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Karoline Leavitt's Meltdown Sparks Social Media Backlash

Karoline Leavitt's Meltdown Sparks Social Media Backlash

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt probably thought attacking a journalist who asked a legitimate question about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during Thursday’s press briefing would help her win the hearts and minds of voters. But it doesn’t appear things worked out as she might have hoped, based on the social media reaction to her meltdown at a simple question asked by The Hill’s Niall Stanage. During the briefing, Stanage noted an earlier comment made by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that ICE agents are “doing everything correctly,” before asking Leavitt how that can be when “32 people died in ICE custody last year, 170 US citizens were detained by ICE, and Renee Good was shot in the head and killed by an ICE agent.” Leavitt then asked Stanage a question about Good, the 37-year-old woman shot and killed by an ICE officer while in her car in Minneapolis. “Why was Renee Good unfortunately and tragically killed?” she asked, to which he replied, “Because an ICE agent acted recklessly and killed her unjustifiably.” Leavitt didn’t like the answer and declared, “Oh, OK. So you’re a biased reporter with a left-wing opinion” before going on a tirade where she called Stanage “a left-wing activist” and said he was “posing as a journalist.” When Stanage asked what was inaccurate in what he said, Leavitt ignored him and continued her rant. “Shame on people like you in the media who have a crooked view and have a biased view, and pretend like you’re a real, honest journalist.” Although Leavitt’s lashing-out has gone viral, most of the sympathy was given to Stanage, who many noted asked a legitimate question about Noem’s comment and also responded honestly to her question about what he thought caused Good’s death. This is how Leavitt acts when someone asks her an actual question. https://t.co/h4BghK9Qok — Barry Malone (@malonebarry) January 15, 2026 Solidarity with @NiallStanage , a great journalist asking important questions, something not enough people do that WH briefing room. https://t.co/jk9wmjx1Ao — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) January 15, 2026 The reporter has the same opinion as the vast majority of Americans. The White House is calling the majority of Americans "left wing hacks" and no one gives a fuck. https://t.co/dt4Sq0OOOp — Ember (@EmberOnAlt) January 15, 2026 She’s not used to being around people who tell the truth. Totally understandable. — John Collins (@Logically_JC) January 15, 2026 Reporters need to figure out how to stand up to a 27 year old https://t.co/QkiMwI5wdE — Matt Rosell (@mattrosell) January 15, 2026 I keep thinking about Pete Hegseth’s confirmation and how every time he was confronted with his own reckless behavior he accused it of being left-wing lies and smears. Anything they don’t like is a left wing lie and smear. Rinse and repeat. — Max Weiss (@maxthegirl) January 15, 2026 Crazy leftists and their ideas about moms not getting shot in the face https://t.co/4fpAxu7UxX — evan loves worf (@esjesjesj) January 15, 2026 Completely unhinged, just like her boss. pic.twitter.com/YRxAwjtKXU — BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) January 15, 2026 Why are our tax dollars being spent on this woman and this unprofessional behavior? The irony, when your only communication is to call names, it shows that you lack frontal lobe strength. @PressSec is losing it. No ability to communicate her own thoughts or feelings on a… pic.twitter.com/jJ3dCFRR4g — ₿IGRYAN ? (@BigRyan) January 15, 2026 . @NiallStanage and I don’t know each other well, but I’ve had the pleasure of appearing with him on @NewsNation a few times. We don’t always agree— in fact there have been segments in which he’s been plenty critical of my party. But he’s smart, thoroughly researched, and… https://t.co/FGAsZBItVi — Dan Kanninen (@dkanninen) January 15, 2026 “Oh, ok. So you're a biased reporters with a biased opinion. You're a left-wing hack” Also the “reporters” handpicked by this administration https://t.co/CPYBWGKEDJ pic.twitter.com/kk3taJtGFd — HARD FACTOR (@HardFactorNews) January 15, 2026

A very rattled Karoline Leavitt called a journalist a ‘left-wing hack’ for the terrible crime of quoting stats about the failings of ICE – 21 scathing takedowns

A very rattled Karoline Leavitt called a journalist a ‘left-wing hack’ for the terrible crime of quoting stats about the failings of ICE – 21 scathing takedowns

Since the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, Trump’s propaganda machine has done its best to smear the name of the victim and her wife, while seriously distorting the facts about Ice agent Jonathan Ross’s actions. Taking a leading role in the lie juggernaut has been the White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, […] The post A very rattled Karoline Leavitt called a journalist a ‘left-wing hack’ for the terrible crime of quoting stats about the failings of ICE – 21 scathing takedowns appeared first on The Poke .

