US officials probing Minnesota ICE protest that disrupted church service

January 20, 2026

The U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation into demonstrators who interrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, after protesters believed one of the pastors worked as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official. The disruption occurred amid escalating anti-ICE demonstrations throughout Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen, by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, as well as the controversial arrest of a naturalized citizen at his home. Federal officials have characterized the church protest as a civil rights violation and desecration of religious space, with President Trump calling the demonstrators "agitators and insurrectionists" who should face jail time or deportation.

Who is affected

Protesters who disrupted the church service
David Easterwood (church pastor allegedly working for ICE)
Chong Ly Thao (naturalized U.S. citizen arrested at his home)
Renee Good (U.S. citizen killed by ICE agent)
Victor Manuel Diaz (undocumented immigrant who died in ICE custody)
Lunas Campos (Cuban immigrant who died in ICE detention)
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (under investigation)
Congregants at Cities Church in St. Paul
Peaceful protesters in Minneapolis facing crowd control tactics
At least 3,000 people arrested in Minneapolis since ICE deployments

What action is being taken

The Justice Department is investigating protesters for civil rights violations
Anti-ICE protests are continuing in Minnesota
ICE officers are conducting arrest operations in the state
At least 3,000 people have been arrested in Minneapolis since the deployments
The Pentagon has put 1,500 soldiers on standby for possible deployment
A federal judge has issued an order limiting crowd control tactics against peaceful protesters
The Justice Department has opened investigations into Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz for allegedly impeding federal immigration operations
The cause of Victor Manuel Diaz's death remains under investigation

Why it matters

This situation represents a significant escalation in the conflict between immigration enforcement and civil liberties, raising constitutional questions about religious freedom, protest rights, and federal authority. The deployment of thousands of ICE agents to Minnesota, combined with the potential invocation of the rarely-used Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military for domestic law enforcement, marks an extraordinary federal response not seen since the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The deaths of individuals in ICE custody, the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen observing ICE activities, and the arrest of a naturalized citizen at his home have intensified public opposition and raised concerns about the scope and methods of immigration enforcement operations, while federal investigations into both protesters and local Democratic officials signal deepening political divisions over immigration policy.

What's next

The Justice Department will pursue federal charges against the church protesters
1,500 active-duty soldiers may be deployed to Minneapolis if President Trump invokes the Insurrection Act
The official cause of Victor Manuel Diaz's death remains under investigation
Investigations into Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz are ongoing

Read full article from source: BBC