Federal agents gathered outside a Twin Cities home construction site Saturday afternoon in an immigration-related standoff with two men amid subzero temperatures.

WCCO's Frankie McLister reports several law enforcement members, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, were at the site in Chanhassen, where the two men were atop an aerial work platform.

"It was scary, it was really really scary," said Miranda, a community member at the scene. "I guess it was something you never think is going to happen."

One of the men came down after nearly two hours. The other didn't come down until after agents left the scene around 12:45 p.m. Both were hospitalized and are considered to be in OK condition.

"They didn't show us any warrants," Miranda said. "We persisted and persisted and I guess they got cold and got out of here."  

Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security's assistant secretary, said the men first climbed atop the roof after they "fled from a vehicle and entered a construction site." She claims the first man to come down from the roof had entered the country illegally from El Salvador in 2019. He is now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

McLaughlin said the second man had previously been arrested for domestic violence and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. She alleged a "crowd of agitators" helped him "evade arrest."

"I saw one gentleman laying down. I saw a bunch of masked people that were trying to get them down," said community member Alex Trevino. "It was probably two below zero and they were building a home. These are not criminals."

One man showed up at the site, saying he supported the federal agents and President Trump. He himself was met with resistance.

Dozens of federal agents have been dispatched to the Twin Cities in recent weeks as part of what the U.S. Department of Homeland Security calls Operation Metro Surge.

McLaughlin said in a news release Friday her agents have "arrested more than 400 illegal aliens including pedophiles, rapists, and violent thugs" since the operation began earlier this month.

Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman announced Friday he had witnessed the aftermath of an ICE raid at his neighborhood coffee shop in Brooklyn Park, Crumbs and Coffee.

"These are small business owners. Taxpayers. People who invested in our community, created jobs, and served their neighbors every day," Hoffman wrote. "This isn't right. And it's not who we should be targeting if we care about safe, strong communities."