Exclusive: ICE officers in Minnesota directed not to interact with 'agitators' in new orders

Source: Reuters

January 29, 2026 5:10 AM EST Updated 45 mins ago


WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - ICE officers in Minnesota were directed on Wednesday to avoid engaging with "agitators" as they carry out President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, according to internal guidance reviewed by Reuters.

The new guidance, offering the most detailed look so far at how operations would change after two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens protesting in Minneapolis, also orders U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers only to target immigrants who have criminal charges or convictions. That would mark a departure from the broad sweeps that have provoked backlash and legal challenges in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities.

"DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS," said an email disseminated by a top ICE official. "It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation. No one is going to convince the other. The only communication should be the officers issuing commands." In response to a request to the White House for comment, an administration official said, "There are ongoing conversations on how to most effectively conduct operations in Minnesota. No guidance should be considered final until it is officially issued."

The operational shift comes after Trump said this week that he aimed to “de-escalate” tension in Minneapolis and St. Paul after federal immigration officers killed two U.S. citizens there this month. In both cases, Trump officials swiftly portrayed the deceased as aggressors, an assertion undercut by video evidence.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/ice-officers-minnesota-directed-not-interact-with-agitators-new-orders-2026-01-29/