Federal Agents Accused of Intimidating Legal Observers in Minnesota

Authorities allegedly identified observers by name and address, leading some back to their homes after monitoring immigration enforcement.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Immigration authorities in Minnesota have been accused of identifying legal observers by name and address, and in some cases leading them back to their homes after they engaged in lawful monitoring of immigration activity. Interviews, sworn declarations, and video reviewed by The Intercept indicate a pattern of behavior that legal observers say sends a clear and chilling message: the federal government knows who they are and where they live.

Why it matters

Civil liberties advocates say the growing web of identification tools has enabled federal agents to quickly identify anyone who monitors or protests their actions, chilling protected First Amendment activity and deterring the legal observation of law enforcement. The reported conduct raises broader constitutional concerns about the intimidation of individuals engaged in lawful observation and protest.

The details

Former Minnesota state Sen. Matt Little said he was lawfully observing federal immigration agents when they led him down a rural road to his own home, where two SUVs were already waiting. Across the Twin Cities, immigration agents have allegedly identified legal observers by name and address, and in some cases led them back to their homes after they engaged in lawful monitoring. Attorneys and community observers say similar fears are emerging even as Operation Metro Surge is said to be winding down.

  • In January, Edina resident Emily Beltz said she was lawfully following an unmarked federal vehicle when a woman in the passenger seat leaned out of the SUV window and began shouting her name and home address.
  • On February 5, longtime legal observer Ed Higgins said a group of federal agents pursued him through the city and repeatedly tried to force him off the road before he was able to reach the Columbia Heights Police Department.
  • The day after her detention, grandmother Beth Jackson said that agents returned to her neighborhood and parked directly in front of her home.

The players

Matt Little

A former Minnesota state senator who was lawfully observing federal immigration agents when they led him down a rural road to his own home.

Emily Beltz

An Edina resident who said she was lawfully following an unmarked federal vehicle when a woman in the passenger seat leaned out of the SUV window and began shouting her name and home address.

Katherine Henly

A Minneapolis resident who described following suspected ICE vehicles when agents suddenly stopped on her block and began photographing her home, which she said seemed like a clear attempt to intimidate her and her family.

Ed Higgins

A longtime legal observer and Marine Corps veteran in Columbia Heights, Minnesota who said he has witnessed encounters with federal agents that turned violent and feared for his life.

Beth Jackson

A longtime St. Paul resident and grandmother who participates in a local network of volunteer observers and described a frightening encounter with local officers that escalated quickly after a federal agent alleged she made violent threats.

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What they’re saying

“The intent was clearly to intimidate us. It's stressful. It's a little bit scary. But at the same time, I just think it's really important to be out there and monitoring what they're doing.”

— Matt Little, Former Minnesota state senator (The Intercept)

“I was freaked out. The agents had told me, in effect, that they knew where I lived and could come and get me and my family at any time.”

— Emily Beltz (The Intercept)

“This seemed like a clear attempt to intimidate me and my family. I feared the images of my home and vehicle could be stored in a government database, and the encounter left me extremely shaken and scared and worried about the safety of my young children.”

— Katherine Henly (The Intercept)

“I was panicking the whole way. I thought they were going to kill me. I kept telling the 911 operator they were going to kill me.”

— Ed Higgins, Longtime legal observer and Marine Corps veteran (The Intercept)

“Family members don't want me to come up there because they're fucking afraid I'm going to bring ICE up there. I deliver Meals on Wheels every Tuesday to the elderly and infirm. I can't deliver Meals on Wheels now.”

— Beth Jackson, Longtime St. Paul resident and grandmother (The Intercept)

What’s next

The lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of Twin Cities residents is pending in federal court in Minnesota, with the plaintiffs seeking preliminary and permanent injunctive relief that would bar the challenged tactics while the litigation proceeds.

The takeaway

The reported conduct by federal immigration authorities in Minnesota raises serious concerns about the intimidation of individuals engaged in lawful observation and protest, potentially chilling protected First Amendment activity and deterring the monitoring of law enforcement operations. This case highlights the broader constitutional issues surrounding the use of surveillance and identification tools to target those who seek to hold the government accountable.