Flanagan denies role in alleged anti‑ICE Signal chat
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, now a leading DFL candidate for the U.S. Senate seat Tina Smith is vacating, told FOX 9 it is “ridiculous” to suggest she was part of a Signal group under the alias “Flan Southside” that purportedly tracked ICE agents and coordinated protests and donations during Operation Metro Surge. The claim came from conservative influencer Cam Higby, who posted screenshots he says came from an infiltrated Signal chat that shared ICE vehicle locations, solicited agitators, and directed money to a group called Stand with Minnesota; none of that has yet been independently verified. Flanagan flatly denied being in the chat, said her own work has focused on mutual aid and groceries for families, and argued the story is a distraction from “what is happening in our streets in real time,” pointing to the detainment of U.S. citizens and the killings of Renee Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents. She repeated her view that ICE is operating as a “reckless paramilitary force” and called again for the federal government to pull ICE out of Minnesota, even as she leans into Smith’s endorsement as she seeks a promotion to the Senate. On social media, the Signal allegation is circulating heavily in right‑wing circles, while many Twin Cities progressives are treating it as an obvious smear but amplifying Flanagan’s harder‑line anti‑ICE rhetoric as the political temperature around the surge keeps rising.
📌 Key Facts
- Independent journalist Cam Higby posted screenshots he claims are from an infiltrated Signal group tracking ICE vehicles, coordinating protests and steering donations to 'Stand with Minnesota,' alleging Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan participated under the handle 'Flan Southside.'
- In a FOX 9 interview, Flanagan called the allegation 'ridiculous' and said, 'That’s not me,' adding that she has been focused on mutual aid and groceries for affected families, not clandestine chat groups.
- Flanagan used the interview to again condemn Operation Metro Surge, citing the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and detentions of U.S. citizens, and reiterated her call to 'get ICE out of Minnesota.'
- The story lands as Flanagan campaigns for the U.S. Senate seat Tina Smith is vacating, with Smith already endorsing her, and as ICE tactics in Minneapolis–St. Paul are under intense legal and political fire.
📊 Relevant Data
Operation Metro Surge, initiated in December 2025, has led to the arrest of over 3,000 criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota, targeting individuals with extensive criminal records including gang members from groups like MS-13.
ICE Continues to Remove the Worst of the Worst from Minneapolis — DHS
Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on January 7, 2026, while she was in her car during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis.
Killing of Renée Good — Wikipedia
Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by federal agents on January 24, 2026, with at least 10 shots fired in less than five seconds during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
Killing of Alex Pretti — Wikipedia
Somali immigrants in Minnesota commit crimes at a rate two to five times higher than natives when compared on an apples-to-apples basis, adjusting for demographics like age and gender.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
Immigrants, including groups like Venezuelans, are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born Americans, based on incarceration rates and studies from 2020-2024.
Immigrants less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born — NPR
Migration of Venezuelans to the U.S., including Minnesota, is primarily driven by political instability, economic crises, and U.S. policies like TPS terminations in Venezuela.
Venezuelans in Minnesota shaken after Trump terminates ... — Sahan Journal
Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy through entrepreneurship, workforce participation, and spending power.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
There have been at least 30 shootings by U.S. immigration agents since January 20, 2025, resulting in 8 deaths, marking a significant increase in agent-involved incidents.
List of shootings by U.S. immigration agents in the second Trump administration — Wikipedia
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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