Minneapolis Police Department Chief Brian O'Hara, January 7, 2026. REUTERS/Tim Evans
The Minneapolis Police Department on Friday disputed claims made by Donald Trump's administration, according to Politico, stating that their characterization of an incident involving federal agents at a restaurant was "incomplete at best."
On Sunday, Vice President JD Vance took to his official X account to decry "a number of crazy stories" he claimed to have heard out of Minneapolis, including one in which two off-duty federal agents were "doxxed" at a restaurant while trying to get dinner, resulting in the location getting "mobbed" by protesters. Vance further claimed that the two CBP agent "were locked in the restaurant, and local police refused to respond to their pleas for help (as they’ve been directed by local authorities). Eventually, their fellow federal agents came to their aid.”
Speaking with Politico, however, a public information officer with the Minneapolis Police Department, Sgt. Garret Parten, disputed Vance's version of the story, which they said took place at Darbar India Grill & Bar on January 19 at around 9:22 p.m. local time in the southwest corner of the city.
"MPD monitored the situation and determined that the federal agents had sufficient resources available to manage the incident," Parten explained in a statement, also adding, "Records indicate the two individuals, and the assisting federal resources were able to leave the area within approximately 15 minutes of the initial 911 call. MPD was later notified that one of their vehicles had been left behind. MPD monitored the vehicle until the agents were able to return and recover it.”
"A DHS report obtained by Politico includes additional information about the incident," the report detailed. "It says that outside Darbar, 'a young adult male wearing a black mask was seen walking around their rental vehicle, a white Ford Expedition, before entering the restaurant and approaching the agents.' At that point, 'the subject accused agents of being ICE personnel, referencing the Ford Expedition as a known ICE vehicle and claiming access to a database of such vehicles,' according to the DHS report. Outside, by this point, 30 individuals had gathered, according to the report, and 'a female subject behind the agents locked the restaurant doors, preventing exit.'"
The DHS report Politico viewed concluded that the incident ended in around nine minutes when the agents were "extracted" from the scene. A manager for the restaurant told the outlet that he never witnessed anyone lock the doors, even on security footage.
Parten said that the presence of protesters alone is not sufficient cause for the MPD to render assistance to federal agents. According to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, roughly 3,000-4,000 federal agents have been in the city during the recent deportation surge, far outnumbering the 600 staffers at the MPD.
Vance's office declined to comment on the matter. DHS said only that his account of the story was accurate.
