15 Charged In Alleged Antifa Conspiracy To Obstruct Minneapolis ICE Operations
Minnesota federal prosecutors on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, announced indictments charging 15 people with a conspiracy to impede Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minneapolis, U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said.[1]
Rosen said 12 of the 15 defendants were arrested that day, two remain at large and one was already in custody, and he declined to say whether any agents were injured.[1] Prosecutors identified the charged people as part of Direct Action Minnesota, which they say is affiliated with "antifa", and said members used tactics such as stalking ICE agents, throwing blocks of ice at vehicles and setting up blockades.[2]
Prosecutors say the alleged conspiracy began in January 2026, shortly after Operation Metro Surge deployed thousands of agents to the Twin Cities using unmarked SUVs and door-kicking raids that resulted in more than 4,000 arrests.[1] They say the group worked with local Rapid Response Networks to track officers' vehicles and license plates and dispatch members to confront or harass agents; Rosen called those networks "inherently militant." MS NOW
The case comes as the Trump administration has directed agencies to investigate and disrupt "antifa" affiliates, and prosecutors cited a March terrorism conviction in Texas involving alleged antifa-linked defendants as a precedent.[1]
Civil rights groups told MS NOW federal officers wrongfully detained U.S. citizens and lawful residents, including children.[2] MS NOW reported that two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by federal officers and that no charges were filed; Tom Homan ended Operation Metro Surge in February 2026 after bipartisan backlash.[2]
The mainstream summary does not mention the significant rise in violence against ICE officers, with the Department of Homeland Security reporting a staggering 1,347% increase in assaults in 2025 compared to the previous year. This context highlights the heightened tensions surrounding immigration enforcement that may have contributed to the alleged actions of the defendants. Furthermore, the summary overlooks the broader implications of the arrests, particularly how they align with the Trump administration's aggressive stance on immigration and its directives to investigate alleged antifa affiliates, which critics argue may lead to a chilling effect on civil rights activism. The framing of the defendants as part of a militant group also contrasts with civil rights groups' concerns about wrongful detentions and the deaths of U.S. citizens during ICE operations, suggesting a more complex narrative around the motivations and consequences of both the arrests and ICE's actions.[3][4]
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📊 Relevant Data
DHS reported 275 assaults on ICE officers from January 20 to December 31, 2025, compared to 19 during the same period in 2024, representing a 1,347% increase.
ICE and CBP experienced 182 vehicle attacks from January 21, 2025, to January 24, 2026, including a 3,300% increase for ICE compared to the prior year.
DHS Law Enforcement Experienced More Than 180 Vehicle Attacks Since President Trump Took Office — DHS
📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen publicly announced indictments charging 15 people after a monthslong investigation that focused on members and associates of two activist groups he characterized as 'antifa' (Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen).
- Rosen said 12 of the 15 defendants were arrested on Tuesday, two remain at large, and one was already in custody (12 of the 15 defendants).
- Prosecutors say the alleged conspiracy began in January 2026 shortly after Operation Metro Surge deployed thousands of agents to the Twin Cities — using unmarked SUVs and door‑kicking raids — and resulted in more than 4,000 arrests (Operation Metro Surge).
- Prosecutors identify the charged individuals as part of Direct Action Minnesota, which they say is affiliated with antifa and 'infiltrated and exploited lawful protests' to carry out unlawful actions targeting ICE and other law enforcement (Direct Action Minnesota).
- Federal officials allege tactics used included stalking ICE agents, throwing blocks of ice at agents' vehicles, and setting up blockades around federal buildings, though Rosen declined to say whether any agents were injured (stalking ICE agents).
- Authorities say the group worked with community Rapid Response Networks to track ICE officers' vehicles and license plates and dispatch members to harass or confront officers; Rosen characterized those networks as 'inherently militant' (Rapid Response Networks).
- The case is being pursued in the context of a broader Trump administration directive labeling 'antifa' a domestic terror group and ordering federal agencies to investigate, disrupt and dismantle affiliates, and prosecutors pointed to a March terrorism conviction of eight alleged antifa‑linked defendants in Texas as precedent (Trump administration directive).
- Civil rights groups cited by MS NOW allege federal officers wrongfully detained U.S. citizens and lawful residents (including children) during Operation Metro Surge, and the outlet reports that two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by federal officers without charges filed; after bipartisan backlash, border czar Tom Homan announced the end of Operation Metro Surge in February 2026 (Renee Good and Alex Pretti).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, MS NOW reported that the 15 charged individuals are part of a group known as Direct Action Minnesota, which prosecutors say is affiliated with antifa.
- U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen alleged that Direct Action Minnesota 'infiltrated and exploited lawful protests' around Operation Metro Surge to more efficiently carry out unlawful actions targeting ICE and other law enforcement.
- The article details that the group allegedly worked with community 'Rapid Response Networks' to track ICE officers' vehicles and license plates and then dispatch members to harass or confront officers and impede official duties.
- Rosen characterized these Rapid Response Networks as 'inherently militant,' expanding on earlier descriptions of their role in coordinating responses to ICE operations.
- The piece adds broader context that Operation Metro Surge deployed thousands of federal officers to Minneapolis starting in January 2026, over the objections of state and local officials who accused agents of causing chaos and conducting unwarranted home invasions.
- Civil rights groups cited in the article allege that federal officers wrongfully detained U.S. citizens and lawful residents, including children, during the operation and that two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by federal officers without any charges filed against the officers involved.
- The article notes that after bipartisan backlash, border czar Tom Homan announced the end of Operation Metro Surge in February 2026.
- On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen publicly announced the indictments and said the monthslong investigation focused on members and associates of two activist groups he characterized as 'antifa'.
- Rosen stated that 12 of the 15 defendants were arrested Tuesday, two remain at large, and one was already in custody.
- The article details alleged tactics including stalking ICE agents, throwing blocks of ice at their vehicles, and setting up blockades around federal buildings, and notes Rosen declined to say whether any agents were injured.
- Prosecutors say the alleged conspiracy began in January 2026, shortly after the Trump administration launched Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota in response to reported fraud in the state's Somali community.
- Federal officials say Operation Metro Surge brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities area, involved unmarked SUVs and door-kicking raids near homes and schools, and resulted in more than 4,000 arrests.
- The piece links the case to a broader Trump administration directive labeling 'antifa' a domestic terror group and ordering federal agencies to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle affiliates and funders, and notes a March terrorism conviction of eight alleged antifa-linked defendants in Texas as a precedent.