(ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA) A federal immigration operation in a quiet St. Paul neighborhood turned chaotic on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, as ICE agents and other federal officers clashed with protesters and chemical irritants were deployed to clear the street. By the end of the night, a Honduran man was in federal custody for illegal re-entry, a U.S. citizen had been arrested for allegedly ramming an ICE vehicle, and residents were left shaken by scenes of tear gas outside their homes.
The operation and who was involved
The operation took place in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood of St. Paul. Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshals Service arrived at a home targeted for enforcement. St. Paul police joined them to handle crowd control, and some local officers wore riot gear.
Neighbors and immigrant-rights supporters gathered outside the house. The street quickly filled with chants and raised signs as protesters demanded answers about who was being arrested and why the operation was taking place in a residential area.
How the crowd formed and escalated
- Witnesses said protesters shouted anti-ICE slogans and demanded to know the target of the raid.
- As word spread on social media (“ICE is in St. Paul again”), more people arrived.
- The scene echoed anger from an earlier raid at the Bro-Tex facility less than a week before, when officers detained 14 people and also used tear gas after protests turned violent.
Target of the enforcement and legal consequences
Federal officials identified the main target as a man from Honduras who had previously been deported and returned without permission. Because re-entry after deportation is a federal crime, ICE took him into custody.
Likely next steps for him include:
1. ICE processing and placement in removal proceedings.
2. Possible pursuit of criminal charges for illegal re-entry.
3. Potential transfer to a detention center away from St. Paul while the case advances.
Family members in the area will face practical hurdles: contacting someone in detention via phone systems and finding—often expensive—legal help on short notice.
Crowd control, warnings, and use of chemical agents
Tensions rose as officers tried to keep protesters behind police tape near the home. St. Paul police said some protesters crossed that line and officers reported threats that objects might be thrown at them or federal vehicles. Law enforcement warned people to move back; when many refused, the joint operation ordered chemical irritants deployed, including tear gas and pepper spray, to clear the area.
Video and witness accounts showed:
– People coughing, wiping their eyes, and rushing away from the gas.
– Parents hustling children indoors amid the smoke.
– Protesters shouting that the crowd had been mostly peaceful.
– Police vehicles and ICE vans forming a barrier on the street while smoke filled the air.
Some neighbors said they had no idea a federal raid was happening until they smelled gas and heard screams.
Important: Advocacy groups and civil-rights lawyers stress that use of crowd-control chemicals raises legal and policy questions, especially when neighbors and children not directly involved in protests are affected.
Separate vehicle incident and arrests
During the chaos, authorities reported a separate incident: a U.S. citizen allegedly rammed an ICE law-enforcement vehicle. The driver was quickly arrested and now faces possible state criminal charges (such as assault or property damage), and there may be additional federal interest because an ICE vehicle and officers were involved.
City leadership response and local debate
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter raised concerns about how local police handled crowd control during the operation. City officials confirmed the mayor questioned the use of tear gas and pepper spray in a neighborhood already tense over recent immigration enforcement actions.
St. Paul Police Department said its role was limited to public safety, asserting officers were present to prevent injuries and damage while federal agencies carried out the enforcement. Still, many residents saw city police in riot gear standing side-by-side with ICE and HSI officers, which blurred lines and increased worry—especially in mixed-status families.
This incident feeds into a broader national debate about:
– How much local police should support federal immigration work.
– When and how city resources should be used in federal enforcement actions.
– The balance between enforcement and community trust.
Rights, legal guidance, and oversight
Advocacy groups pointed residents to basic legal points they emphasize in trainings:
– People inside a home generally do not have to open the door unless officers show a warrant signed by a judge.
– Bystanders and protesters can film officers from a public place as long as they do not interfere with law enforcement activity.
Civil-rights lawyers said internal reviews should examine:
– Whether officers followed department rules on the use of force and crowd-control tools.
– Whether clear warnings were given before chemical irritants were deployed.
– Whether people who were not directly involved (neighbors, children) were unduly affected.
Federal agencies maintain they are enforcing immigration laws, including arresting those who return after deportation, and often argue that at-large arrests become more dangerous when protests interfere. Official guidance on agency enforcement priorities is available at the ICE website: https://www.ice.gov.
Community effects and broader impact
Analysis by VisaVerge.com warns that repeated enforcement operations in the same city within a short time can create a prolonged climate of fear. Potential community effects include:
– Workers avoiding reporting wage theft or unsafe conditions.
– Parents keeping children home from school.
– Mixed-status families avoiding services that require sharing personal information—even when they have legal rights to those services.
Community leaders in St. Paul now expect increased questions from immigrant families who watched federal agents move through their neighborhood and saw police use gas on people they knew from local churches, schools, and businesses. Some residents are asking city officials to clarify:
– When St. Paul police will assist ICE.
– How the city will protect residents’ rights during future operations.
Immediate aftermath and wider debate
The federal operation, the protest, the decision to have chemical irritants deployed, and the mayor’s public concern have intensified a debate in St. Paul about the role of immigration enforcement on city streets.
Residents who watched tear gas roll past their front yards on Tuesday night, November 25, 2025, now find themselves at the center of a national conversation over where immigration law enforcement ends and community trust begins.
Federal officers executed an enforcement action in St. Paul’s Payne-Phalen neighborhood, confronting protesters and deploying chemical irritants to clear the street. A Honduran man was taken into custody for alleged illegal re-entry following prior deportation, and a U.S. citizen was arrested after allegedly ramming an ICE vehicle. City leaders questioned the crowd-control tactics, while civil-rights advocates called for reviews and greater clarity on when local police support federal immigration operations.
