On Monday, police in Minnesota began arresting protesters outside a hotel after authorities determined the demonstration had escalated beyond peaceful protest. This decision led officers to declare the gathering an unlawful assembly.

The protesters had assembled outside the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Maple Grove, Minnesota. They were targeting the location because they believed it was where U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was staying.

This incident comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s announcement that Bovino, along with several of his agents, would be departing Minneapolis. This move is part of a broader leadership reshuffle in response to Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement measures. These operations have sparked bipartisan concern, especially after a recent incident where agents fatally shot an American who was documenting Border Patrol activities.

In light of these developments, Border Czar Tom Homan is anticipated to take charge of the immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota.

Protesters stood face-to-face with law enforcement officers during the demonstration outside the SpringHill Suites and Residence Inn by Marriott hotels on Monday, January 26, 2026, in Maple Grove, Minnesota. (AP)

Maple Grove police said officers responded on Monday to reports of a protest at the hotel and that the protest escalated when agitators allegedly began throwing objects at officers and damaging property.

After police declared an unlawful assembly and issued a dispersal order, several people who refused to leave were arrested, authorities said.

“The Maple Grove Police Department respects and upholds the First Amendment rights of individuals to peacefully assemble and express their views. Our priority remains the safety and security of all residents, visitors, and property within our community,” a spokesperson for the police department said in a statement to KSTP.

“At that point, the activity was no longer considered peaceful. Individuals participating in criminal acts are not protected under the First Amendment and were subject to arrest,” the spokesperson added.

Maple Grove police officers stand during a protest outside SpringHill Suites and Residence Inn by Marriott hotels on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Maple Grove, Minnesota. (AP)

The Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Hennepin Public Order Group all responded to the scene to assist Maple Grove officers.

The move to pull Bovino from Minneapolis came after he had faced backlash over his unsubstantiated claims that Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old U.S. citizen killed by Border Patrol agents, intended to “massacre” law enforcement, a characterization the White House has distanced the president from.

Pretti was shot and killed on Saturday by Border Patrol agents while recording federal immigration operations in Minneapolis. An ICU nurse, Pretti appeared to be attempting to attend to a woman agents knocked down when he was sprayed with an irritant, pushed to the ground and beaten. An agent was seen pulling Pretti’s gun from his waistband before other agents fired several shots and killed him.

Some reports stated Bovino was removed from his role as Border Patrol “commander-at-large” and will return to his former job as chief patrol agent in El Centro, California, but Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said he has “NOT been relieved of his duties” and remains a “key part of the President’s team.”

Law enforcement officers stand during a protest outside SpringHill Suites and Residence Inn by Marriott hotels on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Maple Grove, Minnesota. (AP)

Bovino also reportedly had access to his social media accounts stripped over his public comments.

The White House also sought to distance itself from comments by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who called Pretti a “domestic terrorist,” and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller, who labeled the man as a “would-be assassin,” with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying she has “not heard the president characterize” Pretti that way.

The shooting of Pretti followed recent unrest over the ICE-involved killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis earlier this month.