Federal Disinformation and Press Freedom Collide in Minneapolis ICE Protests

For over a month, Minneapolis has been the epicenter of intense protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, creating a volatile environment where government messaging, public information, and journalism have come under extraordinary pressure.

The federal government’s response to these protests has raised serious concerns about the use of disinformation as an official tactic. Within hours of federal agents killing two civilian protesters—writer Renée Nicole Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti—multiple government officials labeled the victims as “domestic terrorists” and “assassins” on social media, well before any investigation was completed.

These premature accusations quickly fell apart as bystander videos, local reporting, and forensic analysis painted a different picture. In another troubling incident, the White House social media account shared a digitally altered photo of civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong that darkened her skin and made it appear she was crying, despite the original Department of Homeland Security image showing her calm and composed.

“The intention was to show the world a false iteration of that time to make me look weak,” Armstrong told The New York Times.

The federal approach to journalists covering these events has been equally concerning. Independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested while reporting on a protest at a St. Paul church, despite Lemon having already had evidence against him rejected by both a federal magistrate judge and a federal appeals court.

“Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization. That’s it. That’s called journalism,” Lemon stated.

These arrests appear less about law enforcement and more about intimidating journalists critical of the administration. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker has documented numerous incidents of reporters being shoved, threatened, grabbed, and tear-gassed by federal officers during the Minneapolis protests.

When official information is delayed, contradictory, or incomplete, misinformation quickly fills the void. False narratives about “secret Signal chats” directing anti-ICE activity and protesters being “domestic terrorists” spread widely before evidence could be gathered. These claims traveled rapidly through social media and partisan outlets while responsible journalists took time to verify video, interview witnesses, and seek expert input.

The Minnesota Department of Corrections was forced to create a dedicated webpage to correct federal misinformation in real time, noting that “DHS is justifying an unprecedented federal deployment into Minnesota communities based on the demonstrably false narrative that Minnesota refuses to honor ICE detainers.”

Social media influencers have played a significant role in shaping narratives around the protests. Right-wing influencer Cam Higby claimed to have “infiltrated organizational signal groups all around Minneapolis” where people were allegedly planning to track and impede federal agents. FBI Director Kash Patel responded by announcing, “As soon as Higby put that post out, I opened an investigation on it.”

This investigation targeted Signal chats that communities were using to share information about ICE activity and organize legal protests. The claims were amplified across right-leaning media, evolving into allegations that Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan was secretly orchestrating anti-ICE actions—despite no supporting evidence.

Local journalists and citizen documentation have become crucial in establishing truth amid competing narratives. Photos and videos from bystanders quickly contradicted federal claims that ICE agents acted in “self-defense” against “terrorist intent,” providing primary evidence that professional journalists could verify and contextualize.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty acknowledged the importance of this documentation, stating, “We have a portal where people can submit anything they think might be evidence, including video that you think could be helpful in this investigation.”

However, federal agents have reportedly seized phones from witnesses, falsely claimed filming them was illegal, and damaged photojournalists’ equipment—actions that directly threaten First Amendment protections for both citizens and journalists.

Minnesota-based news organizations—from established outlets like the Star Tribune to smaller nonprofits like Sahan Journal—have worked tirelessly to document events accurately. Their reporting, grounded in local context and experience, has provided crucial perspective for national audiences trying to understand the complex situation.

As Minnesota Governor Tim Walz noted, “The press are the defenders of our democracy. You need to be there.”

The Minneapolis protests highlight how independent journalism and citizen documentation serve as essential safeguards for information integrity and democratic accountability. When these pillars are supported, they effectively counter misinformation and document the exercise of power. When they are undermined, democracy itself faces significant risk.