Things are getting a bit crazy in Minnesota.
We reported how an ICE agent was attacked earlier in the week, federal vehicles were destroyed and damaged, and people even stole weapons out of the vehicles.
Warning for graphic language in the following tweets:
🚨Pics from North Minneapolis last night where rioters destroyed federal vehicles and stole firearms, ammunition and sensitive documents inside. All captured on livestreams. pic.twitter.com/uV3tNYEh70
— Liz Collin (@lizcollin) January 15, 2026
All this isn’t just falling on ICE. As we reported, Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino said civilian vehicles were getting assaulted as well.
#EXCLUSIVE “If they even think you’re law enforcement, then you’re getting it also…” @CMDROpAtLargeCA says “anarchists” are not only vandalizing government vehicles but they’re getting reports form the police that U.S. citizens are being impacted as well. pic.twitter.com/KNTL10a6K2
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) January 17, 2026
READ MORE: Got Him: Arrest Made in Brazen Alleged Theft of FBI Rifle That Happened During MN Anti-ICE Riot (Updated)
Border Patrol Chief Reminds ‘Anarchists’ What Will Determine When Agents Might Leave Minneapolis
But what happened to a group of tech workers at a deli in Minneapolis was pretty wild.
Five software engineers went out to eat at a local deli for a casual lunch, when one of the men got a bit of a surprise as they were eating. The man belonged to an anti-ICE Signal Chat group, and he received a notice from a “rapid response group” that there were ICE members in the restaurant. They thought he and his buddies were ICE. They were all white males dressed in sweatshirts and jackets.
“My friend was shocked,” Lee said. “He’s on the [anti-ICE] side politically. He lives nearby. He’s eaten there before. And suddenly he’s seeing messages saying we’re ICE.”
Lee said the alert was shared among regional anti-ICE networks, drawing dozens of protesters to the restaurant within 15 minutes.
He said when they went out, they were assailed with people insulting them and blowing whistles at them. That’s what the activists do to alert people that ICE is in the neighborhood. One man tried to explain who they were, “We do custom apps for a whole bunch of companies around Minnesota and the country.”
EXCLUSIVE: Tech workers say they were mistaken for ICE agents, accosted by anti-ICE mob
What began as a casual lunch between five Twin Cities software engineers quickly escalated into a frightening encounter after the men were misidentified as undercover federal agents and… pic.twitter.com/aca4QUb8mF
— Alpha News (@AlphaNews) January 17, 2026
The crowd appears unconvinced, prompting one of the men to ask, “Do I look like an ICE agent?” to which a woman responds, “Yeah, you look like a f-cking ICE agent.”
Someone else yells, “get the f-ck out” as whistles blow.
“This is what’s wrong with your guys’ cause,” the man says.
A woman asks, “Would you support [us]?”
The man answers, “The way you guys are acting? No. And I don’t support ICE either,” adding, “I’m just trying to enjoy my lunch!”
“If you’re not with us then you’re against us,” the woman responds.
This is crazy and needs to stop. They talk about ICE wanting “papers” – what are they doing here but harassing people they think are ICE and asking for ideological adherence with their views. Sounds like a struggle session. And aren’t they profiling people by how they look?
How did this ultimately go over with the group? Sounds like the anti-ICE crew lost ground with the tech guys.
“One of us is pro-ICE, one anti-ICE, others on the fence,” Lee said. “After this, I think some of them are rethinking everything.”
Great job, anti-ICE guys!
Republicans need to show what Democrats are allowing to happen here. They’ve juiced up this craziness, and now this is the result.
Let’s also note another report about an email that “the city [of Minneapolis] is tracking reports of ICE activity, and working with community groups to share accurate information and resources.” So the city is aiding in the ICE tracking, if this is true.
SUBMITTED: Email sent to all Minneapolis employees Friday:
“They are working with protesters within the city to help them track ICE operations. This seems like they are complicit in helping impede ICE agents… would they like it if we impeded and told people where Mpls police… pic.twitter.com/UQ9QVSNp05
— Liz Collin (@lizcollin) January 17, 2026
The city needs to explain this email, and the DOJ might want to be looking into that, as they’re looking into the actions of Minnesota officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
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