A viral video circulating on social media Sunday appeared to show agitators interfering with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation targeting an alleged child sex offender in Minnesota, prompting responses from federal officials and senior members of President Donald Trump’s administration.
The video, which was posted to X and viewed more than 750,000 times within hours, shows an ICE agent confronting individuals in St. Paul who he said were disrupting federal officers as they attempted to take a suspect into custody.
According to the agent, the interference included repeated honking from nearby vehicles as officers worked to make the arrest.
“We’re here to arrest a child sex offender and you guys are out here honking,” the agent says in the video.
“No, we’re press,” someone off-camera responds.
“We’re not honking.”
The agent then gestures toward a nearby vehicle and continues addressing those filming.
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“That vehicle right there is honking and impeding our investigations while we’re trying to arrest a child sex offender. That’s who you guys are protecting. Insane,” the agent says.
The footage cuts to another moment showing the agent standing in the snow next to a vehicle that continues honking its horn.
The agent attempts to speak with the occupants.
“Trust me, I understand,” the agent says, before the driver slams on the horn again.
In another portion of the video, the agent is seen speaking with people inside a separate vehicle who appear to question the legitimacy of the arrest and attempt to usher him away from the scene.
As the exchange continues, a woman standing behind the agent’s vehicle can be heard encouraging the driver to leave.
“Just go. They’re lying. Don’t listen to them,” she says, while waving the car onward.
“We are trying to arrest a child s*x offender” ICE agents say as activists honk to alert to their presence in St Paul Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/TmL3DlZZ8F
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) January 18, 2026
The video drew swift reaction online from federal officials and public figures. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin praised law enforcement officers for continuing their work despite increasing resistance.
“God bless the men & women of [ICE] and [Customs and Border Protection] who risk their lives to arrest these criminals,” McLaughlin wrote on X.
God bless the men & women of @ICEgov @CBP who risk their lives to arrest these criminals. pic.twitter.com/eDJQLCrjZh
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) January 18, 2026
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also commented on the video, posting, “God Bless ICE.”
God Bless ICE https://t.co/f70u1egZYw
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 18, 2026
Her message was later reposted by the official White House X account.
Elon Musk reacted to the footage as well, writing simply, “Crazy.”
The incident occurred amid rising tensions between federal immigration authorities and agitators in the Twin Cities area.
Earlier this month, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot on Jan. 7 by an ICE officer during an immigration enforcement operation.
Authorities have said Good was allegedly blocking the operation and driving toward the officer at the time of the shooting.
Since that incident, agitators across Minneapolis and St. Paul have followed and harassed federal agents as they carry out immigration operations.
According to multiple accounts, some individuals have thrown snowballs at officers, screamed obscenities through bullhorns from close range, and attempted to interfere with arrests and vehicle movements.
Several of those confrontations have escalated to the point where immigration officers deployed pepper spray and tear gas to disperse crowds and continue operations.
The growing unrest has raised concerns within the Trump administration about the safety of federal personnel operating in the region.
A senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News Digital that the administration is preparing 1,500 troops for potential deployment to Minnesota as tensions continue to rise.
Federal authorities have repeatedly stated that interference with immigration enforcement operations can place officers and the public at risk, particularly when arrests involve individuals accused of serious crimes.
The video from St. Paul has intensified scrutiny on the role of agitators during enforcement actions and the challenges ICE agents face while carrying out their duties in hostile environments.
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