A viral video of a federal immigration agent stepping into a St. Paul restaurant with his gun already drawn has jolted Payne Avenue and reignited debate over how far federal officers should go when they take their searches into everyday public spaces.
The clip, shared with and reported by Bring Me The News, shows an unmarked SUV pulling up outside East Side Thai on Payne Avenue just seconds after a suspected civilian runs past the front of the restaurant. An agent quickly pushes through the door with his handgun raised while diners and staff sit just a few feet away. Neighbors who reviewed the footage say the officer does not immediately appear to notice the person who had sprinted by outside.
Owner Kou Vang later wrote on Facebook that “everyone in the restaurant is okay but traumatized,” adding, “on this MLK day, ICE is out here chasing kids and going into business with gun ready,” according to Bring Me The News. Staff and customers described a brief but chaotic moment of panic inside the dining room, and no injuries were reported.
Raid Footage And City Backlash
That restaurant incident was not the only ICE encounter to shake St. Paul residents over the weekend. A separate video shows agents breaking into a home on the East Side and leading a man outside into the cold wearing only shorts, Crocs and a blanket before ultimately releasing him, a scene neighbors say was deeply traumatic.
Sahan Journal reported that the man was later identified as a U.S. citizen. Neighbors posted the footage on social media, and the images quickly drew harsh criticism from city leaders who questioned what, exactly, federal agents were doing on their streets.
What Businesses And Residents Should Know
As St. Paul tries to process those scenes, state officials are reminding businesses and residents that they do have some clear rights when federal immigration officers show up.
The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office notes that ICE may enter the public areas of a business, such as a dining room or sales floor, without permission, but generally must have a judicial warrant to go into non-public spaces like back offices or employee break rooms. Organizations have the right to inspect and document any warrant that is presented. According to the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, staff are allowed to record interactions with officers and businesses should designate a point person to handle law enforcement requests.
Local owners say that even when agents are technically within their legal bounds, the fallout can be brutal for business. The Star Tribune reports steep drops in customers along Lake Street in Minneapolis and on St. Paul’s East Side, with some immigrant-owned shops cutting hours or temporarily closing as fear of enforcement grows.
Community groups and legal clinics are responding with know-your-rights trainings and hotlines, urging people to document encounters and to contact attorneys if they believe a raid was unlawful. The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office both provide resources to help residents and organizations navigate interactions with federal immigration officers.