'Appease Prize': Critics Stunned By Venezuela's Machado Nobel Hand Off To Trump

'Appease Prize': Critics Stunned By Venezuela's Machado Nobel Hand Off To Trump

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Thursday revealed that she “presented” Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize , the coveted medal that he’s dreamed of having in his clutches for years. Machado, following what she described as an “excellent” White House meeting, said she gave the medal to Trump in recognition of his “unique commitment with our freedom.” The president is keeping the medal, a White House official later told outlets . The Nobel Committee has insisted that while the medal can transfer owners, the winner’s status as a Nobel laureate can’t be shared or transferred to others. Machado’s medal gesture comes less than two weeks since the US launched a military operation that killed approximately 100 people in Venezuela where forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at home in the middle of the night. Since the attack, Trump has signalled his support for interim president Delcy Rodriguez, a Maduro ally, while declaring that Machado didn’t have “the support within, or the respect within” the country. On Thursday, Trump described Machado as a “wonderful woman who has been through so much” and called it his “Great Honour” to meet her. “María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!” he wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform . María Corina Machado on her meeting with Trump: “I presented the president of the United States with the Nobel Peace Prize” — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-01-15T21:35:46.009Z Social media users weighed in on the reported medal hand off, with one Bluesky user sarcastically calling it the “ Nobel Appease Prize ,” an apparent nod to Trump’s repeated claims that he deserved the honour last year. donald trump has received the nobel peace prize in the way that michael scott declared bankruptcy — Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:08:33.390Z And with that, the Nobel Peace Prize became as worthless as FIFA’s Peace Prize — (@3rhays.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T21:57:53.823Z handing my nobel peace prize to the guy who bombed my country — Emma™ (@cockremover.bsky.social) 2026-01-16T00:56:34.230Z Picturing Fox News after Joe Biden accepted someone else’s Nobel Peace Prize. — Mark Thompson (@sonofathomp.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:44:38.471Z She can certainly give it to him if she wants to, but it’s meaningless. He might now be *possessing* a Nobel Peace prize, but he still hasn’t *won* one. — Ron Murray (@rjmx.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:38:13.915Z Said another way, the granting of the prize by the Nobel Committee is the award. The medal is just the receipt — Brooklyn American (@brooklynamerican.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T21:54:17.932Z If Travis Kelce gave me one of his SuperBowl rings, it doesn’t mean I won the SuperBowl. Same goes if someone gives you their Nobel Peace Prize or Oscar. — Barking Squirrel ️? (@barkingsquirrel.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:27:02.342Z This will be the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to a Nobel prize until this same medal sells on eBay in 2029 — Graham Cummins (@grahamiancummins.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:10:30.725Z I think it would be wise for Democrats to start calling Trump's stolen Nobel a participation trophy. Relentlessly. — Nick (derogatory) ✨ (@slothropsmap.bsky.social) 2026-01-12T17:42:29.277Z Technically, that Peace Prize is a gift to the state and President Ocasio-Cortez should wear it to her inauguration in a few years. — Andrew D Thaler (@drandrewthaler.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:46:03.960Z

