Federal immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis is under renewed scrutiny after videos surfaced online appearing to show U.S. Border Patrol agents deploying a green smoke-like substance near crowds during a daytime incident.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that its agents used crowd-control measures after being confronted by what officials described as aggressive and obstructive groups interfering with a targeted enforcement operation. DHS provided its response to Newsweek following widespread circulation of the footage.
The incident occurred during “Operation Metro Surge,” an intensified federal immigration enforcement effort in the Twin Cities that has prompted legal challenges, public demonstrations, and sharp political reactions from both sides of the aisle.
Earlier the same day, the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily paused a lower-court ruling that would have restricted federal agents from using tools such as pepper spray or other non-lethal crowd-control measures during protests. The appeals court decision effectively restored long-standing enforcement authority while the case continues.
Tensions in Minneapolis have remained elevated following the January 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent, an incident that sparked protests and calls for increased oversight as federal operations expanded across the region.
Videos posted to social media show federal agents releasing green smoke as crowds gathered in multiple locations. One widely shared clip, reportedly recorded at Mueller Park, shows agents deploying both green and white smoke after individuals followed federal vehicles from a nearby gas station. According to CNN, the footage also appears to show an officer pulling a person away as the situation escalated.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said agents were repeatedly harassed while attempting routine stops during the operation. She stated that groups followed agents to several gas stations, shouted insults, blocked vehicles, threw food, and in one instance spit on an officer. When agents attempted to detain the individual involved, the surrounding crowd allegedly surged toward them, creating unsafe conditions. DHS said crowd-control measures were used to allow agents to safely leave the area.
The Associated Press reported that Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino was recorded on video warning that gas would be deployed moments before releasing a green smoke canister. The footage emerged shortly after the appeals court halted restrictions on federal enforcement actions.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi responded on social media, criticizing the original court ruling and praising the appeals court decision. Bondi said the Department of Justice would continue defending federal officers against what she described as unlawful interference and judicial overreach.
Bovino also addressed the situation earlier in the week, warning that organized agitators were again attempting to intimidate law enforcement in Minneapolis, drawing comparisons to unrest seen in the city in 2020. He emphasized that federal agents have zero tolerance for violence or obstruction.
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar took a sharply different view, arguing that the presence of thousands of ICE and federal agents exceeds the combined size of local metro police departments. She claimed the surge is disrupting public safety efforts and placing added strain on local resources.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Minnesota on Thursday. According to the White House, he will deliver remarks focused on restoring law and order as clashes over immigration enforcement and federal authority continue to dominate the national conversation.
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