Border Patrol agent caught on video kneeing man in face in Minneapolis arrest
Bystander video published by the Minnesota Reformer shows a U.S. Border Patrol agent driving his knee into a man’s face while several other armed agents hold him prone on a Minneapolis street during the current federal immigration surge. The clip, shot in a residential area of the city, captures agents swarming the man, forcing him to the ground and, even after he appears pinned and not actively resisting, one officer repeatedly striking his head/face area with a knee. The article situates the incident within Operation Metro Surge and the broader deployment of hundreds of ICE and Border Patrol personnel to the Twin Cities, noting that DHS has framed the effort as targeting 'worst of the worst' offenders while local residents and advocates say the tactics are indiscriminate and brutal. It also reports on DHS/Border Patrol’s response or non‑response to questions about the use of force and includes reaction from community members who view the video as evidence that things are spiraling beyond control. The incident adds another on‑camera example of aggressive federal tactics in Minneapolis just weeks after the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good, increasing pressure on city officials and in pending lawsuits over the surge.
📌 Key Facts
- A bystander video in Minneapolis shows a Border Patrol agent kneeing a prone man in the face while other agents hold him down during an arrest.
- The incident occurred on a city street during the Trump administration’s ongoing 'Operation Metro Surge,' which has deployed hundreds of additional federal immigration agents to the Twin Cities.
- Community advocates and neighbors interviewed by the Reformer say the video confirms their concerns about excessive force, while federal officials have yet to offer a detailed public justification for the tactics seen on camera.
📊 Relevant Data
Operation Metro Surge is described as the largest immigration enforcement operation ever, deploying 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area to address fraud allegations involving the region's Somali community and arrest criminal aliens.
2,000 federal agents deploying to Minneapolis in immigration crackdown — CBS News
Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the United States, with approximately 86,000 Somali Americans in the state as of 2019-2023, representing about 1.5% of the state's total population of 5.7 million.
Somali population - Cultural communities — Minnesota Compass
In the 2020s Minnesota fraud scandals, 82 out of 92 suspects indicted in related cases were Somali, despite Somalis comprising only about 1.5% of the state's population.
2020s Minnesota fraud scandals — Wikipedia
The total fraud in Minnesota from programs like child care, housing stabilization, and Medicaid is estimated to exceed $9 billion, with significant involvement from the Somali community.
U.S. Attorney: Fraud likely exceeds $9 billion in Minnesota-run Medicaid services — Minnesota Reformer
Somali immigration to Minnesota began in the 1990s as refugees fleeing civil war in Somalia, facilitated by U.S. refugee resettlement programs and voluntary agencies that directed them to areas with job opportunities and affordable housing.
How Minnesota became a hub for Somali immigrants in the U.S. — NPR
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 1,700 use of force incidents in fiscal year 2023, with a sharp decline noted, but specific to Border Patrol, agents in certain sectors used force 3.6 times more often than they were assaulted over the last four fiscal years.
Federal Data Exposes Border Patrol's Extreme Use of Force — Migrant Insider
The surge in immigration enforcement in Minneapolis has led to economic disruptions in Somali communities, with businesses closing and families staying home due to fears of arrests.
As ICE raids target Minnesota Somalis, community hubs fall silent — Sahan Journal
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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