Federal immigration operation sparks confrontations in St. Paul, Minnesota

A federal immigration operation in St. Paul, Minnesota led to tense confrontations between officers and residents, according to local officials and media reports.

The incident began on Tuesday in the area of Maryland Avenue East and Payne Avenue. According to KMSP, federal agents, including teams from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and a U.S. Marshals task force, were at the scene searching for two people, one of whom fled into a nearby home.

KMSP reported that agents remained at the location through the late morning and began clearing the area around 12:30 p.m. The people sought and the nature of the operation were not disclosed by federal authorities.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, speaking to a KMSP reporter at the scene, said federal agents arrived without advance coordination with the city. St. Paul police officers were present to help with crowd control.

“Community members are frustrated,” Carter said. “This is what we see ICE agents doing all over the country… showing up, creating havoc, creating chaos, and leaving local communities trying to figure out how to navigate the trauma that they create.”

Carter said he saw “chemical munitions” being used but added that he did not have details about why they were deployed.

When asked about reports that two state lawmakers were pepper-sprayed, Carter said the police department would address what led to those actions. He added that the city does not enforce immigration policy but responds to reports of criminal behavior, including thrown objects or blocked streets.

Videos recorded by local media showed a large federal and local police presence surrounding a home in the neighborhood. Some footage showed thick gas filling the street during a standoff, while other videos appeared to show officers using pepper spray as crowds gathered around the scene.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said in a statement on social media that the state received no advance notice from federal agencies about Tuesday’s operation.

“We are monitoring the situation in St. Paul and working to understand what unfolded,” Walz said. “While we are always willing to work together on public safety, that is clearly not what this chaotic situation was about.”

SUBMITTED: Protesters clashed with federal agents earlier today in St. Paul.

Someone who lives in the area told Alpha News there was some type of federal action "on Rose Ave. between Edgerton and Payne Aves., St. Paul. Pop up protest that [had] grown from a couple dozen around… pic.twitter.com/FTpbNejLBF

— Alpha News (@AlphaNews) November 25, 2025