ANDY NGO REPORTS: Feds drop hammer on 15 Minnesota Antifa members accused of organized anti-ICE violence
15 members of an Antifa cell in the Twin Cities have been federally indicted over mass anti-ICE violence in January.
Loading the front page…
15 members of an Antifa cell in the Twin Cities have been federally indicted over mass anti-ICE violence in January.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged 15 individuals on Tuesday with conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers during the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis. The defendants are members and associates of a Twin Cities Antifa cell network, prosecutors said.
US Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen announced that the defendants are allegedly involved with Twin Cities Direct Action, later renamed Direct Action Minnesota, or "DAMN," a collective that organizes anti-ICE operations across the Minneapolis area. The 94-page indictment alleges the cell trained extremists in surveillance, rapid mobilization, shield tactics, blockade operations, and methods designed to interfere with federal immigration enforcement.
The indictment also identifies the Black Cat Workers Collective, a Minneapolis-based Antifa affinity group, as a key component of the network. The group promotes militant tactics, physical confrontation, and revolutionary political objectives while organizing actions against ICE and law enforcement, according to prosecutors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted home raids on Tuesday morning and took 12 of the 15 defendants into custody. Two defendants remain at large, and another defendant was already in jail.
The defendants have been charged with conspiracy to impede or injure federal agents and officers, alleging they worked together from January through June 2026 to prevent ICE and other Department of Homeland Security personnel from carrying out federal duties.
The defendants named in the indictment include:
https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2015164997576360225
Kyle Wagner faces additional charges of solicitation to commit a crime of violence and making interstate threats. Isaac Auman Sant and William Morgan are additionally charged with interstate stalking. Morgan is also charged with assault on a federal officer and destruction of government property. Natasha Rakotz is also charged with assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon or causing bodily injury.
https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2066960361614614841
Most of the defendants keep a low profile, like how Antifa militants are trained, but Wagner went viral earlier this year for his social media videos urging violence against federal agents. Wagner also declared himself an Antifa member in the videos and fundraised for the movement.
The Antifa cell developed an extensive infrastructure to monitor and counter federal immigration enforcement, which was documented by many journalists in the Twin Cities earlier this year. According to the indictment, members used encrypted Signal chats, rapid-response networks, and a system known as "Whipple Watch" to identify federal vehicles, track agents, and relay intelligence to militants who would then rapidly mobilize to confront federal agents. Prosecutors say participants followed agents from federal facilities to other locations while coordinating responses in real time.
The alleged conspiracy centered on the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Fort Snelling, which houses ICE operations for the Upper Midwest. The militants organized both “hard” and “soft” blockades intended to shut down access to the facility. The indictment describes plans involving homemade shields, trailers, vehicles, and physical barriers placed in roadways used by law enforcement.
Similar tactics were deployed by Antifa in Portland and other cities during the deadly 2020 BLM-Anitfa riots after George Floyd died.
Prosecutors say the groups used planning meetings, fundraising campaigns, shield-building operations, and coordinated Signal chats to prepare for their direct actions.
Prosecutors say organizers promoted and used one event on Jan. 23 to recruit participants for roles including blockade teams, commuting teams and riot groups.
The indictment quotes one defendant, Cameron Kennedy, espousing Antifa anarchist slogans on social media that comrades needed to “become ungovernable” and “actively resist” what he called “Nazi occupation forces.” Prosecutors cite the statements as evidence of the group’s extremist ideology.
Suspect Isaac Auman Sant was a contributor to Crimethinc, an Antifa terrorist collective that publishes violent extremist material. Sant wrote an article describing his “firsthand account” of his activity in Minneapolis in January.
"The charges and arrests reflect a broad federal effort to address organized lawless behavior, which seeks to disrupt the execution of federal law, endanger law enforcement, and, importantly, endanger the very communities that these defendants falsely claim to be protecting," said US Attorney for Minneapolis Daniel Rosen.
https://twitter.com/KatieDaviscourt/status/2066925823295443237?s=20
"Direct Action Minnesota emphasizes their violent militant approach to politics, and are highly critical of non-violent peaceful protest," said Rosen, explaining that the organization is "dedicated to direct action against federal law and immigration enforcement."
"This action is not peaceful. It's obstructive, disruptive, and unlawful. The organization trains its members in the aggressive use of shields against law enforcement, surveillance, operational planning, and rapid mobilization against law enforcement actions," Rosen added.
While Antifa is not a formal, singular organization, it operates as a decentralized, coordinated conspiracy dedicated to attacks and intimidation of civilians, law enforcement, and the government.
Reactions from Antifa accounts have been swift.
"One of our comrades was arrested and all of their electronics were confiscated," read one statement being widely shared. "Please alert all of your groups. Stay safe."
Libby’s Desk
Commentary and must-reads from Libby’s desk, straight to your inbox.
TPM Newsletter
The Post Millennial’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.
"This indictment is important to read for everyone engaged in political action right now," said the violent extremist group People's City Council, Los Angeles. "You should be discussing this with your comrades and organizing groups."
Other allegations in the indictment include efforts by the suspects to acquire trailers and trucks for road blockades and recruit support from out of state.
The charges mark one of the most significant federal cases targeting alleged Antifa organizing networks following the successful terrorism conviction of 16 Antifa members in North Texas earlier this year.
A group of Antifa supporters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Minneapolis to express support for their comrades who were indicted. Among them was the communist legal group, the National Lawyers Guild.
This case is being investigated by HSI and prosecuted by the US Attorney's Office for Minnesota.
Additional reporting from Katie Daviscourt.