Patel: Funders of Minneapolis Protests Identified by FBI By Charlie McCarthy | Monday, 26 January 2026 01:15 PM EST
FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday the bureau has identified people and groups who are funding leftist protests aimed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minnesota.
During an appearance on conservative commentator Benny Johnson's podcast, Patel confirmed that the FBI's investigation into the unrest is active and expanding.
"We've got … investigations ongoing into the funding of this," Patel told Johnson, stressing that the protests are "not happening organically" and that investigators have made "substantial progress" in uncovering groups and individuals financially backing them.
Patel also asserted that federal authorities are examining encrypted left-wing chats connected to protest organizers in Minnesota — warning those involved that they "should be worried" if they have violated federal statutes.
The revelations come as Minnesota remains a flashpoint in national debates over immigration enforcement.
Federal immigration operations in the Twin Cities, including "Operation Metro Surge," which has seen thousands of arrests, have drawn fierce criticism from local officials and left-leaning groups.
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https://www.newsmax.com/us/fbi-kash-patel-minnesota/2026/01/26/id/1243599/