Police arrested a man who sprayed Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar with a foul-smelling liquid in Minneapolis on Tuesday as she condemned the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Minnesota.
A security guard immediately subdued the man, who was later arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault, police added.
The incident occurred as Omar was criticising U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, calling for Noem’s resignation following the recent shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.
"ICE cannot be reformed, it cannot be rehabilitated, we must abolish ICE for good, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment," Omar said, to applause.
Moments later, a man seated in a front row stepped toward her and sprayed her with the contents of what police described as a syringe, telling Omar, "You must resign."
Omar defiantly took a few steps toward him, with her hand raised, before he was subdued.
After a short pause, Omar returned to the stage and continued speaking, declining medical attention and saying she only needed a napkin. Her office later confirmed she was unharmed.
Forensic specialists were collecting evidence at the scene, Minneapolis police said.
“I learned at a young age you don’t give in to threats,” Omar told the audience. “You look them in the face and you stand strong.”
Omar, 43, emigrated to the United States at age 12 and became a U.S. citizen in 2000. She has frequently been targeted by U.S. President Donald Trump in public remarks and social media posts, including comments referencing her Somali background.
U.S. Capitol Police said on Tuesday that threat assessment cases rose in 2025 for the third consecutive year, increasing nearly 58% from 2024.
The town hall incident came amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents.
President Trump’s designated “border czar,” Tom Homan, met on Tuesday with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as the administration sought to ease unrest in the city.
Homan was appointed to oversee immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, replacing U.S. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, who sources said was being reassigned following criticism of aggressive enforcement tactics in Democratic-led cities.
The move is part of what administration officials described as a broader recalibration of immigration enforcement amid growing political pressure.
Some advisers have expressed concern that public outrage over the killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti and the administration’s initial defence of the agents involved could undermine Trump’s broader immigration agenda.
A senior Trump administration official said Homan would move away from large-scale, public neighbourhood sweeps and instead adopt a more targeted enforcement strategy.
Mayor Frey said he urged Homan to end Operation Metro Surge as quickly as possible, while Governor Walz said he pressed for impartial investigations into the shootings and a reduction in the number of federal agents deployed.
Homan described the meetings as a “productive starting point” and said further discussions with local and state officials were planned.
Despite the talks, tensions in Minneapolis remained high. Ecuador’s foreign ministry said an ICE agent attempted to enter its Minneapolis consulate on Tuesday.
Speaking on Fox News, Trump said his administration would “de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota, calling the shift a “change” rather than a pullback.
Asked whether he retained confidence in Homeland Security Secretary Noem, Trump said he did. The president met with Noem for two hours at the White House on Monday evening, according to a source familiar with the meeting.
While Trump expressed sympathy for Pretti’s family and said he was monitoring the investigation, he also said Pretti “shouldn’t have been carrying a gun,” comments that drew criticism.
Top Democrats in the U.S. House said they would seek impeachment proceedings against Noem unless she was dismissed, a move that would require some Republican support to advance.
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