St. Peter police chief intervened and got federal agents to release resident, sources say (Minnesota)
Last edited Sat Jan 31, 2026, 07:05 PM - Edit history (2)
Source: MPR Minnesota Public Radio
MPR News has learned that the police chief in the small southern Minnesota city of St. Peter intervened Thursday to prevent federal immigration agents from taking a local resident into detention, although the city of St. Peter denied the intervention in a statement Saturday.
The resident, a woman, had been observing and recording video of immigration enforcement actions from her car when agents removed her from her car and took her into custody.
It's believed to be the first time a local police department in Minnesota intervened in a federal law enforcement action since the surge in immigration enforcement began two months ago.
The woman, who did not want to be identified because she fears for her safety, is a U.S. citizen and a resident of St. Peter. She told MPR News in an interview that she was out in the community in her car, tracking the movements of federal agents, and recording them on a dash cam.
She shared that video with us. . . .
Read more: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/30/st-peter-police-chief-intervenes-prevents-federal-agents-from-arresting-resident
January 31, 2026 8:09 AM
St. Peter Chief of Police Matt Grochow,
St. Peter has about a 12,000 population. About 40 miles southwest of Twin Cities metro area. A few miles north of Mankato
Highlighting the 3rd paragraph again:
ETA-I just noticed bigtree's post in General Discussion, with a video and more info
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220985528
UPDATE - Miguelito Loveless posted in #3 below that the story has been updated (MPR updated 3:36 PM CT) :
"The Saint Peter police department did not participate in, coordinate with or intervene in any federal enforcement activity," the statement said.
"Federal immigration authorities dropped the individual off at the police department. Police Chief Grochow then ensured the resident was safely transported home and offered assistance, as we would for any member of our community," it added.
They also updated the headline from:
to
which doesn't comport with the city's statement, but oh well. Anyway, I updated this post's headline
and the first paragraph changed from:
to
I think this was in the original story, but anyway it's there now at 5:44 PM CT:
"I couldn't hear what was being said, but within 30 seconds after they hung up, they exited on, an exit that goes into Le Sueur... and then turned around, didn't say anything to me, and started heading back towards St. Peter."
and more about the husband calling an attorney and his interaction with the St. Peter's police chief that as I recall is as it was in the original version.
Likewise, in the original version, back when she's pulled over:
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ORIGINAL STORY (and as I originally posted title and excerpts from):
https://web.archive.org/web/20260131150314/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/30/st-peter-police-chief-intervenes-prevents-federal-agents-from-arresting-resident
= new reply since forum marked as read
this morning who is part of a group that trains observers. She employed some of those tactics ...giving her location.
Acronym is SALUTE, adapted from military reporting, hard to believe this is what is taking place in the US.
