ICE takedown at St. Paul gas station sparks protest fury; DHS issues defense
Video footage shows federal agents detaining a man at a St. Paul gas station; DHS says the man was from Honduras with a final order of removal issued in 2020 and that Border Patrol broke the vehicle window and arrested him only after “multiple warnings and several minutes” as a crowd formed. The takedown sparked protests and a Maple Grove High School walkout, and DHS says a U.S. citizen in the crowd refused lawful orders, hit an officer and was arrested — a claim that contradicts protesters’ accounts circulating online.
📌 Key Facts
- The incident took place at the Snelling & Portland Speedway gas station in St. Paul.
- DHS says the man arrested was from Honduras and had a final order of removal issued in 2020.
- According to DHS, Border Patrol agents broke a vehicle window and arrested the man only after "multiple warnings and several minutes" as a crowd formed.
- DHS says a U.S. citizen in the crowd refused lawful orders, struck an officer and was arrested — a claim DHS says directly contradicts protesters’ accounts circulating online.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2025, there were 16 shootings involving ICE agents, contributing to a deadlier year for immigration enforcement compared to 2020.
US immigration agents linked to 16 shootings under Trump’s crackdown — The Guardian
DHS reported a more than 1,300% increase in assaults on ICE officers from 19 in 2024 to 275 in 2025, but independent analyses of court records show only a 25% rise in charges of assault on federal officers in 2025 compared to 2024, with few serious injuries.
Claims of huge rise in assaults against ICE drive responses, but aren’t seen in available data — CPR News
As of December 2025, 85 of the 98 defendants in Minnesota fraud scandals are Somali-American, representing an overrepresentation given that Somalis make up about 2% of Minnesota's population (approximately 107,000 residents).
2020s Minnesota fraud scandals — Wikipedia
In the Feeding Our Future fraud case, approximately 89% of those charged are Somali Americans.
Fact Check Team: Exploring the billions of alleged fraud in Minnesota — KOMO News
Somali overrepresentation in Minnesota fraud cases is linked to the community's establishment of businesses and nonprofits relying on taxpayer-funded programs, combined with the need to send remittances to extended family in Somalia where annual per capita GDP is about $600, and vulnerabilities in Minnesota's public programs that do not adequately guard against organized fraud.
A Somali-American former investigator: why you're hearing about fraud in my community — Minnesota Reformer
The state agency overseeing the child nutrition program was reportedly stymied by accusations of racial discrimination from Feeding Our Future, which primarily served minority communities, when officials scrutinized the group during the COVID-19 period.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- DHS says the man arrested at the Snelling & Portland Speedway was from Honduras and had a final order of removal issued in 2020.
- According to DHS, Border Patrol agents broke the vehicle window and arrested the man only after 'multiple warnings and several minutes' as a crowd formed.
- DHS claims a U.S. citizen in the crowd refused lawful orders, hit an officer, and was arrested — directly contradicting protesters’ accounts circulating online.