All Hell Breaks Loose as Trump’s ICE Attacks 6-Month-Old!!

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast — Episode Summary

Podcast: The MeidasTouch Podcast
Episode Title: All Hell Breaks Loose as Trump’s ICE Attacks 6-Month-Old!!
Date: January 17, 2026
Hosts: Ben Meiselas, Brett Meiselas, Jordy Meiselas
Theme: Grassroots reporting and reaction to the militarized actions of ICE and Border Patrol in Minneapolis and St. Paul, with a focus on firsthand protester accounts, evidence of excessive force, and the impact on local communities—culminating in the hospitalization of children due to law enforcement tactics.

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode offers an urgent, visceral look at escalating federal law enforcement actions under the Trump administration, led by ICE and Border Patrol, targeting Minneapolis/St. Paul residents and protesters. Using exclusive on-the-ground video and interviews (courtesy of Status Coup), the Meiselas brothers document these events, provide real-time reactions, amplify protester voices, and sharply criticize government overreach, violence, racial profiling, and the official response to civilian suffering.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. ICE and Border Patrol Actions: On-the-Ground Reports

• Militarized crackdowns:

  • Reports and videos show ICE and Border Patrol agents aggressively policing Minneapolis/St. Paul.
  • Frequent use of terms like “Gestapo,” “SS,” and “paramilitary” (Ben) to underscore the intimidation and violence perceived by protesters ([00:30]).

• Status Coup reporting partnership:

  • The Meiselas brothers highlight the exclusive, uncensored footage Status Coup has captured, much of which mainstream outlets have not aired.
  • Ben urges listeners to support Status Coup’s coverage ([00:43]).

2. Intimidation & Escalation Tactics

• Confrontations with protesters:

  • Protesters are subjected to drawn weapons, racial profiling, excessive use of force, and threats ([03:01], [04:44]).
  • Protesters respond vocally, calling agents “cowards,” “chicken shit,” and “Nazis,” expressing community outrage (#quote below).

• Excessive force:

  • Clear moments of violence: a border patrol agent repeatedly knees a restrained man in the face ([04:44]), officers pepper spray and strike nonviolent observers ([08:26]).

3. Firsthand Victim & Protester Accounts

• Brutality toward observers:

  • A protest observer recounts being pepper sprayed and beaten while documenting ICE door-knocking in neighborhoods ([08:26]).
  • Protesters and volunteers describe being targeted simply for their presence, with federal injunctions apparently being ignored.

• Protester perseverance & camaraderie:

  • Despite freezing temperatures, demonstrators maintain a constant presence. They stress the importance of mutual support and the symbolic resistance of standing together, singing as federal agents retreat ([12:35]).

• Pickle Rick’s interview:

  • A protester famous for dressing in a pickle costume discusses his motivations (“I have to be up for my community in every way I can”), coping strategies for the cold, and encouragement for broader, more creative community engagement ([12:54]).

4. Political Implications & Community Resilience

• Protesters’ messages to officials:

  • Direct challenges to elected officials, with demands to confront what protesters see as fascistic behavior from federal forces ([09:51]).
  • Frustration with lack of protection for peaceful demonstrators; belief that officials are complicit or ineffective.

• Historical and national context:

  • Longtime Minneapolis residents connect the crackdown to betrayal of American values. One exclaims:

    “We didn’t fight wars so we could have this happen in America. ... In America, we try to take care of each other the best we can.” ([14:56])

• Threatened use of military force:

  • Discussion of President Trump’s threats to invoke the Insurrection Act and put thousands of troops on the ground, and the local authorities’ outnumbered predicament ([16:38]).

