FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday the bureau has identified people and groups who are funding leftist protests aimed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minnesota.
During an appearance on conservative commentator Benny Johnson's podcast, Patel confirmed that the FBI's investigation into the unrest is active and expanding.
"We've got … investigations ongoing into the funding of this," Patel told Johnson, stressing that the protests are "not happening organically" and that investigators have made "substantial progress" in uncovering groups and individuals financially backing them.
Patel also asserted that federal authorities are examining encrypted left-wing chats connected to protest organizers in Minnesota — warning those involved that they "should be worried" if they have violated federal statutes.
The revelations come as Minnesota remains a flashpoint in national debates over immigration enforcement.
Federal immigration operations in the Twin Cities, including "Operation Metro Surge," which has seen thousands of arrests, have drawn fierce criticism from local officials and left-leaning groups.
Protests intensified after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents during an immigration enforcement action in Minneapolis over the weekend.
Videos widely circulated online depicting the incident sparked nationwide demonstrations and solidarity protests in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City.
While advocates for the demonstrations cast them as spontaneous expressions of outrage over what they view as excessive federal force, Patel's comments and the FBI's investigative focus suggest organizers and backers are part of a coordinated effort.
Federal authorities have also made targeted arrests linked to property damage and threats against law enforcement in Minneapolis, reinforcing the administration's stance that anti-ICE protests are increasingly violent and orchestrated.
Patel's announcement adds pressure on federal and local officials to distinguish between lawful protest and actions that impede enforcement operations or endanger agents and civilians.
Patel's remarks mirror earlier comments he made when pledging to "follow the money" behind broader leftist protest movements that have resulted in riots and clashes with law enforcement.
Critics of the federal operation, including Minnesota politicians and civil liberties groups, have decried the shootings and the federal response.
They argue that aggressive immigration enforcement tactics are escalating tensions and fueling unrest — a narrative at odds with the Justice Department's framing of protests as potentially criminal and dangerous.
Supporters of Patel's approach, however, see it as a necessary step to uphold the rule of law and ensure federal immigration agents can carry out their duties without coordinated interference.
Federal authorities are also pursuing fraud probes and other enforcement priorities in Minnesota, underscoring the Trump administration's broader law-and-order agenda in the region.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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