Counterprotesters chase off conservative influencer during Minneapolis immigration crackdown

On January 17, 2026, protests and counterprotests erupted in Minneapolis over the Trump administration's immigration policies. The events, centered around a "March Against Minnesota Fraud" rally near City Hall organized by conservative influencer Jake Lang, saw heated clashes between opposing sides before police arrived. Lang was chased off by counterprotesters. One of Lang's supporters was injured. The protests also highlighted the case of a Liberian man who fled civil war as a child and expressed fear of leaving his home after being detained and released during the immigration crackdown.

On January 18, 2026, hundreds of anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, confronted and dispersed a small group of far-right demonstrators led by Jake Lang. Lang, who was pardoned for his involvement in the January 6th insurrection, organized an "anti-fraud" rally near City Hall, promoting anti-Islam, anti-Somali, and pro-ICE sentiments. The counter-protest occurred amid heightened tensions in the city following the death of a local woman by a federal agent and the shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant. While Lang claimed to have been stabbed during a scuffle, police stated that no official reports of injuries related to the protests were filed. The protests are part of ongoing demonstrations against increased immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities.