Minneapolis Residents Detail Harrowing ICE Detention Experience

Wed Jan 14 2026 04:31:10 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Two U.S. citizens from Minneapolis describe being detained without charges during recent ICE crackdowns, where they faced intimidation and poor conditions.

Brandon Sigüenza and Patty O’Keefe, who have been monitoring ICE activities in Minneapolis, allege they were detained without charges and received threats from immigration officers. This follows tactics reminiscent of past crackdowns in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. Activists have filed lawsuits claiming the DHS has violated their rights by surveilling them in their efforts to oversee ICE's actions. Following their detention, Sigüenza and O’Keefe were released but reported harsh treatment and attempts to intimidate them.

Two Minneapolis residents who have been monitoring immigration officers’ actions during the Trump administration's latest crackdown say they were detained without charge for several hours in distressing conditions, denied phone calls, and pressured to rat out protest organizers and people living in the country illegally.

The accusations leveled by Brandon Sigüenza and Patty O’Keefe suggest that the Department of Homeland Security is employing similar tactics in Minneapolis and St. Paul as it did during the crackdowns in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Orleans. Federal officers are again using roving patrols, warrantless arrests, and aggressive tactics such as spraying chemical irritants, breaking car windows, and recording protesters.

According to organizers and an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit, immigration officers have been surveilling activists who have been observing their activities in the Twin Cities, violating their First Amendment rights. Sigüenza, who like O’Keefe is a U.S. citizen, said an immigration officer who questioned him even offered money or legal protection if he gave up the names of organizers or neighbors who are in the country illegally.

“At one point, the officer said in vague terms that it looks like I’m in trouble, and he could possibly help me out,” Sigüenza said, noting he refused the offer.

Aggressive Tactics and an Arrest

Sigüenza and O’Keefe were detained while following ICE officers driving around making arrests. The officers stopped in front of their car, fired pepper spray through the windshield vent, and smashed O’Keefe’s car windows even though the doors were unlocked.

The agents mocked them and brought up the recent killing of another protestor, Renee Good, by ICE during a similar crackdown. O’Keefe described their treatment as an attempt to "humiliate" her and to intimidate them, emphasizing the surreal nature of the situation.

Cash and Legal Help for Information

They were held at a federal facility on the edge of Minneapolis. The facility's living conditions were dire and included being subjected to observing other detainees, many of whom were in vulnerable states. Sigüenza reported that one cellmate had an untreated injury.

While detained, they were only allowed to communicate with lawyers, with Sigüenza being the only one allowed to make a phone call to his wife. SIGUENZA described an offer made by DHS investigators to exchange information about neighbors in return for financial assistance or protection.

Ultimately, both were released without charges but experienced further aggression as they exited the facility.

Concerns About Detention Conditions Elsewhere

The treatment and conditions in immigration detention facilities across the U.S. have come under scrutiny, with various lawsuits and complaints highlighting the need for reform. Even as DHS defends its operations, public sentiment regarding the aggressive tactics used reflects concerns over civil liberties and the treatment of detainees.