(NewsNation) — Flashbangs rang out at protests in Minneapolis on Tuesday evening, hours after fencing was placed around the Henry Whipple Federal Building, a hotbed for demonstrations in recent weeks.
Protesters and law enforcement officials have continually clashed in the days since Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a motorist who federal officials claim was trying to run over law enforcement.
State officials thus far have backed the demonstrators and their defense of Macklin Good’s intentions.
Their latest move — a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security — aims to stop the surge of immigration officers into the state and remove thousands already there.
Bovino says there is assassination plot against him
Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino told NewsNation’s Ali Bradley that he “received word” that anti-ICE individuals are “trying to assassinate him.”
“He said he’s on high alert, but it’s not going to stop them from operating,” Bradley told “The Hill on NewsNation.”
“I talked with Border Patrol Commander-at-Large, Chief Gregory Bovino, assaults and attacks against them are up as well. He said he and his crew are constantly being assaulted,” Bradley added.
Protests continue into Tuesday night
Waves of escalation have occurred whenever federal law enforcement has come out beyond the Whipple Building.
As anti-ICE protesters get closer to the building, the ICE officers attempt to deter them with tear gas, pepper balls or flashbangs.
One protester was kicking vehicles as they came and went from the federal building until ICE officers arrested him.
Earlier Tuesday, near the scene of Good’s death, one woman was arrested and pulled from her vehicle after ICE said she was impeding operations.
Prosecutors resign
Six federal prosecutors in Minnesota, including the top prosecutor involved in fraud investigations, have resigned over the Department of Justice’s attempts to investigate the wife of Renee Good. Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent last week.
Four prosecutors in the DOJ’s civil rights division also reportedly resigned following a decision by the DOJ not to investigate the shooting.
Trump, Vance blame Democrats for ‘chaos’ in Minnesota
In separate social media posts, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday pointed to Democratic leadership in Minnesota for the unrest.
“This is an extremely important point: you’re only seeing chaotic ICE raids in blue sanctuary cities where local officials are fighting against federal law enforcement,” Vance wrote. “The chaos is created by ‘leaders’ who would rather promote rioting in their streets than follow the law.
Trump took aim at leaders in Minnesota and Illinois, defending federal immigration operations by saying agents — whom he called “patriots of ICE” — only want to remove “convicted murderers, drug dealers and addicts, rapists, violent released and escaped prisoners,” among others, from the streets.
Official social media accounts for DHS and ICE echoed similar sentiments.
Minnesota, Illinois sue DHS over immigration surge
The lawsuit against DHS, announced Monday, claims immigration officers’ reckless tactics endanger public safety and unlawful policing provokes protest.
State officials are asking a judge to issue a temporary restraining order to the enforcement surge.
DHS says 2,400 federal immigration officers are on the ground, with hundreds more expected soon.
As of Monday, DHS has made more than 2,000 arrests since its “Operation Metro Surge” began in Minnesota five weeks ago, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
Border Patrol agents deploy tear gas as they clash with residents in a residential neighborhood after a minor traffic accident on Jan. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) 
A cyclist rides past posters of Renee Good Jan. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Good was shot and killed by federal agents during a brief altercation with federal agents on Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) 
Fencing is installed around the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) 
A member of the Press rinses his eyes after being exposed to tear gas that was deployed by US Customs and Border Patrol in a neighborhood while CBP conducted immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 12, 2026. (Photo by Madison Thorn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
McLaughlin, in an appearance on NewsNation’s “CUOMO,” also pointed to ongoing fraud investigations as the reason for ramped-up immigration presence in the state.
The DHS says 470 criminal illegal immigrants have been released to the streets because of sanctuary policies. The department is calling on Gov. Walz to cooperate with ICE and honor the arrest detainers of more than 13,060 people currently in custody.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has contested the immigration crackdown isn’t centered on fraud, and if it was, they would hold those people accountable — not the entire city.
Illinois officials have also sued DHS, accusing the agency of using dangerous enforcement tactics and unlawful uses of force in Chicago.