the misapprehension that they were Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
The activists were blowing whistles and yelling &#8220;get out of our f*cking neighborhood&#8221; and &#8220;if you&#8217;re not with us, you&#8217;re against us.&#8221;
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A group of white male engineers eating at Clancy&#8217;s Deli in Minneapolis were surrounded and accosted by far-left extremists who mobilized to the scene because someone thought the men were ICE agents. This follows a driver being accosted for having an SUV. <a href="https://t.co/rgMEUHe1ZZ">pic.twitter.com/rgMEUHe1ZZ</a>
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2012675305048064330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Riots

Jacob Frey Claims Minneapolis Riots About ‘Love,’ But Videos Tell A More Violent Story

jacob frey

Protests

U.S.

The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers in Alaska to prepare for a possible deployment to Minnesota, the site of large protests against the government&#8217;s deportation drive, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Sunday.
The army placed the units on prepare-to-deploy orders in case violence in the midwestern state escalates, the officials said, though it is not clear whether any of them will be sent.
President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to use the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces if officials in the state do not stop protesters from targeting immigration officials after a surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
But if the troops are deployed, it is unclear whether the Trump administration would invoke the Insurrection Act. Even without invoking the act, a president can deploy active-duty forces for certain domestic purposes such as protecting federal property, which Trump cited as a justification for sending Marines to Los Angeles last year.
In addition to the active-duty forces, the Pentagon could also attempt to deploy newly created National Guard rapid-response forces for civil disturbances.
The Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to requests from Reuters for comment on the order, which was first reported by ABC News.
&#8220;If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT,&#8221; Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
The soldiers subject to deployment specialize in cold-weather operations and are assigned to two U.S. Army infantry battalions under the 11th Airborne Division, which is based in Alaska, the officials said.
Confrontations between residents and federal officers have become increasingly tense in Minneapolis, Minnesota&#8217;s most-populous city, after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good.
Trump, a Republican, has sent nearly 3,000 federal agents from ICE and Border Patrol to Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul since early last week, as part of a wave of interventions, mostly to cities run by Democratic politicians.
He has said troop deployments in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Memphis and Portland, Oregon, are necessary to fight crime and protect federal property and personnel from protesters. But this month he said he was removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, which have faced legal setbacks and challenges.
Local leaders have accused the president of federal overreach and of exaggerating isolated episodes of violence to justify sending in troops.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, against whom the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation, has mobilized the state&#8217;s National Guard to support local law enforcement and emergency management agencies, the state Department of Public Safety posted on X on Saturday.
Trump has repeatedly invoked a scandal around the theft of federal funds intended for social-welfare programs in Minnesota as a rationale for sending in immigration agents. The president and administration officials have singled out the state&#8217;s community of Somali immigrants.
The Insurrection Act is a federal law that gives the president the power to deploy the military or federalize National Guard troops inside the U.S. to quell domestic uprisings.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart in Washington and Chandni Shah in Bengaluru; Editing by Tom Hogue, William Mallard and Matthew Lewis)

Federal Agents Increase Immigration Enforcement In Minneapolis

Pentagon Readies 1,500 Troops For Potential Minnesota Deployment, U.S. Officials Say

