DHS Told Grand Jurors Groups Conspired Against Agents

Federal agents in Minnesota didn't just chase protesters they suspected of being violent—they turned their sights on some of the country's biggest unions and activist groups, too. Newly released documents show the Department of Homeland Security used subpoenas and undercover surveillance to examine years of financial records and monitor meetings, chats, and protests involving left-leaning organizations after unrest tied to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operation, the New York Times reports.

No charges have been brought against groups like the Sunrise Movement, SEIU, the Communications Workers of America, or the AFL-CIO, though prosecutors told a grand jury that 18 organizations supported protesters and were part of a conspiracy to obstruct immigration agents. Still, prosecutors made a PowerPoint presentation to grand jurors claiming the groups plotted to slow the work of agents, per the Times. The operation, dubbed Operation Puppet Master and Project Whipple Shield, ultimately produced indictments for 15 accused antifa members—while civil rights lawyers and former prosecutors question whether the government blurred the line between policing crime and policing dissent. The full Times report can be found here.