Minnesota was told things were "de-escalating."Minnesota was told things were "de-escalating."

On Friday, a legal observer on an encrypted call screamed "please help" as federal agents boxed her in after she followed an ICE arrest. Her voice cut off. When others arrived, her SUV was abandoned in the street, engine running. She was gone.

It was the fourth disappearance that day. The third in under 30 minutes.

This is happening under "Operation Metro Surge," described by DHS as the largest immigration enforcement operation in history. Roughly 2,000 federal officers remain on the ground — about 13x the normal footprint and reportedly outnumbering the Minneapolis Police Department three to one.

The new border czar, Tom Homan, announced a drawdown of 700 officers and promised a more "targeted" approach after three shootings in three weeks under prior leadership — including the deaths of U.S. citizens.

Headlines focused on de-escalation.

On the ground, legal observers report agents still drawing weapons and deploying chemical agents. Community trackers warn of an "uptick in abductions" — a term locals use for arrests of both immigrants and the observers who film and follow enforcement activity.

The deportation pipeline continues: 66 shackled passengers were loaded onto a plane the night of Homan's address — the highest number in nearly two weeks.

Meanwhile:Meanwhile:

• ER and clinic visits in the area are reportedly down ~25%
• Local businesses are losing up to $20 million per week
• Immigrant-owned businesses report 80–100% revenue losses
• Schools have reverted to Covid-era remote accommodations as families keep children home in fear

Observers — calling themselves "commuters" — document federal activity, run license plates through crowdsourced DHS databases, and film arrests. Legal experts note that following and recording law enforcement is constitutionally protected.

The administration calls them agitators.

Homan says federal withdrawal depends on ending "illegal and threatening activities" against ICE and claims 158 people have been arrested for interference, with 85 cases accepted for prosecution. He has also publicly discussed building databases that include people who follow ICE operations.

A deportation officer told one observer on video Friday: "You just got one warning. That's it."

The pattern is simple:The pattern is simple:

1. Announce de-escalation.
2. Maintain surge footprint.
3. Expand joint intelligence.
4. Criminalize observation.

The question isn't whether arrests are happening.

It's whether documenting federal power has now become grounds for detention.