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

[BumRushDaShow]

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/

[Girard442]

1. Awwww... I was so looking forward to having the ears beaten off me...

...and dying of numerous gunshot wounds.

[duckworth969]

2. Right...

As if ICE thugs have that type of self-control.

[Javaman]

3. my first thought as well...

sociopaths have to sociopath

[LovelyStuff]

4. And psychopaths . . .

Have to psychopath. A day without brutality is a day without sunshine. /s

[electric_blue68]

11. This definitely came to mind.

[bronxiteforever]

5. So the "old orders" were to cause confrontations.

That explains why Good was murdered. We saw Ross inflame and create the situation so he could “interact” with her.

There was a conspiracy hatched in 1600 Pennsylvania Ave to start a riot in Minneapolis.

[OldBaldy1701E]

6. "No one is going to convince the other."

Then, why are we letting them continue to exist? They are admitting that they refuse to understand their evil actions.

Why even allow them to continue another second, if this is their position?

Why?

[Miguelito Loveless]

7. Clarification, please:

Is murder and other violent assaults considered "interacting"?

[bluestarone]

8. Well, i'm not happy about the word Agitators. Why would we accept being called AGITATORS?

Protesters is the ONLY name i would accept. The AGITATORS are ICE. That's been proven many times on the videos..

[BumRushDaShow]

9. *I* consider "agitators" as the "Black Bloc" instigators

who show up at peaceful protests all dressed in black, with masks, and wearing gloves, and who will start throwing stuff like rocks, bricks, and even molotov cocktails, at LEO and businesses, to try to trigger a riot.

I would NOT accept anyone "defining" regular protestors as "agitators".

[bluestarone]

10. Well, you just identified ICE (in my mind)

I'll agree with that.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. And those are the tactics ICE uses!

[riversedge]

12. agree.

[sakabatou]

13. I mean, it's not like ICE has agitators on their own side. Oh wait...

[raccoon]

15. "Agitators" my ass. The masked idiots are the agitators.