A Minneapolis pastor has alleged that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents pointed a gun at his face and later told him he was being released because he was white; a statement that has added to the heated debate over ICE tactics in the city.
Reverend Kenny Callaghan, senior pastor of All God's Children Church, said agents detained him at a protest related to federal immigration enforcement, then made a racially charged comment as they released him — statements that are circulating widely on social media and drawing attention amidst national controversy over another ICE encounter in Minneapolis.
Pastor Alleges ICE Threat and Racial Comment
Reverend Callaghan told supporters and followers that he intervened when he saw ICE agents 'circling' a young woman during the federal operation, and offered himself as a deterrent.
According to his account, shared in interviews posted online by his church and on social platforms, an ICE agent approached, pointed a firearm at him and repeatedly asked if he was afraid. He said the agents placed him in the back of a government vehicle.
Pastor: I saw ICE agents circling a young woman who appeared to be Hispanic. I said to this ICE agent, 'Take me, stop harassing her.' The agent got in my face, pointed a gun at me, and said, 'Are you afraid now?' To which I said, 'I am not afraid.' The next thing I knew, they… pic.twitter.com/59ixtyltHS
— FactPost (@factpostnews) January 8, 2026
Callaghan alleges that, after holding him for some minutes, ICE agents asked for his identification and cellphone, and when he asked whether he was under arrest, they responded evasively before saying: 'Well, you're white. You won't be any fun anyway' — and then released him.
There is no official ICE press release or federal document confirming the exact dialogue Callaghan attributes to agents, and the agency has not publicly provided a statement disputing or corroborating his account as of publication.
Federal Enforcement and a Fatal Minneapolis Shooting
Callaghan's allegations emerge against the backdrop of an aggressive ICE operation in Minneapolis that has become the centre of a broader national dispute over immigration enforcement practices.
A 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, Renée Nicole Good, was fatally shot by an ICE officer during the same federal operation, according to multiple reports. Federal authorities claimed the officer fired in self-defence after she struck him with her vehicle; local officials and bystanders dispute that account.
Good's death has triggered widespread protests and sharp criticism from city leaders. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has accused federal authorities of withholding evidence and crafting a misleading narrative, and local and state officials have begun independent investigations into the shooting.
So, CBS News decided not to air this 25 yr veteran federal agent pointing out all the ways the ICE agent was in the wrong for shooting Renee Good, on its broadcast (I wonder why🤨).
— Tara Setmayer 🌻 🇺🇸 (@TaraSetmayer) January 10, 2026
At least it’s online. Reshare. pic.twitter.com/DXins5vks7
The intensity of the community response has been palpable. Demonstrators have gathered outside the federal Whipple Building near downtown Minneapolis, where ICE agents are stationed, demanding transparency and accountability in both Good's death and broader enforcement tactics.
Broader National Debate
The pastor's allegations and the widely circulated comment about his ethnicity have amplified discussions around racial bias and federal enforcement behaviour. Civil liberties groups and immigrant rights advocates have long criticised ICE practices, arguing that aggressive enforcement can undermine trust and escalate tensions. Critics argue that unchecked decisions by agents in the field can harm community relations and constitutional rights.
Supporters of stricter immigration enforcement, including some federal policymakers, defend the necessity of robust operations, particularly in areas with high rates of undocumented immigration or cross-border crime.
DHS leadership has emphasised adherence to legal standards and internal protocols by officers in the field, though the specifics of training and engagement rules in urban environments are often subject to internal document classification.
The allegations from Reverend Callaghan remain uncorroborated by independent federal documentation or public legal filings at this time, but they have nonetheless become part of a broader national discourse on ICE conduct and civil liberties, particularly as Minneapolis confronts multiple controversial federal enforcement actions.
