Augsburg says masked ICE agents targeted student
Augsburg University says masked ICE agents targeted a student on campus. DHS/ICE disputes that account, saying an Augsburg administrator and campus security tried to obstruct officers who identified themselves and had a warrant, that agents used “minimum” force to clear vehicles, and that the person arrested is unlawfully in the U.S., a registered sex offender with a prior DWI (not independently confirmed), Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, also citing a reported 1,050% increase in assaults on officers during such arrests.
📌 Key Facts
- DHS/ICE says an Augsburg University administrator and campus security attempted to obstruct ICE agents by blocking vehicles during an arrest (FOX 9, 2025-12-09).
- DHS says agents informed the administrator they had a warrant and warned that blocking the vehicle would constitute obstruction; agents then used what they described as "minimum" force to clear the area (FOX 9, 2025-12-09).
- DHS claims the person arrested is in the U.S. unlawfully and is a registered sex offender with a prior DWI arrest; FOX 9 notes it has not independently confirmed the DWI or sex‑offender status (FOX 9, 2025-12-09).
- Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued the DHS statement about the incident (FOX 9, 2025-12-09).
- McLaughlin's statement cited a reported 1,050% increase in assaults on officers during such arrests, a statistic DHS used in framing the agents' actions (FOX 9, 2025-12-09).
📊 Relevant Data
In Minnesota, Black individuals constitute 21.5% of the 19,821 active registered predatory offenders, while making up approximately 7% of the state's population; White individuals constitute 66.8%, while making up about 78% of the population.
Predatory Offender Registry data — Minnesota Department of Public Safety
In 2024, Black individuals accounted for 27.5% of the 113,166 total arrests in Minnesota, while comprising about 7% of the population; White individuals accounted for 50.5%, while comprising about 78% of the population.
2024 BCA Uniform Crime Report — Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Violent crime in Minneapolis's Cedar Riverside neighborhood, which has a large Somali population, increased by 56% between 2010 and 2018.
Tim Walz opened Minnesota's door to Somali immigrants as gangs became more prevalent — Fox News
Minnesota accounts for 25% of all ISIS recruits in the United States, with many from the Somali community.
Tim Walz opened Minnesota's door to Somali immigrants as gangs became more prevalent — Fox News
📰 Sources (2)
- DHS/ICE provided its account alleging an Augsburg administrator and campus security attempted to obstruct agents by blocking vehicles during the arrest.
- DHS says agents informed the administrator they had a warrant and warned that blocking the vehicle would constitute obstruction; officers then used "minimum" force to clear the area.
- DHS claims the person arrested is in the U.S. unlawfully, is a registered sex offender, and has a prior DWI arrest; FOX 9 notes it has not independently confirmed the DWI or sex‑offender status.
- Named DHS official: Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued the statement and cited a reported 1050% increase in assaults on officers during such arrests.