President Donald Trump's immigration forces stunned observers on Wednesday after they drew their weapons on an elderly couple in a church parking lot in Minneapolis.
The retired couple spoke with journalists outside the church on Wednesday, where Trump's immigration agents were trying to catch members of the congregation as they left the building. The operation happened just days after the federal government arrested protesters who attended a church service in St. Paul and questioned one of the pastors over his ties to the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office.
"ICE agents who had the audacity to come and try to arrest and kidnap people leaving church on a Sunday morning," the man remembered. "We turned into a parking lot and were greeted by approximately four unmarked ice vehicles with agents who immediately stopped us and pointed semi-automatic weapons in our face, asked us to roll down the windows, threatened us multiple times with arrest."
"They had the professional demeanor of criminals," the man added.
The interactions stunned observers, who shared their thoughts on social media.
"Yep, classic Antifa terrorist types right here. Oma and Opa were clearly out looking for violence, and not just bringing some hot dish to the Elks lodge," lawyer Christopher Odell posted on Bluesky.
"My god. Look at these leftist radicals," TV writer Chris Nowak posted on Bluesky.
"These are the people Miller’s army is at war against — anyone who might get in his way. Like good Americans with American values," Chris Scherf, a retired sports writer, posted on Bluesky.
"Yeah I’m shocked that an almost completely untrained militia is so scary and violent! If only there were some historical precedent," political analyst Molly Jong-Fast posted on X.
"'Professional demeanor of criminals' is a phrase we should make sure every person associates with this administration," Seattle lawyer Ellery Johannessen posted on X.
"Becoming increasingly clear that these thugs are the Proud Boys," Jonathan O'Brien, writer for The Irish Times, posted on X.
A retired Minneapolis couple who had guns pointed at them by ICE in a church parking lot.
"They were obviously not trained at all. I've known many police officers in my life. These people were right off the streets."
"They had the professional demeanor of criminals." pic.twitter.com/LyaKCjVLow
— Paul Graham (@paulg) January 28, 2026