Nearly 160 people arrested for impeding, assaulting federal officers in Minnesota last month
Border czar Tom Homan said a drawdown in federal agents will happen when more Minnesota counties cooperate and if people stop interfering with federal agents.
"If you violate the law, you will be federally prosecuted," Homan said during a press conference on Wednesday.
Homan says in the past month, 158 people have been arrested for impeding or assaulting federal officers, with 85 cases already accepted for prosecution.
The Department of Homeland Security posted photos of nine people on X, saying, "more agitators arrested in Minneapolis."
One pictured in the post is Davis Redmond. Court documents say he was "driving aggressively" while following border patrol agents through Minneapolis before he "suddenly (accelerated) his car, colliding with the black GMC" driven by border patrol.
Redmond's attorney said on Thursday the charges he faces were downgraded from a felony to a misdemeanor.
"The charges are bogus, and the decision to bring this case is outrageous," the attorney said in an email to WCCO.
In a separate case, prosecutors claim Brittany Stallings assaulted a federal agent on Jan. 24, the day Alex Pretti was shot and killed. Court documents say Stallings shoved the agent and punched him in the face.
Timothy Catlett was also featured in the DHS post online. Prosecutors accused Catlett of "giving an officer the middle finger" during an operation in St. Cloud on Jan. 12. Court documents say when the officers tried to leave, Catlett pounded on the hood and kicked the side door of their car. On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney's Office filed to dismiss the case.
It's unclear if the number cited by Homan includes cases like Matt Allen, better known as Twin Cities rapper Nur-D. WCCO cameras captured his arrest on Jan. 24.
"So, I walk calmly, I walk slowly with my hands up," Nur-D said. "I was just being grabbed by somebody and so I began to run, and as I was thrown to the ground, I was told I was under arrest for assaulting a federal officer."
Nur-D claims he did nothing wrong and said his attorneys plan to pursue legal action against DHS.
WCCO reached out to attorneys for Catlett and Stallings for comment.