Minnesota man taken from home in boxers by ICE and forced into cold
By CAL
January 21, 2026
A Minnesota man, ChongLy Thao, described feelings of fear, shame, and desperation after a harrowing encounter with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Sunday. The 56-year-old, who goes by Scott, is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Laos. His traumatic experience began when ICE agents arrived at his Saint Paul home, broke down his door, and forcefully removed him from the house while he was wearing only shorts and Crocs.
He was handcuffed, escorted into the snow without any explanation, and left to freeze in the 14-degree Fahrenheit weather. "I was praying. I was like, God, please help me, I didn't do anything wrong. Why do they do this to me? Without my clothes on," Thao told Reuters in an interview from his home the following day.
Thao was later returned to his home, but no explanation or apology was given. The distressing images of Thao, barely clothed and wrapped in a blanket for warmth, were captured by a Reuters photographer and shared on social media. The incident sparked widespread outrage, fueling fears that federal law enforcement officers were overstepping their authority, particularly under the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown, which saw around 3,000 officers deployed in the Minneapolis area.
The family condemned the event, calling it "unnecessary, degrading, and deeply traumatizing." Thao's family and neighbors were visibly shaken, with some working to repair the door that ICE had broken. The temperatures that day hovered at a dangerously cold 14°F (-10°C).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explained the raid was part of an investigation into two convicted sex offenders believed to be living at the address. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, "He matched the description of the targets. As with any law enforcement agency, it is standard protocol to hold all individuals in a house of an operation for safety of the public and law enforcement." The wanted posters issued by DHS identified two men from Laos who were subject to deportation orders, but the family emphasized that the individuals they were targeting no longer lived at the address.
Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, a family friend of Thao’s and the first woman and first Hmong mayor of the city, voiced her outrage. She told the *Minnesota Star Tribune* that the family had lived in the house for two years, and the person ICE was looking for had long since moved out. Her expressed her fury both at the incident itself and at the explanation DHS provided.
This case comes amid broader controversy over the Trump administration’s tactics, especially after a U.S. District Judge in Minnesota issued an injunction blocking certain aggressive law enforcement practices. The injunction specifically addressed tactics that could "chill" citizens’ right to protest, including the use of weapons, pepper spray, and intimidation of protesters. The Trump administration is appealing this ruling.
As for Thao, he remains shaken by the event. Having immigrated to the U.S. at the age of four and becoming a citizen in 1991, Thao feared he might be sent back to Laos, a place where he has no family. He recalled the moment ICE arrived while he was enjoying karaoke with his family. "We came here for a purpose, right? ... To have a bright future. To have a safe place to live," Thao said, reflecting on his experience. "If this is going to turn out to be America, what are we doing here? Why are we here?"