Criminal charges have been filed against a federal immigration enforcement officer in Minnesota following allegations that he threatened two motorists with his firearm during a February highway incident in Minneapolis.
Gregory Donnell Morgan, age 35, who works for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, faces two counts of second-degree assault stemming from the confrontation along a Twin Cities area highway. Authorities have issued a nationwide arrest warrant for Morgan.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the charges Thursday, noting she believes these represent the first criminal charges filed against an ICE officer in Minnesota related to the Trump administration’s enhanced immigration enforcement efforts this year.
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred when Morgan was attempting to navigate around slower-moving traffic. The alleged victims’ car “briefly moved into the shoulder to slow him down,” prompting Morgan to accelerate and pull up next to their vehicle.
Court documents state that Morgan then “opened his (vehicle’s) window, and pointed his duty weapon directly at both victims in the other vehicle while continuing to drive illegally on the shoulder.”
In the criminal complaint, prosecutors noted that Morgan claimed “he feared for his safety and the safety of others” when he drew his weapon.
Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security provided responses to requests for comment regarding the charges.
The incident comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding ICE operations under President Trump’s immigration policies. Trump has defended the agency’s enhanced enforcement as essential for controlling illegal immigration, enhancing national security, and combating fraud.
However, civil rights organizations argue the intensified crackdown has infringed upon constitutional protections including free speech and due process, while fostering a hostile environment for minority communities.
ICE enforcement activities have sparked demonstrations in affected cities, with protests spreading nationally after the January fatal shootings of two American citizens in Minnesota — Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Critics also contend the administration has exploited individual fraud cases to target entire communities, while questioning the administration’s commitment to fighting corruption given presidential pardons granted to individuals with fraud convictions.
