A conservative journalist was assaulted in Minneapolis on Monday as far-left extremists established makeshift “checkpoints” across parts of the Twin Cities during leftist opposition to ongoing federal immigration enforcement operations.
Multiple on-the-ground reporters have documented the emergence of so-called checkpoints manned by anti-ICE activists following the launch of Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s name for what officials have described as the largest targeted immigration enforcement effort in U.S. history.
The operation has been accompanied by sustained unrest, with organized “ICE Watch” groups tailing federal agents and attempting to obstruct them using vehicles.
Tensions in the region escalated earlier this month after anti-ICE activist Renee Good was shot on January 7 while accelerating into a federal agent with her SUV.
Violence intensified further following the January 21 death of Alex Pretti, an anti-ICE agitator who was shot while attempting to reach for a handgun.
After Minnesota businesses urged state leaders to intervene, Democrat Governor Tim Walz agreed to allow state law enforcement to assist with security at federal facilities.
Despite that move, mobs of anti-ICE extremists have remained active, according to multiple reports from The Daily Caller.
In recent days, activists have gone beyond temporary roadblocks and begun operating manned checkpoints, where they claim to run license plates through a “database” in an effort to identify and stop federal vehicles.
Video footage obtained by Jorge Ventura, a reporter for The Daily Caller, shows masked individuals dressed in black stopping vehicles in a South Minneapolis neighborhood.
“Here is the left-wing activists checkpoint on Cedar Ave, stopping vehicles, checking ID’s and running license plates in their ‘database’, we didn’t see any local law enforcement on scene,” Ventura reported.
Here is the left-wing activists checkpoint on Cedar Ave , stopping vehicles , checking ID’s and running license plates in their ‘database’ , we didn’t see any local law enforcement on scene , then I and my photojournalist @photoswitherik were assaulted for documenting their… pic.twitter.com/tCwb3dZy4P
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) February 2, 2026
“They have this kind of blockade here where they’re stopping some vehicles,” Ventura said in a follow-up video, adding that he and his photojournalist spoke with individuals operating the checkpoint.
Ventura reported that militants were “detaining” a man described as a Somali Uber driver after claiming his vehicle appeared in their database.
“He’s clearly not ICE,” Ventura said.
“And they said that in their database that that vehicle was ICE, popping up as an ICE vehicle.
“So we were questioning them about this database that they’re using.
“Obviously, there’s some type of network here, communication.
“According to them, local law enforcement hasn’t even came in and stopped.”
Ventura then questioned one of the individuals about how they were accessing and running license plate information.
At that point, Ventura and his photojournalist were assaulted as militants attempted to seize his phone and camera equipment.
“Get in the f***ing car,” one individual wearing green headgear said while pushing Ventura.
Another masked person knocked Ventura’s phone out of his hand as he continued filming through a car window.
The confrontation ended after Ventura told the attackers that the person in the vehicle was his Uber driver.
“So, not-confirmed ICE plate,” a voice could be heard saying over a walkie-talkie at the end of the video.
The activists ran the license plate of my Uber drive in their database to check if he is an ICE agent , this very well organized , I asked them directly about this @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/fbIrAww9Me
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) February 2, 2026
Operation Metro Surge remains active in the Twin Cities, despite reports suggesting federal immigration agents had withdrawn.
Border czar Tom Homan rejected those claims during a Fox News appearance.
“To set the record straight, because my staff said they’ve seen a lot of people that say President Trump’s backing off on his promise of mass deportation — that’s just untrue,” Homan said.
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