'Appease Prize': Critics Stunned By Venezuela's Machado Nobel Hand Off To Trump

'Appease Prize': Critics Stunned By Venezuela's Machado Nobel Hand Off To Trump

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Thursday revealed that she “presented” Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize , the coveted medal that he’s dreamed of having in his clutches for years. Machado, following what she described as an “excellent” White House meeting, said she gave the medal to Trump in recognition of his “unique commitment with our freedom.” The president is keeping the medal, a White House official later told outlets . The Nobel Committee has insisted that while the medal can transfer owners, the winner’s status as a Nobel laureate can’t be shared or transferred to others. Machado’s medal gesture comes less than two weeks since the US launched a military operation that killed approximately 100 people in Venezuela where forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at home in the middle of the night. Since the attack, Trump has signalled his support for interim president Delcy Rodriguez, a Maduro ally, while declaring that Machado didn’t have “the support within, or the respect within” the country. On Thursday, Trump described Machado as a “wonderful woman who has been through so much” and called it his “Great Honour” to meet her. “María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!” he wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform . María Corina Machado on her meeting with Trump: “I presented the president of the United States with the Nobel Peace Prize” — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-01-15T21:35:46.009Z Social media users weighed in on the reported medal hand off, with one Bluesky user sarcastically calling it the “ Nobel Appease Prize ,” an apparent nod to Trump’s repeated claims that he deserved the honour last year. donald trump has received the nobel peace prize in the way that michael scott declared bankruptcy — Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:08:33.390Z And with that, the Nobel Peace Prize became as worthless as FIFA’s Peace Prize — (@3rhays.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T21:57:53.823Z handing my nobel peace prize to the guy who bombed my country — Emma™ (@cockremover.bsky.social) 2026-01-16T00:56:34.230Z Picturing Fox News after Joe Biden accepted someone else’s Nobel Peace Prize. — Mark Thompson (@sonofathomp.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:44:38.471Z She can certainly give it to him if she wants to, but it’s meaningless. He might now be *possessing* a Nobel Peace prize, but he still hasn’t *won* one. — Ron Murray (@rjmx.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:38:13.915Z Said another way, the granting of the prize by the Nobel Committee is the award. The medal is just the receipt — Brooklyn American (@brooklynamerican.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T21:54:17.932Z If Travis Kelce gave me one of his SuperBowl rings, it doesn’t mean I won the SuperBowl. Same goes if someone gives you their Nobel Peace Prize or Oscar. — Barking Squirrel ️? (@barkingsquirrel.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:27:02.342Z This will be the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to a Nobel prize until this same medal sells on eBay in 2029 — Graham Cummins (@grahamiancummins.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:10:30.725Z I think it would be wise for Democrats to start calling Trump's stolen Nobel a participation trophy. Relentlessly. — Nick (derogatory) ✨ (@slothropsmap.bsky.social) 2026-01-12T17:42:29.277Z Technically, that Peace Prize is a gift to the state and President Ocasio-Cortez should wear it to her inauguration in a few years. — Andrew D Thaler (@drandrewthaler.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T22:46:03.960Z

