The Department of Homeland Security is accusing Minnesota officials of staging a «political stunt» as federal and state authorities square off over whether an ICE agent accused of pointing a gun at motorists should be prosecuted in state or federal court.

The dispute centers on Gregory Morgan Jr., an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with two counts of second-degree assault after prosecutors said he pointed a handgun at motorists during a traffic confrontation while returning from a federal immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities.

Morgan’s attorneys, backed by federal officials, argue he is protected under legal doctrines stemming from the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which establishes that federal law supersedes conflicting state laws. Courts have recognized that federal officers may, in certain circumstances, be shielded from state prosecution for actions taken in the course of their official duties. But Minnesota prosecutors say those protections do not apply here, arguing Morgan’s alleged conduct fell outside any legitimate federal law-enforcement function.

The case has grown into a broader fight over the legal protections afforded to federal officers. Hennepin County prosecutors are seeking to keep the matter in state court, while the federal government has joined Morgan’s effort to move it to federal court. Earlier this week, the Department of Justice filed a notice seeking to have Senior Trial Attorney Paul Quast appear on behalf of the United States in the case.

«These actions by Minnesota sanctuary politicians are nothing more than a political stunt,» a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. «States do not have the authority to charge a federal law enforcement officer while performing his official duties.»

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The statement came as Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s office urged a federal judge to reject Morgan’s request to transfer the case out of Minnesota state court.

In filings submitted this week, prosecutors argued Morgan is attempting to «transform his moment of road rage — committed on a state highway against Minnesota victims — into a federal enforcement action.»

The filing, submitted by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office along with the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and the Washington Litigation Group, contends there is no meaningful connection between the alleged assault and Morgan’s responsibilities as an ICE agent.

According to prosecutors, Morgan’s authority to arrest and detain individuals suspected of violating immigration laws did not extend to confronting motorists on a Minnesota highway.

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Federal immigration agents toss tear gas during a house raid in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 13, 2026, amid a crackdown on undocumented immigrants under Operation Metro Surge. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

«There is no evidence of any job-related circumstance requiring the defendant to rush to his destination or to drive on the highway shoulder to get there,» the filing states. «It was the defendant’s decision to drive illegally on the shoulder to avoid the inconvenience of rush-hour traffic, and to draw and point his firearm at motorists who got in his way.»

Morgan’s attorney, Ryan Pacyga, filed the removal petition last week, arguing the alleged conduct occurred while Morgan was performing federal law enforcement duties and that both he and his partner feared «imminent bodily harm» during the encounter.

According to court records, Morgan was returning to the Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling on Feb. 5 after participating in Operation Metro Surge when the incident occurred on Highway 62 near the Interstate 35W interchange.

Prosecutors say Morgan and another ICE agent were driving on the highway shoulder during rush hour when a Cadillac moved over and blocked their path. Authorities allege Morgan then pulled alongside the vehicle, drew a handgun and pointed it at the occupants.

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The Department of Homeland Security arrested seven more criminal illegal immigrants, including «pedophiles, gang members and drug traffickers,» during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, the agency said on Friday. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg)

One of the motorists called 911 and reported that a man had aimed a Glock at his face, while both occupants later told investigators they feared for their safety. Morgan was charged with two counts of second-degree assault and was released after posting $100,000 bail.

Morgan’s case is not the only prosecution stemming from Operation Metro Surge.

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Moriarty’s office later charged another ICE agent, Christian Castro, with multiple assault counts in connection with the alleged shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis, an incident that sparked protests in north Minneapolis.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department, Moriarty’s office and Pacyga for comment.

Dos trenes de pasajeros chocaron este viernes al sur de Bedford, localidad situada a unos 90 kilómetros al norte de Londres, en un accidente que movilizó a múltiples servicios de emergencia y provocó heridos de diversa consideración, algunos de ellos con lesiones graves.

La Policía de Transporte Británica (British Transport Police, BTP) confirmó el incidente a través de X poco después de las 17:30, hora de verano británica (BST), señalando que respondía a “reportes de una colisión que involucra a dos trenes en el área de Bedford”. Ambos convoyes pertenecían a East Midlands Railway (EMR) y circulaban en dirección sur hacia la estación londinense de St Pancras: uno había partido de Corby y el otro, de Nottingham, ambas ciudades en el centro de Inglaterra.

Las imágenes difundidas en redes sociales mostraron los dos trenes con daños visibles pero aparentemente sobre las vías, aunque un pasajero declaró que al menos uno de los vagones había abandonado los raíles.

Peter Knapp, quien viajaba en el primer vagón de uno de los trenes, describió la experiencia a la BBC como sentir que había estado “en una explosión de bomba”. Relató haber visto “rostros ensangrentados”, personas con lo que parecían ser piernas rotas y “humo por todas partes”, además de la presencia inmediata de ambulancias, camiones de bomberos y policías en el lugar.

En declaraciones a la agencia Press Association, Knapp precisó que hubo un momento de ser lanzado contra el asiento de adelante antes de ver el humo. “La gente lloraba, gritaba, estaba aterrada y confundida”, añadió. Publicó imágenes de las secuelas en Bluesky, donde confirmó que salió con heridas en las piernas y un golpe en la espalda, y advirtió que otros pasajeros “no estaban bien”.

