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O’Hara also stressed that his officers are being reminded of stricter internal policies meant to prevent civil-rights abuses. “If there is anything that is … a violation of someone’s human rights or civil rights, excessive force or anything like that, they absolutely have a duty to intervene as police officers,” he said, suggesting concerns inside city leadership go far beyond simple confusion over uniforms.
Then came his lengthy, eyebrow-raising warning — a statement that underscored how serious the situation may be:
Brian O’Hara:
“Folks that are masked—when people aren’t sure if they’re law enforcement, or if they may be kidnapping people—we have had those reports. I want to be clear to the community: the community should know that if you see something like that and you don’t know whether someone is law enforcement, you should call 911 and provide as much information as possible. Because let’s not forget, we very recently had a tragedy in this state involving someone who was purporting to be law enforcement.
So please, let’s be clear: that is something everyone should report, and we will immediately respond to it and document it—whether someone is unsure if there’s a kidnapping happening, or unsure if law enforcement is present or not.
And that is something else that is part of the additional policy requirements we are implementing: we will document and report these types of things anytime we hear them, and we are reminding our officers of their duty to intervene. So if there is anything involving someone’s human rights or civil rights, excessive force, or anything like that, they absolutely have a duty to intervene as police officers.”
The chief’s remarks came as national media outlets reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing a major operation inside the Twin Cities. According to the far-left New York Times, more than 100 federal agents have already been moved into the area, targeting Somali nationals who are reportedly in the country illegally.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who has long championed the city’s sanctuary-style policies, jumped into the fray as well. During the same briefing, he emphasized that the city will not assist ICE in any civil-immigration enforcement, reinforcing a policy that critics say ties the hands of local law enforcement while federal agents carry out high-risk operations.
The media frenzy intensified after President Donald Trump set off a political firestorm with a Truth Social post declaring he was rescinding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants in Minnesota. Federal law, however, shows Somalia’s TPS designation remains in effect through March 17, 2026. Just 705 Somali nationals nationwide are currently approved under the program — a number far smaller than activists claim.
Trump has also sharply escalated his criticism of the Somali community in recent days, accusing gang networks in the state of engaging in large-scale fraud and violence. He didn’t hold back during his final Cabinet meeting of the year, referencing revelations that Democrats allowed a staggering $1 billion Minnesota fraud scheme to flourish within the Somali community.
The GOP-led Oversight Committee is now investigating what many believe is the biggest welfare-fraud scandal in state history — all of it unfolding on Gov. Tim Walz’s watch. Trump was blunt about where he stands on the issue, reiterating that he does not want Somali migrants remaining in the United States.
As Minneapolis officials scramble to contain the fallout, federal agents continue operating in the shadows, and residents remain unsure who is actually detaining people on their streets — masked criminals or federal authorities. For now, the city’s message is clear: call 911 and hope someone answers.
