County attorney signals additional federal charges forthcoming from Metro Surge
County attorney signals more federal charges expected from Operation Metro Surge prosecutions.
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Operation Metro Surge Prosecutions
Criminal charges and prosecutions related to Operation Metro Surge federal enforcement actions in Minnesota, including assault allegations against ICE agents.
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2026-08-18 to 2026-11-15 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 14 Apr, 02:36 UTC
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What happened
ICE agent faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted on assault charges
If convicted on both counts of second-degree assault, Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. faces up to seven years in prison for each assault charge, totaling up to 14 years. No arrangements have been made for Morgan's surrender, and investigators had already interviewed Morgan at the time charges were announced.
Hennepin County Attorney announces charges against federal ICE agent
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the criminal charges against the ICE agent at a press briefing on April 16, 2026. Moriarty stated that this is the first criminal charge to be levied against a federal agent from Operation Metro Surge and represents a rare instance of local law enforcement charging a federal official for on-duty actions. Moriarty emphasized that Minnesota recognizes no absolute immunity for federal agents who violate the law.
ICE agent charged with felony assault in Minnesota road rage incident
Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., an on-duty Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, was charged with two counts of second-degree assault by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. On February 5, Morgan allegedly pulled an unmarked SUV alongside another vehicle and pointed a handgun at the driver and passenger. The victims called 911 and reported the incident to investigators. A nationwide arrest warrant was issued for Morgan.
County attorney indicates more federal charges expected from Operation Metro Surge
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty stated that additional charges may be expected in connection with Operation Metro Surge, including investigations into the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, who were both killed while impeding ICE agents. Moriarty characterized the current case as straightforward with ICE cooperation and ample evidence, which is why it was prioritized ahead of more complex ongoing investigations.
State and county sued Trump administration over evidence withholding in ICE shootings
In late March 2026, Minnesota state and Hennepin County sued the Trump administration, accusing it of withholding evidence and preventing them from investigating three shootings involving ICE officers during Operation Metro Surge, including the deaths of two U.S. citizens and the shooting of Venezuelan immigrant Julio Sosa-Celis who survived.
ICE officer pointed gun at civilians on Minnesota highway on February 5
On February 5, ICE officer Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. allegedly pointed his duty weapon at two civilians in another vehicle while driving illegally on the shoulder of a highway in Hennepin County. The incident occurred after the civilians briefly moved onto the shoulder to slow Morgan's unmarked SUV, which was attempting to bypass traffic. Morgan pulled alongside their vehicle, opened his window, and pointed his gun at both the driver and passenger.
Nationwide arrest warrant issued for ICE officer Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr.
A nationwide arrest warrant was issued for Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. following the charges of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced that authorities can arrest Morgan anywhere in the country.
Trump administration wound down Minnesota immigration surge
In February 2026, Trump border czar Tom Homan announced the winding down of Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota. According to Homan, the operation resulted in the arrests of thousands of people, though immigration arrests in and around Minneapolis continued after the formal conclusion.
Operation Metro Surge deployed 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota
The Trump administration deployed approximately 3,000 federal immigration enforcement agents to Minnesota in December 2025 for Operation Metro Surge, an immigration enforcement crackdown. Morgan was part of ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations division detailed to the Minneapolis area during this surge.
Two U.S. citizens killed by ICE officers during Minnesota immigration surge
During Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, ICE officers shot and killed two U.S. citizens in separate confrontations in January 2026: Renee Good, 37, a mother of young children, and Alex Pretti, 37, an ICU nurse at a local Veterans Affairs hospital. The shootings were captured on video and sparked widespread outrage and protests across the country.
Support for Trump immigration policies declined after Minnesota killings
NBC News Decision Desk polling from mid-February 2026 showed that public support for the Trump administration's immigration policies took a significant decline following the killings of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good by ICE officers in Minnesota.
ICE officer charged with two counts of second-degree assault in Minnesota
Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., a 35-year-old ICE officer from Maryland assigned to Minneapolis, was charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon on April 16. The charges mark the first criminal charges against a federal immigration officer for actions taken during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
Tom Homan took over Minnesota immigration enforcement operation
Trump border czar Tom Homan arrived to take over Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, replacing Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who was relieved of the title and returned to his previous role as sector chief in El Centro, California.
Federal civil rights investigation opened into Alex Pretti's death by Justice Department
The Justice Department opened a federal civil rights investigation into the death of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen killed by federal officers in Minneapolis. Two officers were placed on administrative leave, but the Justice Department determined a similar federal investigation was not warranted in the death of Renee Good.
DHS refuses to cooperate with state and local investigations into federal officer shootings
The Department of Homeland Security has refused to cooperate with Minnesota state and local investigations into killings by federal officers of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The Trump administration has suggested Minnesota officials do not have jurisdiction to investigate those cases, while state and county prosecutors stated they need to conduct independent inquiries because they do not trust the federal government.
ICE officers removed American citizen from home in underwear in freezing conditions during failed raid
ICE officers removed ChongLy Thao from his St. Paul home wearing only underwear, a blanket, and sandals in freezing winter conditions. The officers bashed open his front door at gunpoint and led him outside without proper clothing. Thao was handcuffed and driven around by federal agents while they attempted to determine what information he could provide about their investigation.
ICE conducted raid seeking wrong suspects at Thao's residence
ICE officers claimed they were seeking two convicted sex offenders with ties to Thao's property. However, the two men the agents were searching for turned out to be elsewhere—one was serving a four-year prison sentence in a Minneapolis-area facility. Thao stated he had never seen the men before and they did not live with him.
Trump administration deployed thousands of federal agents to Minneapolis for immigration enforcement
The Trump administration deployed approximately 3,000 federal law enforcement officers to the Minneapolis area to conduct immigration enforcement operations. During this deployment, federal agents fatally shot two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, leading to investigations by state and local prosecutors.
Minnesota and Hennepin County sued Trump administration over federal shooting investigations
The state of Minnesota and Hennepin County prosecutors filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to gain access to evidence needed for independent investigations into three shootings by federal officers in Minneapolis, including the deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The lawsuit alleges the federal government violated a promise to cooperate with state investigations after approximately 3,000 federal law enforcement officers were deployed to Minnesota.
Ramsey County investigates ICE arrest of Hmong American citizen as potential kidnapping
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Sheriff Bob Fletcher announced an investigation into the January arrest of ChongLy 'Scott' Thao by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. County officials stated that federal agents may have committed kidnapping, burglary, and false imprisonment. Thao, a confirmed longtime U.S. citizen with no criminal record, was forcibly removed from his St. Paul home by ICE officers who broke down his door at gunpoint without a warrant, then detained and questioned for approximately one to two hours before being returned home.
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2 alternative perspectives
Federal ICE agent charged with felony assault in Minnesota prosecution
Federal ICE agent charged with felony assault, facing up to 14 years in prison if convicted.
Trump administration concludes Minnesota immigration enforcement surge operation
Trump administration ends Minnesota immigration surge after deploying 3,000 federal agents and drawing legal challenges from state authorities.
ICE officer charged with assault after highway confrontation in Minnesota
ICE officer charged with assault after pointing gun at highway civilians.
Minnesota sues Trump administration over federal shooting investigation cooperation
Minnesota sues Trump administration for refusing to cooperate on federal shooting investigations.
Ramsey County Investigates ICE Arrest of U.S. Citizen as Potential Kidnapping
Ramsey County investigates ICE arrest of U.S. citizen as potential kidnapping.