Federal Immigration Pursuit Ends in St. Paul Multi-Vehicle Collision; Suspect Hospitalized
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A high-speed pursuit involving federal immigration officers ended in a multi-vehicle crash in St. Paul on Wednesday morning, sending one person to the hospital and reigniting tensions between local officials and federal law enforcement.
According to the St. Paul Police Department, the incident occurred just before 9:40 a.m. near the intersection of Western and Selby Avenues. Preliminary reports indicate that federal agents, reportedly affiliated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), were pursuing a vehicle when the driver lost control and collided with another motorist.
The individual being pursued, identified by authorities as a foreign national and the subject of an immigration enforcement operation, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. St. Paul Fire medics transported the individual to a local hospital for treatment. The driver of the second vehicle involved in the collision was not reported to have sustained serious injuries, though multiple vehicles at the scene sustained significant damage.
Federal Operations and Local Impact
The pursuit appears to be part of an ongoing federal initiative referred to as “Operation Metro Surge,” aimed at increasing immigration enforcement visibility in the Twin Cities area. Witnesses at the scene described a chaotic aftermath, with unmarked federal vehicles surrounding the crash site and a large crowd of residents gathering as St. Paul police arrived to manage the traffic collision.
While St. Paul police are handling the accident reconstruction, the department clarified that its officers were not involved in the initiation or conduct of the pursuit. St. Paul has long maintained a separation between local policing and federal civil immigration enforcement, a policy designed to maintain trust with immigrant communities.
Public Safety Concerns and Official Objections
The incident has drawn immediate and sharp criticism from city leadership regarding the safety protocols used by federal agents within dense urban neighborhoods. St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her issued a statement shortly after the crash, characterizing the federal agency’s actions as “reckless” and calling for an immediate halt to the operation.
“The incident today at Selby and Western underscores the fact that ICE is present, causing chaos, and putting residents at risk in Saint Paul,” Mayor Her stated. “Because of the reckless way that ICE is running their operation, one person ended up in the hospital, and bystanders had their property destroyed.”
Critics of the operation argue that high-speed vehicle pursuits for non-violent immigration offenses pose a disproportionate risk to public safety. Advocacy groups have frequently called for stricter engagement policies, suggesting that the danger to pedestrians and other motorists often outweighs the immediate need for apprehension in civil administrative cases.
Background on Pursuit Policies
Federal law enforcement agencies, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and ICE, operate under specific vehicle pursuit policies that require agents to weigh the “law enforcement benefit” against the “immediate and potential danger” to the public. However, the interpretation of these guidelines often differs from the more restrictive pursuit policies adopted by many major city police departments, which often prohibit chases for non-violent offenses.
As of Wednesday afternoon, federal officials have not released the specific charges against the driver or details regarding the initial reason for the pursuit. The St. Paul Police Department continues to investigate the mechanics of the crash, while the internal review standards of the federal agencies involved will likely be triggered to assess compliance with pursuit protocols.
bringmethenews.com
cbsnews.com
kare11.com
kare11.com



















