Ramsey County, Minnesota authorities announced an investigation into the arrest of ChongLy 'Scott' Thao, a Hmong American man taken from his St. Paul home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in January. According to HuffPost and Los Angeles Times, officials are examining whether the incident constitutes kidnapping, burglary, or false imprisonment.
Key Takeaways
Ramsey County officials are investigating an ICE arrest as potential kidnapping after agents forcibly removed U.S. citizen ChongLy 'Scott' Thao from his St. Paul home without a warrant.
- Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Sheriff Bob Fletcher announced the investigation into Thao's January arrest
- ICE officers broke down Thao's door, took him outside in freezing conditions wearing only underwear and a blanket
- Agents later realized Thao was a U.S. citizen with no criminal record and returned him home after several hours
- Minnesota officials are also investigating other federal officer actions during Operation Metro Surge
The arrest occurred when ICE officers forcibly entered Thao's home without a warrant, leading him outside in freezing conditions while he was dressed only in his underwear and wrapped in a blanket. As reported by CBS News, videos captured the scene with neighbors blowing whistles, honking horns, and shouting at agents to leave the family alone.
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Sheriff Bob Fletcher stated they are pursuing information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for their investigation. According to HuffPost, Fletcher emphasized that Thao is a U.S. citizen, saying 'There's not a dispute over that.' The officials questioned whether the agents' actions constituted good law enforcement.
The investigation comes amid broader scrutiny of federal officer activities in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge. As reported by CBS News, Choi mentioned nine Ramsey County law enforcement agencies are investigating other potentially felonious conduct by federal agents, with numerous victims filing police reports. The state and Hennepin County have also sued the Trump administration for access to evidence related to three shootings by federal officers in Minneapolis.
DHS has refused cooperation with these investigations, prompting Minnesota officials to appeal to the public for information about potential illegal activities by federal officers. According to Los Angeles Times, the Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation into one of the killings but found no need for a similar probe in another case.
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