5. Racial Profiling and Family Impact

• Relentless profiling:
  • A permanent resident and his son are targeted; the mother is arrested for “fitting a profile.”
  • The son says:

    “She was just going to work and not causing trouble... you think your kids are going to be proud of you guys? That’s why you’re scared to cover your face.” ([18:22])

6. Tear Gas Attack on Children

• The culminating incident:
  • Federal agents deploy flashbangs and tear gas into a car carrying a family, causing a six-month-old to stop breathing and be rushed to the hospital ([20:01]).
  • DHS posts a defensive statement blaming parents for bringing children to a protest, but deletes it after evidence emerges the family was simply trying to get home.
  • Ben:

    “DHS did no investigation and rushed to lie to defend the officers.” ([20:01])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Protesters to agents:

  • “You coward, you chicken shit, you ****!” ([00:30])
  • “You effing Nazis. You don’t effing care about the law. You’re effing degenerates.” ([03:59])

• Protester on ICE brutality:

  • “Charged me with pepper spray, sprayed himself in the face first… then he charged me again with more pepper spray, clocked me in the eye, knocked off my glasses. … I didn’t do anything aggressive towards him.” ([08:26])

• On perseverance:

  • “We’re protesting fascists. Even when it’s cold as hell.” ([09:51])

• On ICE and community:

  • “If ICE goes home, we go home. That simple. ... We didn’t fight wars so we could have this happen in America.” ([14:56])

• Pickle Rick:

  • “Come out dressed up as your favorite cosplay. Show them what they’re really up against... Let your geek flag fly. This is the place to do it.” ([12:54])

• Directly to ICE agents:

  • “You think your kids are going to be proud of you guys? That’s why you’re scared to cover your face.” ([18:22])

• On the tear gas attack:

  • “The six month old child stopped breathing and had to be rushed to the hospital. DHS did no investigation and rushed to lie to defend the officers.” ([20:01])

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Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:30 – 01:45: Host introduction to crackdown, exclusive Status Coup footage, calling ICE “Gestapo”
• 03:01 – 04:44: Clips of protesters confronting ICE, allegations of excessive force, protesters insult agents
• 05:14 – 06:47: Video evidence of ICE detaining and assaulting US citizens, focus on escalation and racial profiling
• 08:26 – 09:36: Protest observer details experience of pepper spray and unjustified assault
• 09:51 – 12:35: Protesters’ daily struggle, persistence in the cold, music and camaraderie as ICE retreats (“Hey, hey, hey, goodbye”)
• 12:54 – 14:48: Pickle Rick interview: comic relief, community spirit, appeal to fellow cosplayers
• 14:56 – 16:38: Protester links current events to American history, opposition to militarization
• 18:22 – 20:01: Family terrorized by ICE, racial profiling, child hospitalized by tear gas

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Conclusion

This MeidasTouch Podcast episode powerfully documents a week of chaos and resistance in Minneapolis under intensifying federal law enforcement pressure. The hosts elevate protester voices and emphasize the lived stakes—from personal injury to threats against the very fabric of democracy and family safety. The brothers' outraged, uncompromising tone and their partnership with Status Coup create a vivid, urgent snapshot of a city—and a democracy—under siege.

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Listeners are encouraged to support on-the-ground journalism and remain vigilant in the face of democratic backsliding.

Transcript

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All hell continues to break loose in Minneapolis and St. Paul as the Trump regime's metro surge continues to escalate. Donald Trump's Gestapo, his ss, his paramilitary forces, ICE and Border Patrol, are continuing to terrorize communities there. We have the receipts, we have the photos, we have the videos. We've been working with an incredible organization called Status Coup. They have reporters on the ground and they've been getting exclusive footage that's leading the news cycle in what's taking place that you're not going to see anywhere else. Make sure you subscribe to the Status Coup YouTube page. Make sure you subscribe to the Status Coup substack. They've been doing incredible work and it's been an honor to work with them. Let me show you what's really going down right now as Trump's Gestapo is terrorizing these communities right here you have. There he is, the border chief, Greg Bevino with his goons, with his ss, with his Gestapo. And you'll see the protesters are saying, you coward, you chicken shit, you F word. And they're yelling that at Bevino as Bevino and his gang, his roving ss, the paramilitary right there, just go around and they harass people and terrorize people. I mean, just take a look at what they're doing here. Play this clip.

[B]

Shir. Brown shirts, brown shirts, brown shirt. You're all fucking pretend collar chicken shit fucks.

[A]

Next, I'll show you this clip brought to you by Status Coup. ICE agents arrest a protester outside the Minneapolis federal Building as an agent dressed in soldier fatigues points his gun at protesters. Stand real big with your effing weapon. The Protesters say it's negative 9 degree wind chill. Watch what happens. Play this clip.