Inside The Invasion Of Minneapolis

Inside The Invasion Of Minneapolis

U.S. Border Patrol agents smash a man's car window before dragging him out and taking him into custody when he failed to present citizenship documentation at a gas station on Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Trump administration has sent an estimated 2,000 federal agents into the area as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants. Four days after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, federal agents in St. Paul constrained the airflow to a man’s neck until he became unconscious. Orbin Mauricio Henríquez Serrano, a Honduran national, was at a Speedway on Sunday afternoon when a dozen masked Border Patrol officers suddenly swarmed his vehicle. They demanded he roll down his window and show his papers. When he didn’t comply, they shattered the window and dragged him out, pressing him against the ground until his body went limp. They carried him into a dark, unmarked van and drove away. Watching the video of his arrest on Monday, his sister Consuelo was sure he was dead. It wasn’t until a day later that she could confirm he had survived – and that he’d been sent to an infamous detention tent camp in Texas. She told HuffPost she was able to speak to him for “a few seconds” over the phone. “He only managed to tell me that he is very injured,” she said. A friend who helped set up a GoFundMe page for the family shared photos with HuffPost showing the aftermath of the incident ― Serrano’s car, windows busted out, sitting in a suburban driveway. U.S. Border Patrol agents detain a man who failed to present citizenship documentation at a gas station on Jan. 11, 2026 in St. Paul, Minnesota. When he didn’t comply, they shattered his car window and dragged him out, pressing him against the ground until his body went limp. In the week since Good was killed, federal agents have continued to pour into Minnesota. The state calls it an “invasion.” The Trump administration has deployed a massive amount of force to Minneapolis — 800 Border Patrol and 2,000 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers, amounting to five times the headcount of the Minneapolis police force. President Donald Trump has threatened even more by invoking the Insurrection Act, which would send the U.S. military to police the streets. On Wednesday night, federal agents shot a man in the leg during what they said was an immigration enforcement operation. “To us, these are red coats,” Chris Lund, an attorney working to free a community member who’d been arrested and detained in the Whipple Federal Building told me, as federal agents glared at us from across the way. “These are imperial agents that are here to hurt us.” Despite the awesome force arrayed against them, Minnesotans are fighting back. When federal agents arrive in a neighborhood, residents hound them. The near constant use of chemical agents and physical violence doesn’t stop those efforts. The orange stain of pepper spray has become something of a mark of pride among some locals ― evidence they have stood up for their neighbours. Many of those neighbours are too scared to leave their homes; when they do, they carry proof of citizenship. One volunteer, Elanor, said there are some tell-tale signs of federal vehicles: masked men, of course. Out-of-state plates, especially those covered by snow ― real or fake. “Reckless driving” is another trademark, she said: “running red lights, driving well over the speed limit.” (Many people who spoke with HuffPost asked to be identified by only their first name or to remain anonymous given the potential for retribution by law enforcement or employers.) Group chats buzz, directing concerned residents to where they might be able to confront agents. Around the Twin Cities dozens of volunteers ― some in neon vests, others more incognito, behind masks and beanies ― track the movements of vehicles they suspect might belong to the federal mission. Caravans of cars or jeering crowds of pedestrians quickly form when the feds are spotted, accompanied by a cacophony of car horns and whistles. Immigration agents seem willing to do almost anything to stop it, from scanning people’s license plates and then leading them on a drive to their own homes, to breaking people’s windows and detaining them. Then there are the threats: “ Don’t make a bad decision today! ” “ Go home to your children, it’s Sunday. You did not learn from what just happened! ” “ You guys gotta stop obstructing us. That’s why that lesbian bitch is dead. ” Several times when HuffPost was present, immigration agents flashed a middle finger at observers gathered outside the Whipple Building as they drove off. One pair did a coordinated “6-7” meme. One agent made a distinct “A-OK” shape with his hand. A cyclist rides past posters of Renee Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Good was shot and killed by federal agents during a brief altercation with federal agents on Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. Though ICE is the bigger force, Border Patrol and its on-the-ground commander Gregory Bovino carry out many of the most brutal acts. The public face of the federal occupation in Minnesota, Bovino, a roving Border Patrol commander, has a well-earned reputation for police brutality and racial profiling. Federal judges have issued rulings attempting to restrain his behavior in California and Illinois . But his practice in this administration of jumping from state to state ― as well as an assist from conservatives on the Supreme Court , who embraced racial profiling ― has allowed him to operate effectively with impunity. After Ross shot and killed Good, Bovino said “ hats off ” to the killer, and in response to a tweet saying the Department of Homeland Security had killed an American citizen, Bovino’s account responded: “ Triggered much? ” Bovino expresses disdain for people who get in his way. In a Monday interview with CBS’ Twin Cities affiliate, WCCO, he warned that “weaker-minded people” might “fall victim” to the likes of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, or “a community activist that has an agenda.” That same day, videos showed two Target workers, both US citizens , taunting Bovino and several other