15 Anti-ICE Protesters Charged With Federal Conspiracy in Minnesota; Up to 6 Years Prison

The Justice Department indicted 15 Minnesota activists on conspiracy charges for protesting federal immigration enforcement operations. The charges carry sentences of up to six years in prison. Since President Trump took office in 2025, prosecutors have charged more than three dozen people in at least 10 cases using the same statute, all involving immigration enforcement protests.

Who was arrested and what are they accused of

Treasure Thoreson, a special education teacher, was arrested in June at her Minneapolis home on conspiracy charges. Erik Davis, a 53-year-old college professor, was arrested the same month while driving to a medical appointment. Both face charges of conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers during Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement push in the Twin Cities earlier this year. The government alleges the 15 defendants used force, intimidation, and threats to prevent ICE agents from carrying out their duties. The indictment is 94 to 95 pages long and cites encrypted Signal messages as evidence.

The legal statute and its history

The conspiracy-to-impede statute dates to the Civil War era and historically saw infrequent use. Before 2025, most recent prosecutions under this law stemmed from the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot and targeted far-right groups including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Since Trump’s inauguration, the Justice Department has charged more than three dozen people in at least 10 cases under this statute. All involve people protesting federal immigration enforcement. The government has also indicted nearly 50 people on conspiracy charges in Michigan, Texas, and Minnesota using different legal statutes.

What prosecutors claim and what defendants deny

U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen told a podcast on July 31 that the indictment is “not peaceful protest” but criminal conspiracy. Rosen said the 95-page document should be mandatory reading to understand the case. Civil rights advocates argue these prosecutions, even unsuccessful ones, criminalize lawful community organizing and weaken movements opposing deportations. Davis is not accused of violent acts, specific protest actions, or encounters with ICE agents. Prosecutors have not alleged any specific injuries to officers in Minnesota, though the indictment references Direct Action Minnesota and claims ties to “antifa.”

Local prosecutors’ different approach

Seven of the 15 indicted defendants were referred to Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s office. Two face misdemeanor charges in county court, while Moriarty’s office has dismissed or declined to file charges against the other five. This divergence highlights a philosophical split between federal and local prosecutors on how to handle protest-related cases. A related conspiracy case in Chicago collapsed last month. Demonstrators in Texas were recently convicted of terrorism charges and sentenced to decades in prison, though that case involved a protester who shot and injured an officer.

Final Thoughts

The Minnesota indictments signal a sharp expansion of federal conspiracy prosecutions against immigration enforcement protesters under the Trump administration. Defendants face up to six years in prison for alleged coordination, though no violent acts have been alleged in the Minnesota case.

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