[B]

Move back. Move it.

[A]

Next up, you'll see the group of Border Patrol and ICE that are terrorizing the communities there. You effing Nazis. You don't effing care about the law. You're effing degenerates. The Minneapolis ICE protesters yell at the swarm of ICE agents. Lineup. Protesters are out in the bitter cold. Brought to you by Status Coup. Here, play this clip.

[B]

Starting to line up like toy soldiers. At least not exactly in a something a the military would. Would find acceptable, but at least a little bit better than the usual kind of like mob assembly that they had before.

[A]

Now, this next one doesn't come from status coup, but it's important to share with you. New footage from Minneapolis shows a border patrol agent kneeling a man in the face as he's pinned down. It's clearly excessive force right here. Watch what goes down. Play this clip.

[B]

Hey, stop. Knee him in the face. That's his face. Stop it.

[A]

And here's another video right here. ICE claim this video was edited. It's not. DHS had been asking people to take it down. People refused. Agents are brutally detaining a US Citizen community volunteer kneeling on his head and neck. Here, play this clip right here. In this next video you're going to see. It's a new video out of Minneapolis showing the truth that ICE does not want you to see. G's and F in Congress. Doing a great job here bringing this to you. What you'll see here is a traffic stop without any cause at all. Show us your id. People who have brown skin are being racially profiled. And then fortunately, it's on camera because another ICE Gestapo or border Patrol Gestapo, they wear masks, so it's hard to even distinguish who's who there in terms of the Gestapo starts banging almost to break the window down on the passenger side in an effort to try to escalate. And then if people get freaked out, they. Then they use the force and either try to kill the person or severely injure the person and then say, oh, you were resisting. You were resisting. Here, play this clip.

[B]

How's it going, sir?

[A]

Good, sir.

[B]

Good. I see your id, please. Can I ask why? I was born. Turn off the table. No problem, sir. I'll get out. Sure, sure. Yes, sir. We're cooperating. You mind if you take you off your face mask just to me, sir, Let me. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, don't be hitting my. I appreciate you not having a mask on while you do your job. All right, well, you're fine. Are you in danger, sir? Are you escalating? Are you escalating all of this because you can't pay back your bonus? You okay? Great. Relax. Six week training and this is what the. This is what they're telling you to do. Escalate. Hey, dude, you're safe. Are you feeling unsafe or uneasy? I don't know, man. Okay, you're going with the sunlight. I Got one with the mask here. How many guns are around me? How many guns do I have around me? Am I only. How many guns? No, you calm down, sir. And he. I need him to stop banging on my. Am I asking for a lot? Am I asking for a lot? I'll get off the vehicle. I'll let you guys do. We will both get off the vehicle.

[A]

I want to show you an example where they then went and attacked somebody. So here is a protester who's out there. You'll see his black eye and you'll see the bruises. He talks about how an ICE officer charged him with pepper spray, clocked him in the eye, knocked off his glasses, then clocked him again, pepper sprayed him more, then arrested him. And again, these are obviously illegal tactics. And this person was just an observer there with his whistle, allowed to be there, non violent, brutalized by the ICE Gestapo. Here, play this clip.

[B]

So what happened? I was in a signal group to observe ice and we were called in because one of our observers was being pepper sprayed and they had just arrived watching ice. ICE was door knocking in the neighborhood. And I pulled up, I started honking my horn. I got out with my whistle and I was holding my hand up to show that my hand had nothing in it. And I was blowing with my whistle in my other hand. And the officer charged me with pepper spray, sprayed himself in the face first, unfortunately for him. Then he charged me again with more pepper spray and then just clocked me in the eye, knocked off my glasses. I didn't do anything aggressive towards him at all. I was 20 or 30ft away from him. And then he clocked me again with more pepper spray and punching me. And then they arrested me. And he said that I assaulted him. I had done nothing. I've just been using my whistle and showing my open palm to the officer. The judge's order just came down and there was a federal injunction saying that they cannot do specifically what you just said they did. They did exactly all that. And we have observers that I hope recorded at all.

