DHS Rejects Minnesota Governor’s Claim That ICE Unlawfully Detained U.S. Citizens

The Department of Homeland Security has denied claims made by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents unlawfully arrested U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

In a response posted on X on Friday, the DHS stated that agents may have been responding to individuals interfering with federal law enforcement operations. The department defended ICE officers, rejecting accusations that agents targeted citizens for merely observing enforcement actions. DHS emphasized that federal officers are authorized to act when operations are obstructed or compromised.

“Secretary Kristi Noem has been clear: if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the DHS wrote in its post.

“Obstructing law enforcement is not protesting; it is a crime. Instead of trying to spread misinformation @GovTimWalz should focus on protecting American lives and thanking the brave men and women of DHS law enforcement who are risking their lives to make communities in his state safer,” the department added.

The response followed a letter Governor Walz, a Democrat and 2024 vice presidential nominee, sent Secretary Noem on Wednesday accusing ICE of unlawful conduct and civil rights violations during enforcement activities in Minneapolis.

Walz pointed to two incidents involving U.S. citizens, arguing they demonstrated a pattern of overreach by federal agents. In one case, Walz described a woman identified as “Sue,” whom he said refused an order to move back from the scene after documenting ICE activity. According to the governor, she was pushed, handcuffed, transported to a federal facility, and held for several hours on an allegation of obstruction.

In a second incident, Walz cited an individual identified as “Mubashir,” whom he stated was chased, tackled, handcuffed, and detained despite repeatedly asserting his U.S. citizenship and offering identification.

Walz characterized both incidents as examples of citizens being detained for exercising their rights and called for an internal review of ICE actions, potential disciplinary measures against agents, and a reassessment of DHS enforcement strategy.

DHS signaled in its X response that the encounters cited by Walz might have involved interference with active law enforcement operations—a situation in which agents are permitted to take action to secure an enforcement scene. Federal officials have repeatedly warned that approaching, obstructing, or refusing lawful orders during enforcement activities can escalate confrontations and place officers and civilians at risk. DHS has said such situations are often mischaracterized after the fact as passive observation.

The department noted a “growing and disturbing trend of agitators and rioters obstructing the arrest of illegal aliens and assaulting our brave law enforcement.” DHS reported that its officers face a more than 1050% increase in assaults and an 8000% increase in death threats. Additionally, DHS stated that ICE agents operate under federal authority and are empowered to detain individuals when necessary to maintain operational security, even if those individuals are later determined to be U.S. citizens.