agents. “Hey, are you guys American citizens?” Bovino asked, marching toward them. “None of your business,” they replied. “Fuck you.” Before long, an agent ran after the pair and tackled them to the ground. DHS claimed later that this was for the offence of “impeding federal officers”. Rather than book the young men in jail and put them in front of a judge, at least one of them was simply dropped off several miles away, sobbing and bleeding . “I’m not OK!” he cried. “They slammed me on the fucking ground!” Bovino was also present at the gas station Sunday, snarling at protesters to step back as his men squeezed the wind out of Serrano. Once they loaded the unconscious man into their van, the Border Patrol convoy took Serrano to their home base: the massive, and recently fortified, Whipple Federal Building. There, over the next several hours, agents pelted a crowd of angry protesters with pepperballs, gas and flash bang grenades. They shoved them and arrested them. The agents take that same posture on the streets of Minneapolis. Recently, they broke down the door to one home despite not having a judicial search warrant . They frequently approach people on the street and simply demand to see their papers , threatening prolonged detainment if they don’t comply. They’ve deployed chemical irritants at a school. Separately, they dragged one woman ― who said she was on her way to a doctor’s appointment ― out of the window of her sedan. “I’m autistic and I have a brain injury — put me down!” the woman screamed as officers carried her by her extremities. “I’m disabled and I need accommodations!” On Monday, Border Patrol agents tried to force their way into a neighbourhood pizza place that had recently raised over $83,000 to help families impacted by the surge of immigration agents in the area. When a crowd gathered to confront the agents, one of them deployed a teargas canister and drove off. After this story was published, Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS spokesperson, said in a statement: “ICE law enforcement officers are trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve dangerous situations to prioritise the safety of the public and our officers. Officers are highly trained in de-escalation tactics and regularly receive ongoing use of force training.  The agency’s current use of force policy is the same as it was in 2023 under President Biden’s administration.” Terrorised by their own government, many people have quit public life altogether. Some pregnant patients are too afraid to come in for prenatal care, a registered nurse said. Kids are asking what to do if ICE shows up at school, a school administrator lamented. Most stalls were closed at Mercado Central, a colourful indoor market selling food, toys and clothing, on Sunday. “People don’t want to go out,” a man working a flat-top grill said in Spanish. “People aren’t coming to the market. Sales are very low, and that affects us.” For some, the surge of immigration agents is dredging up decades-old trauma. Josefina Catalan, now 51, said her mother was deported when she was 3 years old. She was left with a caretaker whose husband molested her, she recalled. Catalan became legalized thanks to the Reagan administration’s amnesty program. “I understand the feelings of the children at this moment,” she said, referring to Good’s kids, including a 6-year-old son. “They’re going through the nightmare I went through when I was a child.” Josefina Catalan performs a native American smudging ceremony at a memorial to Renee Good as demonstrators participated in a march past the site on Jan. 10, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Good was fatally shot by an immigration enforcement agent during an incident in south Minneapolis on Jan. 7. At the makeshift memorial on Portland Avenue, where Good was killed, a group of Somali women passed out free sambusas and tea to the crowd. Trump flooded the Twin Cities with DHS agents seemingly due to a conservative influencer’s viral video smearing Somalis. The women were among the many residents who now carry their documents with them everywhere they go, intent on being able to show they’re citizens if federal officers stop them. Sometimes, it’s not enough. Abdirhman Ahmed Hassan and Ahmed Ahmed, U.S.-born cousins who are both 21 years old, said ICE had “yanked” their uncle from his car and pointed a gun at him, despite him presenting a valid passport. When asked how Minneapolis has felt in recent weeks, Hassan responded in one word: “Germany.” “People stopping you for random bullshit,” he said. “It’s frightening.” One Ojibwe woman said encountering immigration agents would be terrifying, even if she were able to show them her tribal ID. “I’d probably end up getting shot by them, because I’d freak out, you know?” At the Whipple Federal Building, protesters gather daily to translate their neighbors’ fears into outrage. The street outside the main gate, which immigration agents pass through daily, has become the closest thing to a town square the people of the Twin Cities have to air their grievances with the provisional local government. One recent night, Heidi Leaf, a project manager, was one of several people using megaphones there to full effect, not only giving the agents a piece of her mind but, as she told me, laying a curse upon them for their deeds. “Your bloodline ends with you!” she chanted, over and over. (“The main curse is much longer,” she noted.) James McGuiggan, a retired Air Force staff sergeant who wore an Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran hat and a T-shirt that read “No One Is Illegal on Stolen Land,” smoked nearby and expressed himself with his middle finger. “This is fucked up… This is a land of immigrants,” McGuiggan said. He was the only one in the crowd not to flinch when federal agents suddenly deployed another round of flash-bang grenades in the air above us. “Oh, fuck you!” he yelled instead. “I was fucking in Andrews [Air Force Base], guarding fucking presidents ― Air Force One ― and never fucking thought this would happen,” he said, gesturing around him. “Everything I feel like I did was for nothing, because now they’re doing this shit to people ― shooting American citizens just for trying to protect people.”

