Minneapolis Residents Detained by ICE: Claims of Harassment and Intimidation

Wed Jan 14 2026 05:32:44 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Two residents of Minneapolis recount their harrowing experience of being detained by ICE without charge, facing pressures to disclose information about protest organizers and undocumented individuals. Their accounts shed light on aggressive tactics employed by immigration officers.

Brandon Sigüenza and Patty O’Keefe, both U.S. citizens, describe their shocking detention by ICE officers in Minneapolis where they faced intimidation tactics while monitoring ICE activities. Following their release, they recounted being denied basic rights and having experienced coercion to provide information about protest activities and undocumented residents. Their experience has raised concerns over the treatment in immigration detention facilities, prompting further scrutiny of ICE's operational methods during crackdowns.

In a disturbing account of immigration enforcement tactics, two Minneapolis residents, Brandon Sigüenza and Patty O’Keefe, have shared their experience of detention by ICE during a recent crackdown. The pair, who were monitoring the activities of immigration officers, claim they were held for hours without charge under distressing conditions, denied access to phone calls, and pressured to betray fellow activists and those residing in the country without authorization.

According to their statements, the aggressive tactics utilized by ICE officers in Minneapolis echo those employed during similar crackdowns in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. The officers reportedly conducted roving patrols, engaged in warrantless arrests, and even resorted to physical intimidation. Sigüenza and O’Keefe described how one officer even offered Sigüenza money or legal protection in exchange for disclosing names of local protest organizers and undocumented neighbors.

O’Keefe, who witnessed the officers smashing the windows of her vehicle and using pepper spray, expressed feeling demeaned by the officers’ behavior. She recounted the derogatory comments made to her during the encounter and voiced concerns over the escalating violence and intimidation against those observing ICE activities.

Both Sigüenza and O'Keefe, who have been vocal about their experience on social media, believe that their detention was an attempt to silence dissent against current immigration policies. They highlighted the alarming conditions they observed during their detention, with many of their fellow detainees screaming for help and suffering visible injuries without access to medical assistance.

Their experiences, coupled with ongoing complaints against immigration detention practices across the United States, have led to increased scrutiny of ICE's methods during these enforcement actions. They call into question the basic rights entitled to individuals in detention, regardless of immigration status, and stress the urgent need for improvements within these facilities.