Military

A federal judge appointed by former President Joe Biden is tying the hands of ICE agents in Minneapolis as rioting continues to escalate in the liberal city.
Agents are now barred from detaining or using tear gas or other measures against peaceful protesters who aren&#8217;t obstructing operations, according to an <a href="https://www.aclu-mn.org/app/uploads/2025/12/ECF-85-Order-1.16.25.pdf.pdf">order</a> issued by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez on Friday night.
Complicating the already heated operations and riots in the Minneapolis area, Menendez says officers would have to show probable cause or reasonable suspicion that someone has committed a crime or is obstructing law enforcement operations to act. Additionally, the judge specifically noted that following officers &#8220;at an appropriate distance&#8221; is not reason for an officer to take any action.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reacted to the order by stressing that &#8220;rioting&#8221; is not protected by the First Amendment and said DHS will continue to uphold the rule of law and protect their officers and the public.
&#8220;We remind the public that rioting is dangerous—obstructing law enforcement is a federal crime and assaulting law enforcement is a felony,&#8221; McLaughlin said in a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/federal-judge-restricts-ice-agents-amid-ongoing-minneapolis-area-protests-over-fatal-shooting">statement</a>. &#8220;Rioters and terrorists have assaulted law enforcement, launched fireworks at them, slashed the tires of their vehicles, and vandalized federal property. Others have chosen to ignore commands and have attempted to impede law enforcement operations and used their vehicles as weapons against our officers.&#8221;
&#8220;Despite these grave threats and dangerous situations, our law enforcement has followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property,&#8221; she added.
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-ice-agent-fatally-shoots-agitator-as-chaos-erupts-in-minneapolis?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+DOJ+To+Investigate+Walz%2C+Minneapolis+Mayor%2C+For+Impeding+ICE+Agents">The Daily Wire</a>, ICE operations in the liberal city have become subject to heated rioting. Fox News National Correspondent Alexis McAdams, for example, said she&#8217;s observed rioters behaving more like trained operators than spontaneous protesters.
&#8220;This isn’t a protest — it’s an operation. Anti-ICE activists in Minneapolis rapidly track, doxx, and harass anyone they believe is tied to ICE,&#8221; she said, adding, &#8220;They take pics of you, your license plate, &amp; upload to their &#8216;data base.'&#8221;
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This isn’t a protest — it’s an operation. Anti-ICE activists in Minneapolis rapidly track, doxx, and harass anyone they believe is tied to ICE.
They take pics of you, your license plate, &amp; upload to their “data base”.
Follow you, harass you, &amp; try to stop active… <a href="https://t.co/s9m54zSIrW">pic.twitter.com/s9m54zSIrW</a>
— Alexis McAdams (@AlexisMcAdamsTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexisMcAdamsTV/status/2012283463441785271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
Earlier this month, an ICE agent fatally shot a protester named Renee Good after she hit him with her vehicle during operations. DHS says the officer suffered internal bleeding from the incident and acted in self-defense, likely saving other agents, too.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-ice-agent-fatally-shoots-agitator-as-chaos-erupts-in-minneapolis?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+DOJ+To+Investigate+Walz%2C+Minneapolis+Mayor%2C+For+Impeding+ICE+Agents">LIVE UPDATES: DOJ To Investigate Walz, Minneapolis Mayor, For Impeding ICE Agents</a>