Inside The Invasion Of Minneapolis

Inside The Invasion Of Minneapolis

U.S. Border Patrol agents smash a man's car window before dragging him out and taking him into custody when he failed to present citizenship documentation at a gas station on Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Trump administration has sent an estimated 2,000 federal agents into the area as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants. Four days after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, federal agents in St. Paul constrained the airflow to a man’s neck until he became unconscious. Orbin Mauricio Henríquez Serrano, a Honduran national, was at a Speedway on Sunday afternoon when a dozen masked Border Patrol officers suddenly swarmed his vehicle. They demanded he roll down his window and show his papers. When he didn’t comply, they shattered the window and dragged him out, pressing him against the ground until his body went limp. They carried him into a dark, unmarked van and drove away. Watching the video of his arrest on Monday, his sister Consuelo was sure he was dead. It wasn’t until a day later that she could confirm he had survived – and that he’d been sent to an infamous detention tent camp in Texas. She told HuffPost she was able to speak to him for “a few seconds” over the phone. “He only managed to tell me that he is very injured,” she said. A friend who helped set up a GoFundMe page for the family shared photos with HuffPost showing the aftermath of the incident ― Serrano’s car, windows busted out, sitting in a suburban driveway. U.S. Border Patrol agents detain a man who failed to present citizenship documentation at a gas station on Jan. 11, 2026 in St. Paul, Minnesota. When he didn’t comply, they shattered his car window and dragged him out, pressing him against the ground until his body went limp. In the week since Good was killed, federal agents have continued to pour into Minnesota. The state calls it an “invasion.” The Trump administration has deployed a massive amount of force to Minneapolis — 800 Border Patrol and 2,000 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers, amounting to five times the headcount of the Minneapolis police force. President Donald Trump has threatened even more by invoking the Insurrection Act, which would send the U.S. military to police the streets. On Wednesday night, federal agents shot a man in the leg during what they said was an immigration enforcement operation. “To us, these are red coats,” Chris Lund, an attorney working to free a community member who’d been arrested and detained in the Whipple Federal Building told me, as federal agents glared at us from across the way. “These are imperial agents that are here to hurt us.” Despite the awesome force arrayed against them, Minnesotans are fighting back. When federal agents arrive in a neighborhood, residents hound them. The near constant use of chemical agents and physical violence doesn’t stop those efforts. The orange stain of pepper spray has become something of a mark of pride among some locals ― evidence they have stood up for their neighbours. Many of those neighbours are too scared to leave their homes; when they do, they carry proof of citizenship. One volunteer, Elanor, said there are some tell-tale signs of federal vehicles: masked men, of course. Out-of-state plates, especially those covered by snow ― real or fake. “Reckless driving” is another trademark, she said: “running red lights, driving well over the speed limit.” (Many people who spoke with HuffPost asked to be identified by only their first name or to remain anonymous given the potential for retribution by law enforcement or employers.) Group chats buzz, directing concerned residents to where they might be able to confront agents. Around the Twin Cities dozens of volunteers ― some in neon vests, others more incognito, behind masks and beanies ― track the movements of vehicles they suspect might belong to the federal mission. Caravans of cars or jeering crowds of pedestrians quickly form when the feds are spotted, accompanied by a cacophony of car horns and whistles. Immigration agents seem willing to do almost anything to stop it, from scanning people’s license plates and then leading them on a drive to their own homes, to breaking people’s windows and detaining them. Then there are the threats: “ Don’t make a bad decision today! ” “ Go home to your children, it’s Sunday. You did not learn from what just happened! ” “ You guys gotta stop obstructing us. That’s why that lesbian bitch is dead. ” Several times when HuffPost was present, immigration agents flashed a middle finger at observers gathered outside the Whipple Building as they drove off. One pair did a coordinated “6-7” meme. One agent made a distinct “A-OK” shape with his hand. A cyclist rides past posters of Renee Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Good was shot and killed by federal agents during a brief altercation with federal agents on Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. Though ICE is the bigger force, Border Patrol and its on-the-ground commander Gregory Bovino carry out many of the most brutal acts. The public face of the federal occupation in Minnesota, Bovino, a roving Border Patrol commander, has a well-earned reputation for police brutality and racial profiling. Federal judges have issued rulings attempting to restrain his behavior in California and Illinois . But his practice in this administration of jumping from state to state ― as well as an assist from conservatives on the Supreme Court , who embraced racial profiling ― has allowed him to operate effectively with impunity. After Ross shot and killed Good, Bovino said “ hats off ” to the killer, and in response to a tweet saying the Department of Homeland Security had killed an American citizen, Bovino’s account responded: “ Triggered much? ” Bovino expresses disdain for people who get in his way. In a Monday interview with CBS’ Twin Cities affiliate, WCCO, he warned that “weaker-minded people” might “fall victim” to the likes of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, or “a community activist that has an agenda.” That same day, videos showed two Target workers, both US citizens , taunting Bovino and several other