15 charged in Minnesota immigration protest case

June 17, 2026

2–3 minutes

Summary

Federal prosecutors accused 15 people of conspiring to block immigration arrests and deportations in Minnesota.

Why this matters

The case tests the line between protest activity and federal criminal obstruction during a major immigration enforcement operation. It also highlights ongoing conflict between federal authorities and Minnesota officials over the crackdown.

Federal prosecutors charged 15 people Tuesday with impeding the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement in Minnesota, accusing them of conspiring to block arrests and deportations.

At a news conference, U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said the defendants obstructed federal law enforcement by setting up blockades around government buildings, throwing chunks of ice at federal vehicles, and “stalking” agents in Minneapolis.

Rosen said the defendants were part of two groups he described as “antifa.” Asked how the Justice Department defines the term, he said that was “beyond the scope” of the indictment, but added that several defendants had identified themselves that way.

Defense attorney Kevin Riach said his client, Isaac Sant, had no affiliation with antifa, which he called “a boogeyman invented by the far-right.” He said the case was intended “to intimidate people who came out to observe and protest ICE’s numerous violations of the law” and called it “an affront to the First Amendment.”

Rosen said the defendants were part of Direct Action Minnesota, which he described as a left-wing protest coalition that trained members in “surveillance, operational planning and rapid mobilization against law enforcement.”

Prosecutors said the alleged conspiracy began in January, after the administration launched Operation Metro Surge in response to reported fraud in Minnesota’s Somali community. The Department of Homeland Security described it as the largest operation in its history and said it brought thousands of federal agents into the Twin Cities and nearby areas.

The indictment cited Signal messages in which some defendants allegedly discussed using trailers to block federal vehicles and distributing plastic shields to demonstrators. Rosen declined to say whether any agents were injured.

Riach said Sant and several others appeared in federal court in St. Paul on Tuesday and were released without bail.

Outside the courthouse, dozens of protesters clashed with federal agents, who used pepper spray to move the crowd away from the entrance.

Federal prosecutors said Operation Metro Surge led to more than 4,000 arrests. The administration linked the operation to a federal investigation into fraud in Minnesota programs tied to Medicaid. Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized Trump’s deployment of federal officers, while defending the state’s Somali population.

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