[A]

Next you'll see an ICE protester telling Zach Roberts. Zach Roberts is the reporter out there with Status Coup. He goes, we're protesting fascists. Even when it's cold, we protest fascist. Here, play this clip.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. No, we had a couple of fires going to keep people warm because obviously we're protesting fascists. So it's a day and night thing. Even when it's cold as hell. They decided to show up to make sure that we. Fuck you. To make sure that we put out our fires. They had about 17 police officers show up. Not to protect us from the Nazis 30ft away, but to put out our fires. That's the issue right now. That's what everyone needs protecting from these isolated fires that we had in metal tins. Jesus Christ. That. You cannot trust these people. They're all doing the same thing. They're all. They're all out here. They're out here to agitate us. That's what police officers just showed up to do. They were begging. They had their pepper spray out already. They were begging to fucking hit us. We obviously didn't give them reason to because we're out here for fucking Nazis. If they want to claim that they're with them, then they're with them. We're protesting them as well. What do you have to say to your elected officials? Honestly, at this point? Grow a spine. These people are kidnapping people in mass. They're murdering people in the streets without any sort of due process, any sort of anything, really. There's no. There's no red tape for these people doing it. The person who just murdered Renee Goode raised about $500,000 to keep sitting on his ass doing fucking nothing. So we know where our elected officials stand. They stand with the Nazis right now. They don't think. What the is up with that? That's what I mean. They can't. They can't say. They. They'd abolish these Nazis. They'd abolish this Gestapo group. They can't even say that. These people that are again kidnapping and murdering en masse right now with absolutely no oversight whatsoever because they feel like it. Because someone has brown skin. It's ridiculous. Acting as if we need to be peaceful against these people is ridiculous. They're. They're murdering people in the streets.

[A]

And here you'll see the community, the camaraderie of the protesters. With arms linked and snow falling, Minneapolis ice protesters dance as ice agents retreat back. Na na na na na na na na. Hey, hey, hey, goodbye. Here, play this clip right here.

[B]

Hey, hey, hey, goodbye. No, no, no, no, no, no.

[A]

Also, Pickle Rick was able to speak with Status coup. Play this clip.

[B]

So what brings you out again tonight? I. This is what I have to do when I have spare time. I have to be up for my community in every way I can. It is. I think it is probably about 20, 30 degrees colder than it was last time we talked. What's. I guess what keeps you coming out here every night. This is Minnesota spring. We're used to this. So this Keeps me warm and it keeps me engaged. It lets me talk to people like you and yell at some of these fucking assholes that are terrorizing my city, our state and all of the US we gotta put an end to it because it will be coming to other towns. They're not just gonna stop here. So have you, have you been out here when they, they raid across the street and they like pepper spray and attack everyone? Yeah, a few times. Yeah. I think it's hilarious when they're pushing a guy in a pickle. It's like, I am so scary. A guy in a frickin pickle costume. Does. Does the costume provide any protection? It does. It does. I guess I can see it may be helpful. Yeah. Do you have anything that you'd want to try to tell people like that maybe aren't coming out to something that is a little bit understandable tonight, but like that aren't coming out and to get them kind of like motivated to be at. Get out of the streets. Yes. I'm talking to the geek community in Minneapolis and the surrounding areas. Come out dressed up as your favorite cosplay. Show them what they're really up against. Show them what real cosplays look like instead of the bullshit fake costumes they have on. Let your geek flag fly. This is the place to do it.

[A]

And here you'll see a Minneapolis protester say we didn't fight wars just to see people grabbed off the streets. Here, here, play this clip.

[B]

I live in Minneapolis, lived in Minnesota most of my life. And I took a half day off of work just so I could be down here. I used to ride, I ride my bike around here just a couple months ago during the spring and summertime I was riding my bicycle. This is a great area to ride around. There's all sorts of great trails in Minnesota. Minneapolis. If ICE goes home, we go home. That simple. That we all have other things we could be doing but defending America. It's ironic that we're right by the Veterans Administration building because this is not why we fought wars. We didn't fight wars so we could have this happen in America. We're not in Venezuela releasing people in Venezuela to be capturing people in Minneapolis. In America, we try to take care of each other the best we can. It's cold. You know when it's cold, you got to. You got to help each other out to stay warm. And you got to help each other out to make sure that people aren't just being kidnapped off of the street. So it's. I was out For Renee Good's march on her behalf a few days ago with thousands of people. I was out of the state capitol a year ago. It was like negative 20 or something like that right after the inauguration saying, this is a bad idea. I was saying at the Capitol, this is a bad idea a year ago. And coming up, it's a year later and it's a bad idea. It's not enough that they lost the election. They have to destroy the opponent. And the fact that Walls is still out there talking, they want to punish us. And the fact that Ilhan Omar is smarter than all these dumb bastards trying to interview her is causing issues for him too. The President has said it's basically threatening to use the Insurrection act on the city and the state.