El secretario de Salud, James Murray, confirmó que “varias personas resultaron heridas” y agradeció a los equipos de primera respuesta su actuación. Las autoridades no habían difundido cifras oficiales de víctimas al cierre de esta información.

Tres servicios de ambulancias de la zona enviaron recursos al lugar, incluidas ambulancias aéreas cuya presencia fue registrada sobrevolando el sur de Bedford. Al menos dos de esos organismos calificaron el suceso como “incidente grave”. El Servicio de Ambulancias del Este de Inglaterra también movilizó un Equipo de Respuesta a Zonas Peligrosas (Hazardous Area Response Team) y pidió a la población evitar el área.

El Servicio de Bomberos y Rescate de Bedfordshire confirmó la presencia de sus equipos en el lugar. The Times of London informó que el personal del hospital de Bedford fue alertado para atender a un posible máximo de 50 heridos. La secretaria de Transportes, Heidi Alexander, afirmó estar “profundamente preocupada por los informes sobre la colisión” y señaló que su equipo trabajaba “con rapidez con el sector ferroviario y los socios locales para brindar apoyo a los pasajeros”.

La Rama de Investigación de Accidentes Ferroviarios (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) desplegó un equipo de inspectores en el lugar para iniciar la recopilación de pruebas. Las interrupciones afectaron a tres operadoras: Thameslink bloqueó todas las líneas entre Luton y Bedford; EMR suspendió los servicios entre Londres St Pancras y Leicester y aconsejó a sus pasajeros no viajar durante el resto de la tarde. Los viajeros que ya se encontraban a bordo de trenes detenidos recibieron instrucciones de permanecer en los vagones a la espera de más información.

Las colisiones entre trenes son poco frecuentes en Gran Bretaña. En septiembre de 2023, varios pasajeros resultaron heridos cuando dos convoyes chocaron en la estación de Aviemore, en las Highlands de Escocia, en la vía patrimonial Strathspey Railway. Uno de ellos era el centenario Flying Scotsman, el primer tren de vapor en superar las 100 millas por hora (160 kilómetros por hora), según el Museo Nacional del Ferrocarril.

El accidente más grave de los últimos años ocurrió en agosto de 2020, cuando un tren descarriló cerca de Stonehaven, en el noreste de Escocia, tras un deslizamiento de tierra provocado por lluvias intensas. Fallecieron el conductor, un revisor y un pasajero; otras seis personas resultaron heridas. Network Rail, organismo dependiente del Departamento de Transporte del Reino Unido, se declaró culpable de fallos de seguridad en 2023 y fue multado con 6,7 millones de libras (USD 8,4 millones).

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is warning that Virginia risks becoming «the next California» in the Trump administration’s fight against resistance to federal immigration enforcement after filing a new lawsuit last week.

«We are suing Virginia to prevent Virginia from becoming the next sanctuary jurisdiction, just like California,» DOJ Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Brett Shumate told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview.

The lawsuit, first shared with Fox News Digital earlier in June, argues Virginia is violating the Constitution by trying to regulate federal law enforcement operations, including restrictions on agents’ masks, identification requirements and conditions on local cooperation with ICE.

«Under our Constitution, the states do not get to regulate or dictate how the federal government performs its duties, and that is especially the case when it comes to law enforcement. Virginia passed two bills in this newest session, one that restricts the ability of law enforcement officers to wear facial coverings and requires officers, federal agents, to wear identification badges,» said Shumate.

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He said the other bill «restricts cooperation agreements between local law enforcement agencies, like sheriffs, and ICE to voluntarily cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.»

The lawsuit names Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and left-wing Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano — who was previously backed by groups connected to George Soros. 

While DOJ has not heard back from state officials, Shumate shared that the department feels confident about the previous case due to precedent.

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A redistricting failure is another headache for newly-elected Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

«We brought a nearly identical lawsuit against California earlier this year, and we won that case,» he said.

In April, a federal appeals court handed the Trump administration a legal victory over Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The court blocked California from requiring federal immigration agents to display identification during operations.

He says they are asserting the same legal theory in this case.

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Anti-ICE agitators attempted to block vehicles from leaving the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday night. (FreedomNewsTV)

«Under the Constitution, the Supremacy Clause in particular, the states do not get to regulate or discriminate against the federal government,» said Shumate. «That’s exactly what Virginia has done. They have attempted to regulate how the federal goes about its business. They do not have the authority to do that under the constitution.»

The two Virginia laws are set to take effect July 1 and Shumate shared the DOJ plans to move quickly to a district court judge to enjoin these laws from taking effect. Virginia was previously a solidly red state, voting for Republicans in nearly every presidential election for decades before shifting to the left in the last roughly 20 years. 

«We will be filing very quickly in the district Court in Virginia to seek an injunction to stop these laws from taking effect, which these laws have criminal penalties that put federal agents at risk, not only of criminal prosecution, but also at risk of doxing and harassment,» he added.

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ICE has defended the practice of agents concealing their identities during operations, saying last summer as Trump’s intensifying immigration crackdown prompted anti-ICE protests and riots that rhetoric on the left had caused a spike in «threats and assaults against [agents’] families.»

Shumate shared the department is looking at several bills in other states that are considering mask restrictions.

«Any state that’s considering passing this type of bill is on notice that we will file a lawsuit and we will ask for an injunction to block those laws from taking effect,» said Shumate.