Kaohly Her, St. Paul’s newly sworn-in mayor and the city’s first Hmong-American leader, called video of an immigration arrest in a nearby suburb “heartbreaking.” The detained man, ChongLy Scott Thao, was removed in freezing conditions and later returned home; DHS says the arrest was part of a targeted operation seeking two suspects from Laos, while Thao’s family disputes that account and says no warrant was shown. Approximately 3,000 immigration officers have been deployed across the Twin Cities, sparking protests, lawsuits and subpoenas as local and federal officials clash.
St. Paul’s New Hmong-American Mayor Calls ICE Arrest ‘Heartbreaking’ as Immigration Raids Escalate
St. Paul mayor, a Hmong American, said it was ‘heartbreaking’ to see man taken by immigration agents
MINNEAPOLIS — Kaohly Her, who this month became St. Paul’s first woman mayor and the city’s first Asian American and Hmong-American mayor, described as “heartbreaking” video showing immigration officers detaining a Hmong man in a nearby suburb. The incident coincided with national attention after a federal immigration officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen who lived about 15 miles west of St. Paul.
Mayor Reacts to Disturbing Video
Her, who was born in Laos and leads a city with the nation’s largest urban Hmong population, told NBC affiliate KARE that encountering an ICE operation so soon after taking office was unexpected. “Nobody ever comes into an office and within the third day of being in office there’s an ICE shooting,” she said. “But I also understand that this is the moment in which you are asked to lead, and so you step up and you lead. ... I hope I’m rising to the moment.”
Video posted online shows officers forcing entry into the home of ChongLy Scott Thao, 57, removing him in freezing temperatures wearing shorts, a blanket and sandals. Thao was escorted away and later returned to his residence the same day. Her said she recognized Thao after a friend posted images on social media; the friend, Louansee Moua, is related by marriage to Thao.
“It was heartbreaking to watch somebody get dragged out of their home,” Her said. “I don’t know how anybody looking at that could ever justify the treatment of another human being that way.”
Conflicting Accounts
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, said the arrest was part of a targeted operation seeking two men from Laos who are wanted on suspicion of sexual assault. DHS said the broader effort in Minnesota is intended to apprehend dangerous offenders.
Thao’s family disputed that account, saying in a statement that only Thao, his adult son, his daughter-in-law and his young grandson lived at the address, and that they did not know the individuals DHS referenced. The family also said officers did not present a warrant or request identification before detaining Thao.
Wider Operation, Local Pushback
Federal officials say about 3,000 immigration officers and agents were deployed across the Twin Cities region in a large enforcement operation that has resulted in thousands of arrests and drawn protests. Local leaders, including Her, have reported firsthand accounts from constituents who say agents are going door to door and targeting people based on how they look or sound.
Mayor Kaohly Her speaks at a news conference Jan. 12 about the shooting of Renee Good. (Tim Evans / Reuters)(Tim Evans)
“They’re targeting you by the way that you look and the way that you sound,” Her told KARE. “I think a lot of people want to believe that we are exaggerating what we’re experiencing here, but that’s just not true.”
DHS responded that allegations of racial profiling are “disgusting, reckless and categorically FALSE,” saying law enforcement targets based on immigration status and that agents may rely on reasonable suspicion under the Fourth Amendment. Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino and ICE official Marcos Charles defended the operation as legal and necessary.
Local Officials, Lawsuits And Subpoenas
State and city officials have clashed with federal authorities over the legality of the operations. The city of St. Paul, Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota sued last week to block the deployment of thousands of immigration agents. This week, the Justice Department subpoenaed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Mayor Her among others as part of an inquiry into whether state officials obstructed federal enforcement during prior immigration operations.
Local law enforcement leaders also have reported incidents in which agents stopped people — including an off-duty police officer, according to Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley — and demanded documentation. DHS has said it is unable to verify some of those specific claims without additional information.
The dispute has escalated into a legal and political standoff, with city and state leaders criticizing what they call heavy-handed, discriminatory tactics and federal officials defending the legality and necessity of the enforcement actions.
Reporting: Nicole Acevedo in New York City and Maggie Vespa in Minneapolis contributed reporting.
Correction (Jan. 21, 2026): A previous version of this article misstated former St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter’s political affiliation; he is a Democrat, not a Republican.
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