[A]

What?

[B]

That, that you could see thousands of troops on the ground. Basically kind of can do anything he wants with what's within the realm of the President, quote, presidential powers. What is it like to have that threatened by the President of the United States against a state, an American state? Yeah, it's intense. It's. All of us have other things to be doing, you know. And what's going to happen is that Minneapolis is still going to take care of each other. We're still going to look out for each other. I think it was Frey and the Minneapolis police chief are already saying that the Minneapolis PD is outnumbered four to one as it is. And we don't know what's going on if they're going to actually have the National Guard. And what we saw last night in North Minneapolis that I saw on Status Coup was really disturbing. Where we saw the State Patrol with batons out and the State Patrol wasn't obviously on the side of the people of Minnesota. It's not obvious that the Minneapolis PD is on the side of the people of Minnesota. They were out there too. Yeah. And what's happened, this is a lot. This isn't Covid, this isn't George Floyd. This is an entirely new scenario.

[A]

And watch this. As ICE detained a 50 year old permanent resident and threatened to arrest the son when he tries to hand over legal documents. He pointed a gun at me, he said, for showing up with paperwork. The mother was followed, going to work and put in handcuff cups, racially profiled. If I hadn't been 10 minutes away, she would have been gone and I would have had no way of finding her. She was just going to work and not causing trouble. Arrested for fitting the profile, the young men says ICE agents do not deserve his respect because they are racially profiling People play this clip, okay?

[B]

Uncover what is comfort. You fucking idiot. Hey, calm down bro, or you're gonna end up in cuff. Yeah, calm down. What are you gonna. Okay, I could arrest you for obstructing. For instructing. Yes, I brought you my. Did I touch you? But calm down so we can work this out now.

[A]

You heard me.

[B]

I told him to take the cuffs off of her. So what are you waiting for?

[A]

Calm down.

[B]

What are you waiting for? Don't tell me to calm him the down. You guys know what the you guys are doing here? I do know what I'm doing.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Profiling her. No, she wasn't. Profile. Yes, she was. She was not. No, she wasn't. What did she do wrong? You think your. Your kids are going to be proud of you guys? Don't do that. You think your kids are going to be proud of you guys? That's why you're scared to cover your face. Cuz she's. Go and get out of here. You're a man, so. Yeah. Yeah, I'm the. I'm the. Yeah. Hey, you're a black man too, bro. You should at least have some dignity yourself. No, you don't. No, you don't.

[A]

And finally I just share this with you. DHS posted this but then took it down. ABC story was two children, including a six month old were hospitalized last night after federal agents deployed tear gas during Wednesday night's protests. According to the Minneapolis Office of Community Safety, to which Homeland Security responded. It is horrific to see radical agitators bring children to their violent riots. Please stop endangering your children. As Adam Cochran writes, DHS had to delete this post because the family was driving home and got blocked. ICE deployed flashbangs and tear gas inside the car. The six month old child stopped breathing and had to be rushed to the hospital. DHS did no investigation and rushed to lie to defend the officers. There you have it. Reminder. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Help us get to 6 million subscribers. But more importantly than subscribing to our YouTube or the Midas Touch substack, subscribe to Status Coups YouTube subscribe to their substack. Let's get them a million subscribers. Let's get their substack to be one of the most followed substacks in the country. They're doing such incredible on the ground coverage of the protests. So hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million and thanks for watching. Love this video. Support independent media and unlock exclusive content, ad free videos and custom emojis by becoming a paid member of our YouTube channel today. You can also gift memberships to others. Let's keep growing together. Everyone deserves to be connected.

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