ICE Agent Charged With Felony Assault After Minnesota Highway Incident
Prosecutors in Minnesota's largest county have charged a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent with felony assault, marking a rare instance in which a federal immigration officer faces state criminal charges.
Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., 35, is accused of pointing a gun at another vehicle near the interchange of Highway 62 in Richfield, Minnesota, where Operation Metro Surge occurred. Morgan Jr. is charged via warrant and not currently in custody, according to local outlet KSTP.
The case arises as ICE continues to face mounting legal and political scrutiny nationwide, including lawsuits alleging civil‑rights violations, unlawful uses of force and improper detention practices.
Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by email on Thursday for comment.
Why It Matters
The charges in Hennepin County come amid broader debate over the scope of federal immunity and the accountability of immigration enforcement agents operating during large‑scale operations.
While the agency is tasked with enforcing immigration law, its tactics - particularly those involving arrests, detentions and use of force - have repeatedly drawn lawsuits from civil‑rights groups, immigrants and U.S. citizens alike. Scrutiny has only increased during the second Trump administration, particularly following the fatal shootings of American citizens Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge.
In recent years, multiple lawsuits have accused ICE of conducting warrantless arrests, unlawfully entering homes and detaining individuals without sufficient legal justification. Courts have, at times, sided with plaintiffs, reinforcing limits on ICE authority and underscoring tensions between immigration enforcement and constitutional protections. These legal battles have raised questions about oversight and accountability, especially during aggressive enforcement campaigns.
What to Know
Morgan Jr. is charged with two counts of second‑degree assault with a deadly weapon stemming from a February incident on Highway 62, according to KSTP. The case is notable because it represents the first criminal charges filed against a federal immigration officer tied to Operation Metro Surge.
County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the charges followed an investigation into alleged use of force during the incident. Her office has been reviewing multiple encounters involving federal immigration agents and has publicly urged community members to submit evidence of potential misconduct. Prosecutors have indicated that at least 17 incidents involving federal agents are under review.
The case also sits within a wider series of confrontations between state authorities and federal immigration agencies. Minnesota officials have pushed back against claims by Trump administration figures that ICE agents are shielded by "absolute immunity," arguing that federal officers remain subject to state criminal laws when alleged conduct falls outside lawful authority.
Operation Metro Surge has been a flashpoint. The deployment of thousands of federal immigration agents across the region generated protests and sparked additional investigations into deaths linked to ICE and Border Patrol actions. Hennepin County authorities have sought access to federal evidence in separate fatal shooting cases, joining state efforts to challenge federal refusals to cooperate.
Legal experts note that while prosecutions of federal officers by state authorities are uncommon, they are not unprecedented - particularly when prosecutors believe federal conduct may violate state criminal statutes.
Newsweek's reporters and editors used Martyn, our Al assistant, to help produce this story. Learn more about Martyn.
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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 1:43 PM.