Federal immigration agents in the United States have been accused of forcing entry into a Minnesota home without a warrant, detaining a US citizen at gunpoint, and leaving him exposed to subfreezing temperatures wearing only his underwear.
A Terrifying Ordeal in St. Paul
The incident occurred on the afternoon of Sunday, 18 January 2026, at a residence in St. Paul. ChongLy "Scott" Thao, a man who has held US citizenship for decades, described a sudden and violent intrusion. He was awoken from a nap by his daughter-in-law, who alerted him to agents aggressively banging on the door.
"I was shaking," Thao told The Associated Press. He instructed his family not to open the door, but masked agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) forced their way inside. "They didn't show any warrant; they just broke down the door," he stated, recalling how the officers pointed guns at his family and shouted at them.
Detained in the Cold Without Identification
As his four-year-old grandson watched and cried, Thao was handcuffed. Despite his requests for his daughter-in-law to retrieve his identification to prove his citizenship, the agents reportedly refused to look at it. He was then led outside wearing only sandals and underwear, with nothing but a blanket draped over his shoulders in temperatures well below freezing.
Neighbourhood videos captured the distressing scene, showing more than a dozen armed agents as neighbours blew whistles and screamed for them to leave the family alone. Thao says he was then driven to a remote location, forced out of the car in the frigid weather so agents could photograph him, fearing he would be beaten.
Only after an hour or two, when agents apparently realised their mistake, was Thao returned home. He states they then asked for his ID before leaving without an apology for his detention or for breaking his door.
Official Justification and Family Rebuttal
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later described the operation as a "targeted" action seeking two convicted sex offenders, claiming Thao lived with them and matched their description. DHS stated he refused to be fingerprinted or identified.
Thao's family has categorically disputed this account, calling the DHS claims "false and misleading." Thao insists only he, his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson live at the rental property. A check of the Minnesota sex offender registry shows no one at that address, with the nearest listed offender living more than two blocks away. DHS did not respond to AP requests to identify the alleged targets or explain why they believed they were in Thao's home.
The incident has fuelled existing local backlash against ICE operations in the Twin Cities, which have included other warrantless arrests and the fatal shooting of mother-of-three Renee Good. St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, a Hmong American, condemned Thao's arrest, stating, "ICE is not doing what they say they’re doing... It is unacceptable and un-American."
A Legacy of Service and a Planned Lawsuit
The family's distress is compounded by their history. Thao's late adopted mother, Choua Thao, was a nurse who treated CIA-backed Hmong soldiers during the US "Secret War" in Laos from 1961 to 1975. She fled to America after communists took over, her life in danger due to her work with US personnel.
ChongLy Thao, who says he has no criminal record, no longer feels safe in his own home. "I don't feel safe at all," he said. "What did I do wrong? I didn't do anything." He is now planning to file a civil rights lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security.
