ICE Agent Charged with Assault for Pointing Gun at Drivers in Minnesota

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent involved in the federal immigration enforcement operation known as Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota has been charged with felony second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., 35, of Temple Hills, Maryland, faces two counts of assault for allegedly pointing a gun at two people in a vehicle on a Twin Cities highway on February 5.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the charges Thursday, describing the incident as “extremely dangerous” and “well beyond the scope” of Morgan’s authority as a law enforcement agent. According to charging documents, Morgan was driving an unmarked black Ford Expedition illegally on the right shoulder of Highway 62 near the Interstate 35W interchange when the victims moved their vehicle in front of him, apparently to slow him down. Morgan then pulled up alongside their car, opened his window, and pointed a black handgun directly at the driver and passenger.

The victims, unaware that Morgan was an ICE agent, called 911 and shared video footage of the encounter with the Minnesota State Patrol. Investigators tracked the vehicle’s Utah license plate to Morgan’s partner, who was in the back seat at the time. Morgan later gave a voluntary interview, stating he was conducting surveillance on behalf of ICE and feared for his safety when he was cut off. He said he drew his firearm, yelled “Police Stop,” and then drove to the Whipple Federal Building near Fort Snelling.

Moriarty emphasized that Morgan’s actions could have led to a disastrous incident in a community already affected by federal immigration enforcement. “Driving while pointing a weapon out of your moving vehicle at the victims, who were in another moving vehicle, could have led to yet another disastrous incident in a community that has already suffered too many,” she said.

Morgan was charged by warrant due to concerns he might not respond to a summons and because his current location was not easily discoverable. The charges mark the first known case of an ICE agent facing criminal charges related to Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration crackdown initiated by the Trump administration in late November that deployed 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota.

The operation sparked national outrage after two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal immigration authorities in separate incidents. These deaths, captured on video, led to widespread protests and criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans. Following the shootings, the Trump administration replaced Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino with border czar Tom Homan, who announced the winding down of the operation in February, though immigration arrests continue in the Minneapolis area.

Moriarty’s office has launched an online portal to collect evidence of alleged illegal activity during the surge and is investigating 17 incidents, including ICE activity at Roosevelt High School the day after Good’s shooting and allegations of force used by former Customs and Border Patrol Commander Bovino. The office has conducted approximately 50 witness interviews but has criticized the federal government for obstructing investigations by withholding the names of agents involved.

Moriarty, along with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, has sued the federal government over these investigative blockades. She noted that while prosecuting federal agents presents challenges, “there is no absolute immunity.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the charges against Morgan.