The arrest of a A St. Paul man taken from his home by federal agents while he was still undressed, in freezing temperatures, has drawn criticism from the community, including the city's mayor.
Federal agents broke down the door of a St. Paul home on Sunday, leading away ChongLy Scott Thao in only shorts, Crocs, and a baby's blanket. Thao, a 56-year-old U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE agents who believed he matched the description of two convicted sex offenders who lived at the residence.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has since stated that Thao lived with the offenders, which his family disputes, saying they've lived in the home for two years, and they suspect ICE was looking for a previous resident.
Local officials, including Mayor Kaohly Her, have also criticized the actions of the federal agents. Mayor Her expressed her anger over the incident, also claiming that the sex offenders ICE mentioned did not reside with Thao's family.
The Department of Homeland Security said officers detained Thao after he refused to be fingerprinted or facially identified.
"He matched the description of the targets. As with any law enforcement agency, it is standard protocol to hold all individuals in a house of an operation for safety of the public and law enforcement," DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
The DHS also identified the sexual predators as Lue Moua and Kongmeng Vang. Moua is a criminal illegal alien from Laos, who is wanted for sexual assault of a minor, rape, kidnapping, and domestic violence and Vang, a criminal illegal alien from Laos, is wanted for sexual assault, gang activity, and assault.
Thao's arrest has fueled concerns that federal law enforcement officers are exceeding their authority as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, which has seen some 3,000 officers deployed in the Minneapolis area.
