Two teenage brothers document ICE operations in Minneapolis after federal agents launch largest anti-immigration campaign in history.
Teenage Watchdogs
For over a month, the well-worn Toyota Corolla of Sam and Ben Luhmann has followed federal agents in Minneapolis like a shadow. Every morning, the brothers scour different neighborhoods to document, in the piercing cold, the largest anti-immigration campaign in history. They record how masked men pull people with darker skin tones out of cars and spray pepper gas toward residents protesting against brutal actions.
They jot down license plate numbers of suspicious vehicles and send alerts on messaging apps. In the chaos of tense confrontations, they sometimes manage to capture comical scenes. A video of an agent rushing toward a protester slipping on ice and landing hard on the ground became an internet hit.
Homeschool Activists
After their patrol, 16-year-old Sam and 17-year-old Ben return straight to lessons – both are homeschooled. They came to Minnesota from Chicago, seven hours away, which became the center of the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) offensive in September 2025.
That’s when their mother first took them into the field. The brothers became so engaged in their watchdog roles that they convinced their parents to let them go to Minneapolis, which was invaded by 2,000 immigration officers after the New Year. The day after Renee Good was shot by an ICE agent, they witnessed heavily armed battalions turning the city into occupied territory.
Parental Concerns
The boys’ mother explained to the “Minnesota Star Tribune” that she perceives their mission as a “civic internship,” emphasizing that relatives and friends are watching over them there. And while she constantly worries about her sons’ safety, she is proud of their courage.