TOPSHOT-US-IMMIGRATION-ICE-SHOOTING

Biden Judge Ties ICE’s Hands In Minneapolis As Rioting Escalates

Biden Administration

Courts

Rioters

Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are under federal investigation amid their opposition to the Trump administration&#8217;s massive immigration enforcement operation in the state, a source close to the situation <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2012303116897542265?s=20">confirmed</a> to The Daily Wire.
CBS News first <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-investigating-tim-walz-jacob-frey-minnesota/">reported</a> the details of the investigation, which focuses on allegations that Walz and Frey have interfered with federal immigration operations. A U.S. official told the outlet that the Justice Department is looking into statements that Walz and Frey have made regarding the recent surge in federal law enforcement to Minnesota.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche hinted at the federal government taking action against Walz and Frey, <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2011620198751597028?s=20">saying</a> on Wednesday, &#8220;Minnesota insurrection is a direct result of a FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor encouraging violence against law enforcement. It’s disgusting. Walz and Frey — I’m focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary. This is not a threat. It’s a promise.&#8221;
The DOJ investigation focuses on federal statute, 18 U.S.C. § 372, which addresses two or more people who conspire through &#8220;force, intimidation or threats&#8221; to prevent federal law enforcement officers from carrying out their duties, CBS News reported.
Both the governor and the mayor have made inflammatory statements about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents following the deadly shooting of Renee Good last week. In an address on Wednesday night, Walz urged Minnesotans to follow ICE agents and record their actions to help the state “create a database of the atrocities against Minnesotans” that could be used for “future prosecutions.”
In the hours after Good was shot and killed, Frey told ICE to &#8220;get the f*ck out of Minneapolis.&#8221; Later, Frey said that ICE agents were &#8220;causing chaos&#8221; in Minneapolis and suggested that residents were asking for the city police to &#8220;fight&#8221; ICE agents &#8220;on the streets&#8221; before he urged residents to remain peaceful.
As the Minnesota Democratic leaders have denounced ICE&#8217;s actions, demonstrations in Minneapolis continue, some of which have turned violent. On Wednesday night, a federal agent was ambushed and attacked by three illegal immigrants while attempting to make an arrest, according to the Department of Homeland Security. After the second ICE-involved shooting, demonstrators descended on the scene of the incident and confronted federal officers. Some of the agitators threw fireworks at law enforcement, and the crowd was cleared out of the area with tear gas.
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-to-use-insurrection-act-in-minnesota-if-professional-agitators-are-not-stopped?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Threatens+To+Use+Insurrection+Act+In+Minnesota+If+%E2%80%98Professional+Agitators%E2%80%99+Are+Not+Stopped">threatened</a> to invoke the Insurrection Act on Thursday, blasting &#8220;corrupt politicians in Minnesota,&#8221; who &#8220;don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E.&#8221; On Friday, however, Trump told reporters outside of the White House that he doesn&#8217;t think there&#8217;s &#8220;any reason right now right now&#8221; to use the Insurrection Act.

Jacob Frey/Tim Walz

DOJ Opens Investigation Into Tim Walz, Jacob Frey Over Suspected Conspiracy To Impede Federal Agents

The following is an edited transcript from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1892-breaking-france-prepares-for-war-if-trump-invades-greenland?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Michael Knowles Show</a>.
* * *
Because of the anarchy that has been allowed — and even encouraged — to fester by the Left, there are now liberals walking around Minneapolis stopping random, nice, white dads and demanding that they prove they’re not ICE.
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Liberals protesting ICE thought this man was an ICE agent, so they stopped him to make sure he wasn’t. <a href="https://t.co/17xrVAJLvN">pic.twitter.com/17xrVAJLvN</a>
— Clown World ™ 🤡 (@ClownWorld) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClownWorld/status/2011850681985155112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @ClownWorld/X.com
Watching this, two TV scenes immediately came to mind. The first is from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCrngJCkI8I">Breaking Bad</a>, when Walter White tries to negotiate with the drug dealers who are about to kill his brother-in-law. He thinks he can reason with them. His brother-in-law tells him, “What are you talking about? They made up their mind ten minutes ago.”
The other scene is from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHzw4QvE2Do">It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia</a>, when Frank says, “Yeah, they started coming up to me and I didn’t know what they wanted, so I started blasting.”
I certainly don’t encourage the latter — but those are two very different approaches to the same situation.
The guy in this video seems to think these people are being reasonable. This band of leftists — they’re not black-masked Antifa terrorists. They just look dopey and annoying. Awful, insolent white twenty-somethings.
They demand, “Prove that you’re not ICE.” And he responds, “Okay, all right, I’ll show you the back of my SUV — but I don’t have to do this.” Then he adds, “I appreciate you guys.&#8221; Really? He appreciate them going around to random middle-aged white guys and demanding that they prove they’re not law enforcement?
If they were law enforcement, they would have no right to do this. Actual law enforcement should be arresting these kids just for asking the question, because they’re clearly obstructing law enforcement and criminal investigations.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1892-breaking-france-prepares-for-war-if-trump-invades-greenland?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">WATCH: The Michael Knowles Show</a></h3>
But this — this is what you get when ICE doesn’t enforce the law. This is what you get when state and local authorities refuse to enforce the law. All of a sudden, you have bands of vigilantes going around singling people out.
Why are they singling this guy out? Do they seriously think he’s law enforcement?
No. They’re singling him out based on his race, sex, and age — because they don’t like middle-aged white guys. That’s what’s happening here. And this dope is walking around saying, “All right, listen, I respect what you’re doing. I don’t have to do this, but I respect it. (Please don’t—please don’t gang up on me.)”
Luckily, the group here seems to be just as dopey as he is. They don’t appear to pose much of a threat — at least not in this moment. But we’ve seen these kinds of left-wing gangs commit real violence. And we’ve seen even bourgeois, middle-class white liberals justify that violence — something that shows up clearly in a lot of social-scientific surveys.
That’s what you get.

