Federal agents infiltrated progressive groups in Minnesota, court documents reveal
Court filings show the Department of Homeland Security conducted undercover operations targeting progressive organizations and labor unions in Minneapolis, prompting criticism from civil-rights groups and legal experts.
Federal investigators in Minnesota carried out an undercover surveillance program earlier this year that focused on progressive organizations, labor unions and other groups protesting a citywide immigration enforcement effort, according to documents filed in a federal case. The operation, referred to as "Operation Puppet Master," was described in internal reports as aimed at a network of individuals allegedly assisting "violent opportunists and agitators."
The filings, released in response to a defense-lawyer motion, detail Homeland Security agents attending meetings in churches, schools and public libraries, and monitoring activist chat groups and license-plate data. One report notes an undercover officer listening to a Sunrise Movement gathering where participants discussed peaceful protest tactics and safety measures.
The documents also list 18 targeted organizations, ranging from a local bicycle-repair collective to the AFL-CIO, and indicate that the agency obtained years of financial records for groups such as the Service Employees International Union and the Communications Workers of America. A DHS request to a federal money-transfer system warned that the summons should not be disclosed.
Legal scholars expressed concern that such surveillance could deter lawful expression of beliefs. "It is very disturbing," said UCLA law professor Ahilan Arulanantham, noting the potential chilling effect on constitutional rights.
Representatives of the affected groups condemned the investigations. Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America, said the union was being targeted by an administration that "weaponizes the legal process" against citizens exercising their rights. A coalition of Minneapolis civil-society organizations described the government’s actions as an attempt to intimidate community activists.
Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen characterized the 15 defendants in the related case as part of an "antifa" movement, a label the defense attorney Kevin Riach disputed, calling it a far-right invention.
The DHS deployment of roughly 3,000 officers to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area for three months resulted in thousands of arrests, mass protests and two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens.