Federal prosecutors charged 15 people Tuesday with conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers during protests against a major immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota.
The indictment targets members of Direct Action Minnesota and its subgroup Black Cat Worker’s Collective, which authorities describe as left-wing “antifa” networks that oppose immigration law enforcement.
Twelve defendants were arrested Tuesday, one was already in federal custody on other charges, and two remain at large, officials said.
DOJ Announces Charges Linked to Operation Metro Surge
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy announced the charges during a press conference in Minneapolis.
The case stems from actions connected to “Operation Metro Surge,” the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown in Minnesota that began in late 2025.
Prosecutors allege the defendants used encrypted Signal chats, vehicle tracking, physical blockades, and direct confrontations to interfere with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Authorities said the alleged tactics included “hard” blockades involving debris and vehicles, as well as “soft” blockades involving people carrying shields outside the Bishop Henry Whipple federal building in St. Paul, where immigration agents were headquartered.
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One defendant allegedly followed a federal agent from the building to western Wisconsin, according to prosecutors.
Social Media Posts Cited as Evidence
During the announcement, Rosen presented social media posts and videos that prosecutors said showed the defendants’ intent to disrupt law enforcement operations.
In one video, a defendant allegedly identified himself as antifa and discussed bringing guns to demonstrations. Another post cited by prosecutors called for people to “become ungovernable.”
The indictment does not allege that federal officers suffered physical injuries, though it references incidents including a federal vehicle being kicked and documents being knocked from an agent’s hands.
Bodily Harm Is Not Required
Rosen said prosecutors do not need to prove that officers suffered physical injuries to establish the alleged crimes.
“Whether or not they actually at the end of the day caused bodily harm is not the measure of whether or not they committed a serious crime,” he said.
The charges include conspiracy to impede federal officers, with additional charges expected against some defendants involving allegations of stalking, assault on federal officers, and property destruction. The defendants are not facing terrorism charges.
Immigration Crackdown Sparked Protests
Operation Metro Surge involved the deployment of thousands of immigration agents to Minnesota, partly based on fraud allegations involving Somali residents.
The operation sparked widespread protests, community monitoring networks, and clashes between activists and federal authorities.
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During the enforcement actions, ICE agents killed two people, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The agents involved have not been charged. Rosen said the deaths remain under investigation.
The new charges come after federal prosecutors experienced mixed results in previous cases connected to the crackdown.
Officials have dropped 18 of 36 earlier prosecutions, including one case dismissed after a judge described a charging document as a “false affidavit.”
Rosen said the latest case is supported by stronger evidence and will withstand court challenges.
Outside the federal courthouse in Minneapolis, dozens of people gathered Tuesday to protest the charges.
Speakers, including former National Lawyers Guild president Bruce Nestor, described the cases as “thought crimes” and accused authorities of targeting political dissent.
Demonstrators carried signs reading “Stop FBI entrapment” and “Protesting is not a crime.” Nekima Levy Armstrong, who faces separate charges connected to another protest, also attended.
