Federal immigration agents have been accused of violently detaining two US citizens who were employees of a Target store in Minnesota, in an incident that has provoked fury from local politicians and community leaders.
The Incident at Richfield Target
According to state representative Michael Howard and video evidence, a team of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents assembled at a Target store in Richfield on 8 January. The agents are alleged to have forced the two employees to the ground at the store's entrance before bundling them into a dark SUV.
Present during the confrontation was Gregory Bovino, a senior US Border Patrol commander who has become the public face of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions. A subsequent video clip posted online appears to show one of the detained men in a distressed state in a different parking lot, crying and claiming, "They threw me on the fucking ground." A bystander is heard saying he is bleeding.
Official Responses and Mounting Tensions
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted on social media platform X that one individual was arrested for "assaulting federal law enforcement officers," but did not specify which person or provide details of the alleged assault. The post offered no explanation for why the individual was released shortly after arrest.
Representative Howard, who says he has spoken to both detained individuals, strongly criticised the operation. "In Richfield, federal agents, including Greg Bovino... entered Target without a warrant, physically assaulted, and arrested two Target employees, both US citizens," he stated. He described the event as "madness" and part of an ICE "rampage across Minnesota" following the 7 January killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer.
Legal and Political Fallout
In a significant escalation, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Monday night that he was filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration. He condemned DHS's "use of excessive and lethal force" and "warrantless, racist arrests," arguing their actions violate federal law. The lawsuit seeks a court order to end the surge of DHS agents in the state.
The family of Renee Nicole Good, while calling for conversations rooted in "humanity and empathy," did not specifically mention ICE in their statement. Meanwhile, Target's press office did not respond to requests for comment on the incident involving its employees and store.
This event in Richfield adds to a growing number of violent encounters between civilians and federal agents captured on video in Minnesota, signalling a deepening conflict over immigration enforcement tactics under the current administration.