MixCollage-16-Jan-2026-04-16-PM-7564

Minneapolis Protesters Force Random White Guy To Prove He’s Not ICE

Leftists

Michael Knowles

Protesters

White Men

Minneapolis’ housing plan is facing a fair housing investigation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal government announced on Thursday afternoon.
Specifically, HUD is concerned that aspects of the Minneapolis 2040 plan may violate Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act, according to a press release. The release notes that the plan’s proposal for “cultural districts… where a significant portion of the population is comprised of people of color, Indigenous people, and/or immigrant communities&#8221; could be discriminatory. In addition, the Trump administration is raising red flags about the city&#8217;s emphasis on “people of color” and “indigenous people” for homeownership programs.
“For example, your Community Planning and Economic Development department will prioritize ‘rental housing for Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Immigrant communities’ by ‘leveraging [its] rental licensing authority,’” Craig Trainor, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, wrote in a <a href="https://www.hud.gov/sites/default/files/FHEO/documents/Ltr-from-AsstSecTrainor-to-MayorFrey-Fair-Housing-Act-Investigation_Redacted.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to Mayor Jacob Frey. “That is not going to fly.”
HUD Secretary Scott Turner noted that Minnesota has been under intense scrutiny for fraud allegations and convictions related to government programs, which led Gov. Tim Walz to opt not to seek a third term this November.
“Minnesota is ground zero for fraud and corruption because they have chosen to ignore the law to serve a cynical political agenda. This undermines our American values, united by a common heritage, language, and commitment to equal treatment under law,” Turner said in a statement, adding that his department “will not stand for illegal racial and ethnic preferences that deny Americans their right to equal protection under the law.”
Trainor said that Minnesotans are being “held captive to the riotous impulses of left-wing cultural arsonists.”
“Its largest city, Minneapolis, has fared no better under its clownish mayor, Jacob Frey, whose government may be engaging in unlawful discrimination by prioritizing Minneapolis residents for housing based on race and national origin rather than need. The Trump Administration will ensure Minneapolis fully complies with the Fair Housing Act,” he stated.
In response to the investigation, a city spokesperson told The Daily Wire in a statement that “Minneapolis is proud of its record on housing &#8211; to build a city that is vibrant, safe and inclusive for all. In fact, we have award-winning affordable housing programs, and our work is a model for cities around the country. This investigation appears to be about politics not affordable housing.”
The Trump administration has made efforts to clamp down on federal funding for programs ranging from food stamps to Medicaid unless more accountability measures are enacted. A federal judge halted the food stamp funding pause this week after the state sued, but the case continues, MinnPost reported.
Several individuals are facing federal wire fraud charges for attempting to abuse Minnesota’s Housing Stability Services Program, the DOJ announced in September.

