A US citizen was detained at gunpoint in his underwear by ICE agents at a Minnesota home without a warrant, sparking outrage from local leaders and residents. ChongLy "Scott" Thao, who has been a US citizen for decades, woke up to find masked agents banging on the door of his residence in St. Paul, Sunday afternoon. His daughter-in-law warned him not to open it.
"I was shaking," he recalled. "They didn't show any warrant; they just broke down the door." Thao said he asked his family to find his identification but the agents refused. Instead, as his 4-year-old grandson watched and cried, Thao was led out handcuffed wearing only sandals and underwear with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
Videos captured the scene, which included people blowing whistles and horns, neighbors screaming at the gun-toting agents to leave Thao's family alone. The US Department of Homeland Security described the ICE operation as a "targeted operation" seeking two convicted sex offenders, but Thao's family disputes this account, stating it was an attempt by DHS to justify their conduct with false claims.
Thao told the Associated Press that he was driven to the middle of nowhere and made to get out of the car in frigid weather so agents could photograph him. He feared they would beat him, citing his mother had fled Laos after being targeted for supporting American covert operations during the 1970s. Thao's adopted mother, a nurse who treated CIA-backed Hmong soldiers, had her life put at risk due to this.
Thao now plans to file a civil rights lawsuit against DHS, stating he doesn't feel safe in his home anymore and wants answers about what he did wrong. The incident highlights concerns over ICE's tactics and their impact on the community, particularly targeting individuals with no record of wrongdoing or using inaccurate information.
"I was shaking," he recalled. "They didn't show any warrant; they just broke down the door." Thao said he asked his family to find his identification but the agents refused. Instead, as his 4-year-old grandson watched and cried, Thao was led out handcuffed wearing only sandals and underwear with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
Videos captured the scene, which included people blowing whistles and horns, neighbors screaming at the gun-toting agents to leave Thao's family alone. The US Department of Homeland Security described the ICE operation as a "targeted operation" seeking two convicted sex offenders, but Thao's family disputes this account, stating it was an attempt by DHS to justify their conduct with false claims.
Thao told the Associated Press that he was driven to the middle of nowhere and made to get out of the car in frigid weather so agents could photograph him. He feared they would beat him, citing his mother had fled Laos after being targeted for supporting American covert operations during the 1970s. Thao's adopted mother, a nurse who treated CIA-backed Hmong soldiers, had her life put at risk due to this.
Thao now plans to file a civil rights lawsuit against DHS, stating he doesn't feel safe in his home anymore and wants answers about what he did wrong. The incident highlights concerns over ICE's tactics and their impact on the community, particularly targeting individuals with no record of wrongdoing or using inaccurate information.
This is absolutely unacceptable! I mean, come on, who breaks down someone's door without a warrant? And to make matters worse, they're handcuffing him in his underwear? 
What kind of operation is that? It sounds like a scene from a bad action movie. The fact that this guy has been a US citizen for decades and still gets treated like a fugitive is just outrageous. 
The authorities need to get their act together and start respecting people's rights, especially when it comes to something as basic as a warrant. And what's with the "targeted operation" excuse? 
Sounds like a bunch of hooey to me. This guy needs some serious help from an attorney ASAP and I hope he wins that civil rights lawsuit big time! 
! So hes woken up by masked ICE agents banging on his door n they didnt hav a warrant lol?! they just broke down the door n grabbed him n threw him out n handcuffed im like whaaat? 
4 yr old lil guy watches n cries 
. His fam is all like "wat did u do wrong" nd DHS is all like its jus a targeted op 
. Thao is planning to sue DHS & hes got every right 2 feel scared in his own home 
. We gotta call out ICE's tactics n make sure they r holding ppl accountable 
This is absolutely insane! I mean, who does this? ICE agents just show up unannounced, break down the door, and cuff a US citizen in his underwear? No warrant, no nothing? 
This is not a 'targeted operation', it's a straight-up abuse of power. ChongLy Thao has been a US citizen for decades and this is how he gets treated? It's disgusting.
And what about the fact that ICE agents are using inaccurate info on innocent people like Thao? This is a clear case of racism and profiling, but let's focus on the facts for now.
The community needs to come together to support him and make sure this kind of thing never happens again. We need to hold our law enforcement agencies accountable for their actions! 
. It's not right that this man was targeted like this, especially considering he's been a US citizen for decades 
.
i'm low-key fuming for Thao and his family right now. DHS needs to get their act together and start respecting people's rights, not just covering up mistakes with fabricated stories 
i'm all for keeping our communities safe, but this feels like a total abuse of power... gotta do something about it 
I mean, we've come so far as a society, and it feels like some folks are still clinging to outdated notions of what it means to be a good citizen.
This is just insane! I mean, can you imagine someone bursting into your house in your underwear, handcuffing you, and dragging you out to be photographed like some kind of common criminal? It's just so unacceptable 
.
. They're saying two sex offenders were supposed to be the focus, but Thao's family doesn't believe that's true 
. It's just another example of how ICE is using fear and intimidation to get what they want, and it's got to stop 
. He needs answers about what happened to him, and he deserves compensation for the trauma and stress he's been put through 
. I'm appalled that this has become a normalized practice, and I hope Thao's lawsuit brings much-needed attention to this issue.
! It's like they thought they could just waltz in and take him away without any consequences. And the fact that he was led out with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders? 
.
. I'm definitely adding my voice to Scott Thao's civil rights lawsuit – we need more people speaking out against ICE's tactics 
.