Ramsey County Officials Sue DHS Over Investigation Into Hmong American's Arrest In St. Paul

By WCCO Staff

July 15, 2026 / 9:39 AM CDT

Authorities in Ramsey County, Minnesota, are accusing the Department of Homeland Security of being noncooperative in the investigation into immigration agents' treatment of a U.S. citizen during an arrest in St. Paul earlier this year.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Sheriff Bob Fletcher plan to announce a lawsuit against DHS on Wednesday, seeking "declaratory and injunctive relief to set aside Defendants' unlawful policy of noncooperation and their refusal to comply with the investigative demands of Minnesota authorities."

County officials in April launched an investigation into the arrest of 56-year-old Chongly Scott Thao, a Hmong American who said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents broke down his door with a warrant and detained him at gunpoint. Video showed agents bringing Thao out of his house in the January cold in his underwear. Thao said the agents brought him to the "middle of nowhere" before reviewing his identification and bringing him home.

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