Mayor Jacob Frey

Minneapolis Under Investigation Over Possible Discriminatory Housing Program

Housing

Housing and Urban Development

President Donald Trump weighs military action in Minneapolis, the White House maintains pressure on Iran as Trump ratchets down his rhetoric, and the Senate hears the testimony against mail-order abortion pills.
It’s Friday, January 16, 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;">Trump Threatens Insurrection Act</h2>
As tensions remain high in Minneapolis following another ICE shooting on Wednesday, President Trump is threatening to invoke a centuries-old law. According to the Department of Homeland Security, an agent was attempting to detain an illegal immigrant when the man fled on foot. As the agent caught up to him, two more illegal immigrants <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shame-on-you-white-house-fed-up-with-disrespect-toward-law-enforcement">emerged</a> from a nearby apartment and began attacking him with a snow shovel and broomstick, DHS said. The agent fired a shot in self-defense, striking the first man in the leg. All three men were eventually detained. On Thursday, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-to-use-insurrection-act-in-minnesota-if-professional-agitators-are-not-stopped">threatened</a> to invoke the Insurrection Act unless “the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E.” The 1807 law authorized the president to deploy the military on U.S. soil to suppress an insurrection or violent unrest when the state is unable to do so. It also applies to cases in which a state is unable or unwilling to enforce federal law.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Eases Tensions With Iran, But Military Threat Remains</h2>
President Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-fog-of-trump-how-unpredictability-keeps-iran-guessing">keeps</a> the world on edge with his plans for Iran. On Tuesday, speculation circulated that an American strike against Iran is coming soon. Iran closed its airspace, and reports said some American personnel were evacuating the region. But Trump took a step back, telling reporters that his administration had been informed that the Iranian regime had stayed executions scheduled for Wednesday. Still, reports suggest the United States is moving military assets into the region, and the White House insists that Trump has not ruled out military action. The situation between Washington and Tehran remains tense.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;" data-start="0" data-end="79">Senators Scrutinize Abortion Pill</h2>
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Senators heard testimony this week about the abortion pill, now by far the leading means of abortion in the United States. Particularly at issue is the Biden-era policy that stripped away the requirement that a woman consult with a physician in person before taking the pill, mifepristone. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-lawmakers-ramp-up-pressure-on-trump-admin-to-crack-down-on-abortion-pill">spoke</a> to Morning Wire about a recent congressional hearing on abortion pills. According to Cassidy, Americans need to be better informed about the risks. He also said that lawmakers need to reverse Biden-era rules that allow people to obtain the pills without an in-person interview with a doctor. That change would eliminate cases “in which someone else ordered the abortion pill and forced the pregnant woman to take them,” Cassidy said.

MRN_260116_V1

Morning Brief: Trump Threatens Insurrection Act, Iran On Edge & Senators Scrutinize Abortion Pill

Morning Brief: Trump On Insurrection Act, Tension In Tehran, And Cassidy Talks Abortion Pill

Abortion

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Iran

Mifepristone

Morning Wire

Domestic Terrorists Have Officially Taken Over Minneapolis. Here’s What Needs To Be Done.

Domestic Terrorists Have Officially Taken Over Minneapolis. Here's What Needs To Be Done. 

