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ICE Detains US Citizen Without Warrant, Releases Him an Hour Later

ICE agents detained ChongLy Thao, a U.S. citizen, without a warrant in his home during an operation targeting sex offenders; agents held him for about an hour before releasing him.

  • On Sunday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents forced open the St. Paul home of ChongLy "Scott" Thao, detained him at gunpoint without a warrant and led him outside in his underwear in subfreezing conditions.
  • The U.S. Department of Homeland Security characterized the operation as a targeted arrest of two convicted sex offenders, DHS said ChongLy "Scott" Thao matched the description while the family disputed this.
  • ICE officers prevented immediate ID retrieval, then drove ChongLy "Scott" Thao for about an hour, photographing and fingerprinting him using a federal database that found no records before returning him.
  • Family members have contacted Minnesota's congressional offices, the attorney general, and the ACLU about legal options, while the damaged front door remained on Jan. 19, 2026.
  • Amid a regional surge of federal agents, the raid sparked local backlash over enforcement tactics as videos showed neighbors confronting more than a dozen armed federal agents and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her criticized the arrest.
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ICE detains US citizen in St. Paul without warrant

ICE agents forced entry into a St Paul home and detained US citizen ChongLy Thao at gunpoint without a warrant then led him outside in his underwear.

·Oklahoma City, United States
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Crooks and Liars broke the news in United States on Monday, January 19, 2026.
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