Hundreds of people in St. Cloud, Minnesota confronted federal immigration agents on Monday in what quickly became one of the most tense clashes so far in the state’s ongoing immigration enforcement surge. Hundreds of residents — many from the local Somali community — gathered at a strip mall where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were executing an operation, and the scene escalated as protesters blocked vehicles and blew whistles in opposition. The protests followed widespread local social media coverage that drew even more people to the site.
As agents attempted to carry out their work and depart, a crowd formed in the parking lot, blocking federal vehicles and repeatedly chanting “ICE out,” expressing anger at what many Minnesotans see as heavy-handed enforcement against immigrant communities. State and local police were called in to help manage the situation, and in some moments tensions boiled over. According to local reports, ICE deployed chemical irritants — including pepper spray — to help disperse the crowds and clear a path for agents to leave the scene.
🚨 BREAKING: Hundreds just showed up to protest dozens of ICE agents at a Somali strip mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
You can also see Sen. Aric Putnam (D) trying to hold the crowd back.
“Don’t even get close.” pic.twitter.com/JScmXsBj1H
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) January 12, 2026
New footage from St. Cloud, MN: Somali mob rushes DHS agents during a raid with overwhelming numbers.@Sec_Noem – agents need reinforcements and National Guard on the ground.
Without superior force, these mobs will feel unstoppable, and you will have Mogasota on your hands. pic.twitter.com/jn41BRlCAF
— Kim "Katie" USA (@KimKatieUSA) January 10, 2026
Despite the chaos, widespread violence did not erupt. Officers ultimately completed their business and departed, though not without several arrests. Authorities confirmed that at least one person was taken into custody by federal agents during the raid and two additional people were arrested outside the strip mall during the protest as demonstrators and law enforcement stood off.
Among those present was Democratic State Senator Aric Putnam, who was seen attempting to intervene between protesters and federal agents. Putnam urged calm and called attention to concerns about a heavy federal presence in what he described as a peaceful neighborhood. He questioned the need for such a large armed operation and underscored the community’s unease with the federal response.
The confrontation in St. Cloud is part of a broader wave of immigration enforcement activity across Minnesota that has sparked protests and legal challenges. The state and its largest cities have filed lawsuits aiming to limit or halt the federal crackdown, which follows a controversial enforcement surge that has included the deployment of thousands of agents and the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an ICE officer.
For many in St. Cloud’s Somali community — one of the largest in Minnesota — the federal operation represents more than routine enforcement. It is seen by some as a direct challenge to community safety and trust. Local leaders and residents voiced frustration over lack of communication, saying they were left unaware of the scope and purpose of federal actions in their neighborhoods.
As federal activity continues across Minnesota, protests and legal pushback show no signs of abating, leaving both communities and law enforcement bracing for more confrontations in the days ahead.