Month: January 2026

Kyle Wagner, a Minneapolis self-described Antifa influencer, posted videos urging “boots on the ground” and telling followers to bring guns to confront ICE after recent shootings. He promoted a Venmo link and advertised hoodies and an “emergency freedom and defense fund” while saying he would not disclose expenditures. Wagner, noted for tactical gear and antifascist tattoos, said he cannot legally own firearms; his Instagram was removed amid the backlash. Online accounts now allege he is “basically on the run,” soliciting donations and seeking political asylum to avoid being “hunted” for his beliefs — claims not yet independently verified by authorities. (dailycaller.com)

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson joined and led a downtown rally on January 25 calling for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a fatal Minneapolis shooting that sparked nationwide protests. (nbcchicago.com) He addressed the ICE Out of Everywhere demonstration near Ida B. Wells Drive and Michigan Avenue, framing the march as solidarity with victims and opposition to recent federal raids. (nbcchicago.com) Johnson had earlier endorsed the slogan Abolish ICE in the city’s snowplow naming contest and in October issued an executive order declaring certain city properties ICE-free zones. (news.wttw.com) His public stance has intensified debate over local-federal authority and immigration enforcement.

On January 26, 2026, The Atlantic reported that Border Patrol commander‑at‑large Greg Bovino would be removed and return to El Centro amid outrage over fatal federal shootings in Minneapolis, but the Department of Homeland Security swiftly denied he’d been relieved and said he remains a key Trump ally. (investing.com) President Trump and Minnesota officials discussed de‑escalation and dispatched former ICE director Tom Homan to Minneapolis as some federal agents began leaving. (axios.com) Critics, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, had demanded Bovino’s firing after his public defenses of agents; multiple investigations into the shootings are ongoing. (gvwire.com) DHS also suspended Bovino’s social‑media access amid the backlash nationwide. (forbes.com)

On January 21, 2026, the House Oversight Committee voted to advance resolutions recommending the House find former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt for refusing to comply with subpoenas to give depositions in the committee’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Chairman James Comer said subpoenas are not optional; the Clintons failed to appear for depositions scheduled January 13 and January 14, 2026. Several Democrats joined Republicans in advancing the measures. The contempt resolutions now go to the full House and could prompt Justice Department prosecution and fines, with the House empowered to enforce the subpoenas immediately. (oversight.house.gov)

On January 26, 2026, hundreds of anti‑ICE protesters converged on a Home2 Suites hotel in Minneapolis after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, believing federal immigration agents were staying there. (washingtonpost.com) Protesters smashed windows, scrawled graffiti and tried to force entry while hotel occupants barricaded doors with vending machines. (nypost.com) Federal agents arrived in armored vehicles, used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and at least one federal agent was seen injured. (theguardian.com) Social‑media posts circulated claiming DHS agents taunted demonstrators by drinking beers at hotel windows; that specific allegation has not been independently verified by major news outlets, and investigations are ongoing. (westernjournal.com)

Federal authorities arrested Brenna Marie Doyle in Spokane on January 26, 2026, after prosecutors say she used identification taken from an FBI vehicle during a January 14 Minneapolis riot to locate and threaten a Minnesota FBI agent. Prosecutors allege Doyle left three voicemails on or about January 16 threatening to kill the agent, his wife, and their child to intimidate or retaliate for official duties. A federal criminal complaint was unsealed and the government filed for detention under 18 U.S.C. §3142, citing flight and danger risks. FBI Minneapolis and Director Kash Patel announced the arrest and vowed continued enforcement and investigations. (fox28spokane.com)

Conservative commentator Benny Johnson released claims that Rep. Ilhan Omar and her husband Tim Mynett benefitted from a purportedly “100% fake” California winery, eStCru, which Johnson says jumped in valuation from about $15,000 in 2023 to between $1 million and $5 million in 2024. He also highlighted a rapid valuation surge at Mynett’s Rose Lake Capital. Johnson alleged the winery had no working phone line, no functioning website, and no physical winery operations; some posts demanded “REVOKE HER CITIZENSHIP NOW.” These remain allegations; Omar’s office disputes millionaire claims and no criminal charges have been filed. Investigations and inquiries are pending. (noticias.foxnews.com)

Sources: (kpbs.org)