Link for the headlined item: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/13/us-government-spied-anti-ice-protesters -- stating in part:
Newly disclosed records reveal the US government extensively spied on prominent leftwing organizations and on protesters as part of a vast operation into groups opposing the immigration crackdown in Minnesota earlier this year.
Internal investigative reports show the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent undercover agents to community meetings in the Twin Cities and New York City, infiltrated Signal chats and obtained financial records of mainstream unions and left-leaning non-profit groups.
Nearly 30 internal law enforcement reports were released on Thursday as part of a criminal case the Department of Justice (DoJ) has filed against 15 Minneapolis protesters. The defendants are accused of a “conspiracy” to “impede” US immigration officers during the Trump administration’s surge in the region.
The DHS investigative reports were disclosed by the government and submitted to the court by an attorney for one of the defendants. The records show that in January, DHS launched an inquiry called “Operation Puppet Master” to identify a “network of conspirators” organizing against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The operation came as community organizing against ICE was swelling in the region in response to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
A DHS report from February said the agency was looking into people who were “providing material support to violent opportunists and agitators”. The records suggest agents launched elaborate spying efforts targeting activists, protesters and mainstream progressive organizations opposing the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
“I was shocked at the scope and the apparent lack of investigative discipline involved, but not totally surprised,” said Kevin Riach, an attorney for one of the indicted protesters, who filed the tranche of records in federal court.
DHS spokespeople did not respond to inquiries and the DoJ declined to comment.
EmptyWheel has an excellent post linking to NYT coverage where it appears a courtesy paywall bypass enables reading the full NYT item. IN EFFECT - spying on people doing nothing illegal. Forming dossiers. Using facial recognition software on protest photos,. Just pure crap. Because we can do it we are the federal U.S. of A., and under Trump we are limitless in how we try to stiffle exerxcise of peoples' rights.
The remainder of the Guardian coverage, and the full NYT item linked to by EmptyWheel provide great detail. AP also reports. The more you read the more awful it gets. "Grotesque" is an understatement. Our fucking government being in super-fascist spying-on-the-people mode, with a chilling story within that story, that being how fascistic things have gotten under the current federal people now driving the car, in light of how fascism played out into the mass death and suffering of the Second World War.
Germany then. Us now.
It is worse, far worse, than Flock camera license plate tracking. A part of the same story, but worse.
_______________UPDATE_____________
Facists are as they say and do. Praise of fascism is fascism. That said, from Tom Emmer's House site:
Metro Surge announcement
Thursday, February 12, 2026WASHINGTON – House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) released the following statement in response to Border Czar Tom Homan announcing the conclusion of the immigration enforcement surge in the Twin Cities.
Whip Emmer: “Job well done, Tom Homan. Local law enforcement is now cooperating with federal law enforcement in Tim Walz's Minnesota, thanks to President Trump's leadership. We are hopeful that this partnership will continue—without local or state interference—to ensure the worst of the worst are being removed from our communities.”
Jesus Christ Tom, as the one man said, "The boots you lick will also stomp you too . . ."
Stupid. Get a brain, Emmer. It would help you vastly.
==========================
I from time to time have noted how Doug Chapin is wise and a gentleman with widespread experience.
An email from him to a supporter, forwarded to me, noted:
Tom Emmer went on Fox and claimed Minnesotans are calling to thank Donald Trump for what ICE did here. His words: "please thank Donald Trump for trying to keep us safe and trying to get these illegals out."
I need to respond to that directly.
==========================================
Chapin's campaigning will bring him to Ramsey today, and he may have comments. Surely there will be a press release from him soon. Or a televised interview. Not strident. But lethal.
[Readers may view the Emmer spiel via an embedded video Breitbart (speaking of fascist) posted here.]
That slimeball has not dared to show up in person in Minnesota holding a current Townhall saying that stuff, and facing crowd reaction.
Do you blame him? When what you say digs the hole deeper, keep quiet seems to be the wisdom Emmer is missing. That and touting that Trump likes his subservience. So?
The man is simply going off the deep-end of Trumpist disrespect of truth. (Ask him who won the 2020 election.)
THE TOTALITY -- Emmer, Breitbart, Trump, a lost super expensive war, and Hegseth questioining troop testesterone levels. Not only all that, but rampant inflation clearly happening in every town and city food market, while pump price shock staggers everyone but Musk, who must love it because he's selling electric autos and trucks -- the entire smelling quagmier of households trying to make ends meet, then a medical debt event and its all down the tubes. It rots and rots, into worse and worse..
And Emmer likes it. Really. Read his lips. Great, couldn't be stronger.
He lies like Trump does. The Socerer's Apprentice has his mop gone amok.
Get him out! Give us rescue.
November cannot come soon enough!
But we know -- November is coming, and Emmer will be leaving. Trust me. He's going desperate, into lies and untruths. And spouting fascist mythology, like his mentor.
_________________FURTHER UPDATE________________
Tom, put away love of Brietbart for a moment, and read your online local daily:
