Federal Agents Conducted Multiple Raids in Southeast Minnesota’s Houston County Tuesday

Caledonia, MN (KROC-AM News)- Federal agents conducted multiple raids in southeastern Minnesota this week.

See Also: Rochester Police Help FBI Nab Federal Agent in Child Porn Case 

That’s according to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office. The federal law enforcement operation in southeastern Minnesota happened on the same day as federal raids in the Twin Cities that drew protesters.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said officers responded to the raid at a restaurant to assist with crowd control.

Get our free mobile app

About three hours later, an officer suffered minor injuries when a crowd surrounded an occupied vehicle. Two juveniles were arrested.

The crowd had gathered in Minneapolis based on a quickly-spreading, false internet rumor that the federal activity was related to federal immigration enforcement.

Federal agents were actually serving warrants related to a human trafficking and drug trafficking operation, O’Hara said.

Federal Authorities Execute Multiple Search Warrants Throughout Houston County, MN Tuesday

The southeastern Minnesota federal raids occurred in Houston County, according to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office.

A post on the agency’s Facebook page says deputies provided assistance while federal authorities executed multiple search warrants at multiple locations throughout Houston County.

The federal operation was not an immigration enforcement effort, the Facebook post says.

Houston County authorities say no further information about the execution of the warrants can be released because they were part of an ongoing investigation.

There have been at least two federal immigration enforcement operations in southeast Minnesota this year.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agents arrested two employees at a Rochester restaurant and responded to the Olmsted County Courthouse.