Tensions escalate at Minneapolis hotel amid ongoing anti-ICE protests
Demonstrators block streets outside Minneapolis hotel, believing immigration agents were staying there, says Department of Homeland Security
A view of a Minneapolis hotel after demonstrators protesting the business for renting rooms to border patrol agents broke windows and spray-painted graffiti during the demonstrations, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 26, 2026.
ANKARA
Anti-immigration protesters clashed with federal agents late Monday outside another hotel in Minneapolis, causing property damage and injuring an officer, as the city faces renewed unrest linked to federal immigration enforcement.
US broadcaster 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reported that demonstrators gathered outside the Home2Suites by Hilton on University Avenue near the University of Minnesota campus, believing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were staying at the hotel.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said demonstrators blocked streets using vehicles and trash cans, escalating tensions in the area.
As local authorities attempted to disperse the crowd and make arrests, federal agents arrived and deployed chemical irritants, clearing the scene.
A Bureau of Prisons officer reportedly suffered facial injuries during the incident, though details remain unclear.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions in Minneapolis, where protests have been smaller and less intense than the unrest in 2020 following the killing of George Floyd, which saw widespread property damage and clashes with police.
Local businesses have begun boarding up windows with plywood as a precaution amid sporadic demonstrations.
The current unrest stems from the shootings of two protesters. Renee Nicole Macklin Good was killed by an ICE agent on Jan. 7, 2026, while attempting to drive away from a protest, while Alex Jeffrey Pretti was killed by Border Patrol agents on Jan. 24, 2026, incidents that have intensified anger over immigration enforcement.
Federal authorities have deployed about 3,000 ICE and other agents under Operation Metro Surge, described as the largest immigration enforcement effort to date, with many personnel housed in hotels due to the operation’s scale and temporary nature.
The Minnesota National Guard has been activated to assist local police in maintaining order.
President Donald Trump has dispatched border czar Tom Homan to oversee the operation. Reports have said Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino is set to leave Minneapolis on Tuesday, returning to California after losing his commander title and being reassigned to his previous role as sector chief in El Centro.
A DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, said on US social media company X that claims Bovino was fired or dismissed were incorrect.
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