LIVE UPDATES | ICE in Minnesota: Anti-ICE protests get heated outside Whipple Building

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The number of ICE agents operating in Minnesota is expected to increase, even as state and city leaders attempt to stop the escalation through legal action.

Find live updates on ICE in Minnesota below. And watch FOX 9 news live in the player above. Additional live coverage is available in the player below. 

2:45 p.m. - Sen. Klobuchar statement on federal prosecutors resigning

"Joe Thompson led investigations into fraud, the assassination of Melissa and Mark Hortman, and the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting. I worked to help make Joe acting U.S. Attorney during a critical time. This is a loss for our state and for public safety.  These career public servants have served our state through multiple tragedies and critical investigations. We cannot allow prosecutions to be driven by politics. The family and loved ones of Renee Good deserve justice, not political attacks. The DOJ’s politicization of the investigation into Renee Good’s killing is doing lasting damage to our justice system. It needs to stop," Sen. Klobuchar said in the statement. 

2 p.m. - Protesters, federal agents clash outside Whipple Building

Protests are getting heated outside the Federal Whipple Building, the headquarters for ICE. There are several federal agents in riot gear and protesters seen outside the building. 

At one point, agents rushed the protesters and took at least one of them into custody.

1:30 p.m. - Walz statement on federal prosecutors resigning

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz released a statement on Tuesday after at least six prosecutors, including former acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, resigned from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota. 

"Joe Thompson is a principled public servant who spent more than a decade achieving justice for Minnesotans. This is a huge loss for our state," said Governor Walz. "This is the latest sign that President Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the Department of Justice and replacing them with his sycophants." 

The Walz administration's press release said, "Thompson’s resignation is the latest example of the Trump Administration overtaking traditionally nonpartisan positions within the Department of Justice and replacing experienced career professionals with political loyalists. It comes two days after news that the Trump Administration has launched a criminal investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and on the same day, he threatened retribution for Minnesota."

1 p.m. - Protesters clash with ICE agents near Renee Good memorial

Anti-ICE protesters and federal agents clashed near the Renee Good memorial, and Minneapolis City Councilmember Jason Chavez was at the scene. 

12:30 p.m. – Field hearing on Trump's actions in Minneapolis

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington will host a field hearing in the coming days to examine what they describe as President Trump’s unlawful and aggressive actions taken in Minneapolis. 

The shadow hearing will include testimonies from witnesses speaking on personal experiences and constitutional violations. 

Noon - Minnesota's top federal prosecutor resigns 

U.S. Justice Department attorney Joe Thompson, who has been the face of the Minnesota fraud investigations, has resigned, according to reports and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

The New York Times is reporting Thompson and two other prosecutors resigned from the Justice Department after they were pushed to investigate the widow of Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot by ICE in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. 

The other prosecutors who resigned are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda Williams, Harry Jacobs and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez, according to MPR News.

Thompson prosecuted the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation in Minnesota, and was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as acting U.S. Attorney in Minnesota earlier this year. As First Assistant U.S. Attorney, he announced additional charges related to various fraud investigations in state programs in December 2025.

In a statement on social media, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said: "Joe is a principled public servant who spent more than a decade achieving justice for Minnesotans. This is a huge loss for our state. It’s also the latest sign Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the justice department, replacing them with his sycophants."

11:30 a.m. — Minneapolis City Council President shoved by ICE agent

A video captured Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne being pushed by an ICE agent during an interaction at a bus stop.  

Payne explained the incident on Monday, stating he was legally observing as ICE agents stopped a citizen in front of the co-op. 

"If this is how they treat the President of the Minneapolis City Council who is legally observing, just think of what they’re doing to everyone else in our City," Payne wrote of the encounter. 

11:20 a.m. — ‘ICE Out of MN: Day of Truth and Freedom’

During a press conference on Tuesday, Minnesota community groups are calling for "ICE Out of MN: Day of Truth and Freedom" to take place on Jan. 23, with plans for a large-scale march in Minneapolis and a day of "no work, no school, no shopping," according to a press release.  

Organizers say the response follows ongoing ICE enforcement that’s impacting local families and communities, and also resulted in the death of Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. 

11 a.m. - Lawmakers moving to impeach Kristi Noem

Illinois congresswoman Robin Kelly on the House floor said she is planning to impeach Kristi Noem. This comes as U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minnesota) and U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) have also called on her to resign or be impeached in the wake of ICE's operations in Minnesota and elsewhere in the United States. 

10 a.m. - Student walk-outs

Students at several metro area schools are planning walkouts to protest ICE operations in Minnesota. 

Several dozen students walked out of Park Central High School in Brooklyn Park on Tuesday morning as a way to express concern about the impact ICE is having on families and communities. 

9 a.m. - Temporary protected status ending for Somalis

FOX News reported on Tuesday that the Trump administration will not extend temporary protected status for Somalis, which is set to expire on March 17. The ending of temporary protected status affects only about 500 to 600 of the approximately 37,000 Somali-born people living in Minnesota. 

Temporary protected status was first granted to Somalis in 1991 and was last extended under the Biden administration in September 2024. President Trump announced the termination in November, with Homeland Security still reviewing the decision.

Lawsuit over ICE operations in Minnesota

The backstory:

Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison, along with the mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis, filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against the Trump administration in attempt to end the surge of ICE agents. The lawsuit alleges the federal government is targeting Minnesota as a way to punish political opponents in Democratic-led states.

Ellison says the number of ICE agents currently operating in the Twin Cities is estimated to be over 2,000, surpassing the combined number of police officers in Minneapolis and St. Paul. 

State and city leaders say the scope of the enforcement activities are having a negative impact on local businesses and schools. Several Twin Cities restaurants have temporarily closed or kept their doors locked due to immigration enforcement raids, citing employee fears and customer safety concerns. Some schools have also canceled classes, while others are providing e-learning options for students.

The other side:

In response, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem calls the lawsuit an "illegal action" by corrupt and activist politicians.

The case will make its way through the courts, but there’s no clear timeline on how long it could take a judge to issue a ruling. 

President Trump also defended the ICE operations on social media Tuesday, writing in part, "Fear not great people of Minnesota, the day of reckoning and retribution is coming."

More ICE agents coming to MN amid protests

Local perspective:

Despite the legal challenge, local leaders say even more federal agents may be headed to Minnesota. Last week, FOX News reported an additional 1,000 Border Patrol agents were coming to the state. Then, over the weekend, Sec. Kristi Noem said hundreds more officers were headed to Minnesota to keep federal law enforcement officers safe.

Minneapolis City Council Member Jason Chavez urged residents to remain cautious while running errands and seek community help if needed.

The Whipple Federal Building, which serves as the base for ICE operations, has become a focal point for anti-ICE protests. Over the past 24 hours, the complex has been surrounded by barricades.

READ MORE: ICE officers use tear gas after confrontation in Minneapolis near shooting memorial

Students across the Twin Cities metro area have also participated in walkout protests against ICE's presence in Minnesota, with more planned in the coming days. 

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