agents. “Hey, are you guys American citizens?” Bovino asked, marching toward them. “None of your business,” they replied. “Fuck you.” Before long, an agent ran after the pair and tackled them to the ground. DHS claimed later that this was for the offence of “impeding federal officers”. Rather than book the young men in jail and put them in front of a judge, at least one of them was simply dropped off several miles away, sobbing and bleeding . “I’m not OK!” he cried. “They slammed me on the fucking ground!” Bovino was also present at the gas station Sunday, snarling at protesters to step back as his men squeezed the wind out of Serrano. Once they loaded the unconscious man into their van, the Border Patrol convoy took Serrano to their home base: the massive, and recently fortified, Whipple Federal Building. There, over the next several hours, agents pelted a crowd of angry protesters with pepperballs, gas and flash bang grenades. They shoved them and arrested them. The agents take that same posture on the streets of Minneapolis. Recently, they broke down the door to one home despite not having a judicial search warrant . They frequently approach people on the street and simply demand to see their papers , threatening prolonged detainment if they don’t comply. They’ve deployed chemical irritants at a school. Separately, they dragged one woman ― who said she was on her way to a doctor’s appointment ― out of the window of her sedan. “I’m autistic and I have a brain injury — put me down!” the woman screamed as officers carried her by her extremities. “I’m disabled and I need accommodations!” On Monday, Border Patrol agents tried to force their way into a neighbourhood pizza place that had recently raised over $83,000 to help families impacted by the surge of immigration agents in the area. When a crowd gathered to confront the agents, one of them deployed a teargas canister and drove off. After this story was published, Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS spokesperson, said in a statement: “ICE law enforcement officers are trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve dangerous situations to prioritise the safety of the public and our officers. Officers are highly trained in de-escalation tactics and regularly receive ongoing use of force training.  The agency’s current use of force policy is the same as it was in 2023 under President Biden’s administration.” Terrorised by their own government, many people have quit public life altogether. Some pregnant patients are too afraid to come in for prenatal care, a registered nurse said. Kids are asking what to do if ICE shows up at school, a school administrator lamented. Most stalls were closed at Mercado Central, a colourful indoor market selling food, toys and clothing, on Sunday. “People don’t want to go out,” a man working a flat-top grill said in Spanish. “People aren’t coming to the market. Sales are very low, and that affects us.” For some, the surge of immigration agents is dredging up decades-old trauma. Josefina Catalan, now 51, said her mother was deported when she was 3 years old. She was left with a caretaker whose husband molested her, she recalled. Catalan became legalized thanks to the Reagan administration’s amnesty program. “I understand the feelings of the children at this moment,” she said, referring to Good’s kids, including a 6-year-old son. “They’re going through the nightmare I went through when I was a child.” Josefina Catalan performs a native American smudging ceremony at a memorial to Renee Good as demonstrators participated in a march past the site on Jan. 10, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Good was fatally shot by an immigration enforcement agent during an incident in south Minneapolis on Jan. 7. At the makeshift memorial on Portland Avenue, where Good was killed, a group of Somali women passed out free sambusas and tea to the crowd. Trump flooded the Twin Cities with DHS agents seemingly due to a conservative influencer’s viral video smearing Somalis. The women were among the many residents who now carry their documents with them everywhere they go, intent on being able to show they’re citizens if federal officers stop them. Sometimes, it’s not enough. Abdirhman Ahmed Hassan and Ahmed Ahmed, U.S.-born cousins who are both 21 years old, said ICE had “yanked” their uncle from his car and pointed a gun at him, despite him presenting a valid passport. When asked how Minneapolis has felt in recent weeks, Hassan responded in one word: “Germany.” “People stopping you for random bullshit,” he said. “It’s frightening.” One Ojibwe woman said encountering immigration agents would be terrifying, even if she were able to show them her tribal ID. “I’d probably end up getting shot by them, because I’d freak out, you know?” At the Whipple Federal Building, protesters gather daily to translate their neighbors’ fears into outrage. The street outside the main gate, which immigration agents pass through daily, has become the closest thing to a town square the people of the Twin Cities have to air their grievances with the provisional local government. One recent night, Heidi Leaf, a project manager, was one of several people using megaphones there to full effect, not only giving the agents a piece of her mind but, as she told me, laying a curse upon them for their deeds. “Your bloodline ends with you!” she chanted, over and over. (“The main curse is much longer,” she noted.) James McGuiggan, a retired Air Force staff sergeant who wore an Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran hat and a T-shirt that read “No One Is Illegal on Stolen Land,” smoked nearby and expressed himself with his middle finger. “This is fucked up… This is a land of immigrants,” McGuiggan said. He was the only one in the crowd not to flinch when federal agents suddenly deployed another round of flash-bang grenades in the air above us. “Oh, fuck you!” he yelled instead. “I was fucking in Andrews [Air Force Base], guarding fucking presidents ― Air Force One ― and never fucking thought this would happen,” he said, gesturing around him. “Everything I feel like I did was for nothing, because now they’re doing this shit to people ― shooting American citizens just for trying to protect people.”