The St. Paul City Council passed a resolution Wednesday to request an investigation into the conduct of city police during an ICE-related arrest late last month, where its officers fired pepper balls and sprayed chemical irritants at demonstrators.

The resolution, passed unanimously by five of the seven council members present at the meeting, seeks an inquiry by the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training regarding the actions of officers in the Nov. 25 incident on the city's east side.

A spokesperson with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents were arresting a Hondurian national whom they allege had been previously deported.    

WCCO cameras filmed the clash between police, masked federal agents and citizens who had gathered in protest of ICE's presence in the neighborhood. Several people surrounded a white van at a nearby intersection, leading the driver to deploy a chemical spray into the crowd.

Some demonstrators also threw items at officers and law enforcement vehicles, and police responded by deploying pepper balls and chemicals into the crowd.

Homeland Security officials said a protester was also detained at the scene for allegedly ramming into a vehicle that had an agent inside. There were no reports of any agents or officers injured.  

St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry released a statement later that day confirming his officers' use of pepper balls and chemicals against citizens. He also promised a "comprehensive review" of the incident.

The clash occurred just days after Henry told WCCO in an interview his department does "not do anything that is solely immigration focused," but will help federal agents if they believe they're in danger.

"I've been very clear since January, if you see a St. Paul badge or a logo, it's not an immigration detail but also, if a federal agent gets on the radio and screams for help, we are going to help," Henry said. "Our separation ordinance very clearly says we cooperate with our federal partners."

In the aftermath of the Nov. 25 confrontation, City Council member Hwa Jeong Kim told WCCO she was among those gassed by police.

"This is completely unacceptable. The St. Paul Police Department work for us, every single person on this street, that's who they work for. Their job is to keep us safe," Kim said. "I think residents should be infuriated by this action today."

This incident came just days after a similar clash occurred in St. Paul outside Bro-Tex, Inc., where 14 people were arrested amid "immigration operations," Homeland Security said. In that confrontation, federal agents also deployed chemical irritants on demonstrators.

NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is Nov. 25, 2025.