Authorities in Minnesota are investigating the detention of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers as a potential case of kidnapping, burglary, and false imprisonment. The incident involved Chong Ly “Scott” Thao, 56, who was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in January at his home in St. Paul.
Thao, a naturalized American citizen of Hmong descent, was reportedly seized without a warrant when masked ICE officers forcibly entered his residence. Family members claim that officers broke down the door and removed Thao from his home in his underwear during sub-freezing temperatures. Thao has said the agents transported him to a remote location, where he was photographed before being returned to his home nearly two hours later after authorities realized their error.
The case has drawn heightened scrutiny amid the broader context of ICE’s intensified enforcement efforts in the Twin Cities under the Trump administration’s “Operation Metro Surge.” This campaign has also been linked to two fatal shootings of anti-ICE protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in the same month as Thao’s detention.
At a press conference on Monday, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Sheriff Bob Fletcher announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had not responded to their requests for information related to Thao’s arrest. They indicated that a grand jury may be convened in May to determine whether criminal charges are warranted. Fletcher emphasized that there is no dispute over Thao’s citizenship and expressed concern over law enforcement’s decision to remove a U.S. citizen from his home and transport him without clear justification.
DHS responded by defending its agents’ actions, asserting that ICE was executing a warrant based on intelligence linking sexual predator suspects to the property. Officials said Thao was present during the operation and refused to submit to fingerprinting and facial identification. The statement denied allegations of kidnapping, dismissing the investigation as a political attempt to undermine ICE law enforcement, and described the detention of all individuals on the premises during such operations as standard protocol aimed at ensuring safety.
Thao has denied any connection to the individuals targeted by the search and declined to comment further when approached by media. The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has sought detailed records from DHS, ICE, and federal prosecutors, including evidence, personnel involved, and any digital recordings related to the operation. Choi set a deadline of April 30 for compliance, after which legal action or a grand jury investigation could proceed.
The controversy emerges amid tensions over federal agents’ jurisdiction and accountability in Minnesota. Neighboring Hennepin County has filed suit seeking access to evidence tied to federal officers involved in multiple shootings, including the deaths of Good and Pretti. The Trump administration has argued that local authorities lack the power to probe federal officers, a stance disputed by Ramsey County officials who stress qualified immunity does not grant blanket protection in cases involving U.S. citizens.
The developments in Minnesota coincide with a rising number of deaths in ICE custody nationwide. Since President Trump resumed office in January last year, at least 47 detainees have died, including migrants Alejandro Cabrera Clemente and José Guadalupe Ramos, who recently passed away in detention centers in Louisiana and California respectively. The growing tally has intensified calls for greater oversight of ICE detention practices.