Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley has raised serious concerns about federal immigration enforcement tactics in the Twin Cities, alleging that off-duty police officers, who are US citizens, have been targeted by federal agents demanding proof of citizenship.
Speaking at a press conference Tuesday alongside other Minnesota law enforcement leaders, Bruley said Operation Metro Surge has led to what he described as “civil rights violations in our streets.” He noted that over the past two weeks, his department and others have received “endless complaints” from community members, and that several off-duty officers were also stopped by federal authorities.
“Every one of these individuals is a person of color,” Bruley said.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley: “The last 2 weeks we as a law enforcement community have been receiving endless complaints about civil rights violations in our streets from US citizens. What we’re hearing is they’re being stopped in traffic stops or on the street with no… pic.twitter.com/RfxkSj76aA
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 20, 2026
Off-Duty Officer ‘Boxed In’ By Federal Agents
Bruley detailed one incident involving an off-duty Brooklyn Park police officer who encountered Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while driving. According to Bruley, the agents “boxed her in” and “demanded her paperwork.”
The officer did not have documentation with her because she is a US citizen, Bruley said. When she became concerned about the situation and attempted to record the interaction on her phone, “the phone was knocked out of her hands.”
“She eventually identified herself as a Brooklyn Park officer, at which point the agents left,” Bruley said.
He emphasized that the incident was not isolated. “I wish I could tell you that this was an isolated incident. In fact, many of the chiefs standing behind me have similar incidents with their off-duty officers,” he said.
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Chiefs Warn Of Eroding Public Trust
Bruley stressed that the issue goes beyond officers being targeted. “Our officers know what the Constitution is, they know what right and wrong is, and they know when people are being targeted. And that’s what they were,” he said.
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt echoed those concerns, warning that such actions are damaging community trust. “The trust is fragile right now, and it is an essential element to public safety,” Witt said. “Today that trust is being damaged, broken by the questionable and sometimes unethical actions of some—some—federal agents, particularly in these last recent weeks.”
Bruley, Witt, and St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said they support lawful immigration enforcement but called for greater accountability and oversight of the roughly 3,000 federal agents deployed in the Twin Cities area.
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Federal Response
When asked whether the incidents could be linked to differences in training among various federal agencies, Sheriff Witt questioned whether vetting and training standards remain as rigorous as before.
Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino was later asked to respond to the Brooklyn Park incident. He did not directly address the allegations, saying only that agencies would continue carrying out their legal Title 8 mission. WCCO also reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
