MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — Federal agents secretly infiltrated meetings, monitored encrypted chats and collected financial information on unions and progressive organizations during Minnesota’s immigration crackdown, according to court documents made public Thursday.
The Department of Homeland Security operation, called “Operation Puppet Master,” began shortly after federal agents fatally shot protester Alex Pretti. Records disclosed in a criminal case show undercover Homeland Security Investigations agents attended meetings at churches, libraries, schools and parks and entered Signal groups used by activists.
Organizations scrutinized included the AFL-CIO, Minneapolis Federation of Educators, Communications Workers of America, Sunrise Movement and Veterans for Peace. Defense attorney Kevin Riach alleges agents also obtained financial records through administrative subpoenas and used Clearview AI facial-recognition technology to create dossiers on individuals.
The surveillance emerged through discovery in the prosecution of 15 members and associates of Direct Action Minnesota. Federal prosecutors accuse those defendants of offenses including conspiring to impede federal officers, stalking, threats, assaults and destruction of government property. The defendants are presumed innocent.
Critically, the broader unions and advocacy organizations identified in the surveillance records have not been charged with crimes. Riach argues the government cast constitutionally protected protest activity as evidence of a sweeping conspiracy and is seeking additional records detailing the operation.
DHS declined to discuss ongoing investigations or its investigative methods. The disclosures are likely to intensify questions over whether an operation ostensibly aimed at political violence crossed into surveillance of lawful dissent and organized labor.
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