domestic terrorism

illegal immigrants

Law Enforcement

Matt Walsh

Opinion

Violence

As the Trump administration investigates rampant welfare fraud in Democrat states, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK) wants to toughen the penalties for foreign fraudsters.
Cotton introduced a <a href="https://www.cotton.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/welfare_fraud_deterrence_and_recovery_act.pdf">bill</a> on Thursday that would set mandatory minimums for non-citizens convicted of fraud and allow for automatic deportation for those convicted of fraud. The Trump administration has launched major fraud investigations into states like California and Minnesota, where dozens of Somali migrants have been charged with crimes.
“Migrants who steal Arkansas taxpayer dollars by committing fraud shouldn’t be let off with just a slap on the wrist,” Cotton told The Daily Wire. “My bill will ensure these criminals face harsher consequences.”
Cotton’s &#8220;Welfare Fraud Deterrence and Recovery Act&#8221; would impose a two-year minimum prison sentence for non-citizens or naturalized citizens convicted of stealing federal welfare funds. If the person stole more than $100,000 worth of funds, the sentence would be no less than five years, according to a copy of the proposal shared with The Daily Wire.
Defrauding federal welfare programs would also come with immigration consequences. Foreigners who were denaturalized would be barred from reentry into the United States and foreigners convicted of fraud would be subject to expedited deportation. Cotton’s bill would also make it easier to denaturalize someone convicted of fraud.
Under the bill, a Fraud Recovery Task Force would be established by the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate and prosecute fraud cases.
Cotton’s proposal comes after the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-freezes-welfare-funds-to-five-blue-states-over-fraud-concerns?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Admin+Freezes+Welfare+Funds+To+Five+Blue+States+Over+Fraud+Concerns">froze funding</a> for programs that provide childcare and food assistance in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York as officials probe whether the benefits are being illegally funneled to non-citizens. The specific programs being halted in those states are the Child Care Development Fund, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, and the Social Services Block Grant program.
Last week, Vice President JD Vance announced that a new assistant attorney general position out of the Justice Department would be formed to focus on fraud in Minnesota.
“To make sure that we prosecute the bad guys and do it as swiftly and efficiently as possible … we are creating a new assistant attorney general position who will have nationwide jurisdiction over the issue of fraud,” Vance said at a press briefing. “Now, of course, that person’s efforts will start and focus primarily in Minnesota, but it is going to be a nationwide effort, because unfortunately, the American people have been defrauded in a very nationwide way.”

Congress Is Running Out The Clock On Any Big Moves By Year’s End

Cotton Says Foreign Fraudsters Should Face Swift Deportation As Investigations Escalate

Crime

Fraud

Tom Cotton

Minnesota State Senator Bobby Joe Champion attempted to defend the men who jumped in to assault an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Wednesday, claiming that it was a clear example of Minnesotans pitching in to &#8220;help our neighbors.&#8221;
Champion joined CNN&#8217;s Laura Coates to discuss the scene that unfolded on Wednesday when an ICE agent chased down a suspect who was believed to be Venezuelan, and two others — one of whom was wielding a shovel — joined the suspect in assaulting the agent.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 State Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (D) says last night&#8217;s vicious assault of an ICE agent &#8220;is just an example of Minnesota being a place where we help our neighbors.&#8221;
CNN: If they used weapons to attack the officer, would that change your opinion?
Champion: &#8220;Actually, no.&#8221;
SICK! <a href="https://t.co/eWO8fPJzpl">pic.twitter.com/eWO8fPJzpl</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011811895011917905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;If there were neighbors and others who came out to help this person, that is just an example of Minnesota being a place where we help our neighbors,&#8221; Champion said. &#8220;And we are clear that the ICE agents have been coming here — and there&#8217;s over two thousand of them — and they&#8217;ve been attacking and terrorizing our state.&#8221;
&#8220;So yes, neighbors will come out and be helpful, I&#8217;m not certain if they had brooms or a shovel, that is to be further investigated,&#8221; he added.
Coates pushed back, asking, &#8220;If they did, in fact, have some sort of weapons to use to attack the ICE officer, would that change your opinion of whatever unfolded next?&#8221;
&#8220;Actually, no, right?&#8221; Champion replied. &#8220;Because from our vantage point, we want to make sure, and always want to make sure that Minnesotans are being dealt with properly. And when we think in terms of any pursuit or any apprehension of anyone, there&#8217;s a way for you to do your work where it&#8217;s respectful and it&#8217;s fair.&#8221;
He went on to claim that ICE was not being &#8220;respectful&#8221; or &#8220;fair,&#8221; and asserted that agents were choosing to be &#8220;illegal, and to attack, and to be very aggressive with Minnesotans.&#8221;
Champion concluded by claiming that the federal government was making things worse as more and more agents were surged to the area and allowed to &#8220;misbehave.&#8221;
&#8220;That&#8217;s a tragedy. And a travesty,&#8221; he claimed.

Minnesota Legislature, January 3, 2023, by Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune

‘We Help Our Neighbors’: Minnesota State Lawmaker Tries To Defend Group Attack On ICE Agent

Assault

Media

Politics

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