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FBI Director Kash Patel said that he has opened an investigation into Signal group chats used by Minnesota residents to share information about federal immigration agents' movements, raising questions about free speech protections and the limits of public monitoring of law enforcement.
Patel said he wanted to determine whether individuals had put federal agents "in harm's way" by sharing information such as license plate numbers or locations. "You cannot create a scenario that illegally entraps and puts law enforcement in harm's way," he said in an interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson. He added that if such activity leads to violations of federal law, "we are going to arrest people."
BREAKING: FBI Director Kash Patel CONFIRMS Full Investigations Are Active Into Left-Wing Terrorist Signal Chats in Minnesota, ‘They Should Be Worried.’“We're investigating. As soon as Higby put that post out, I opened an investigation on it. If that leads to a break in the… pic.twitter.com/0qeI68AS8U
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 26, 2026
Free speech advocates quickly criticized the investigation, arguing that sharing legally obtained information is protected by the First Amendment, as NBC News reports. Aaron Terr, director of public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, told the outlet that there are "legitimate reasons to share such information," including documenting law enforcement conduct.
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Alex Abdo, litigation director at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, echoed Terr's comments, adding that the Constitution protects the right to observe and record officials performing their duties:
"The ability of everyday citizens to hold government agents to account, by observing them and advocating for change, is what has distinguished the American experiment with democracy from authoritarian regimes around the world"
Patel did not specify which laws might have been violated, and an FBI spokesperson told NBC News that the bureau had no additional information to provide. Patel acknowledged that the inquiry raises free speech concerns but said the FBI would "balance" constitutional rights with potential legal violations.
Digital tools have played a central role in resistance to immigration enforcement in Minnesota, where activists and residents have used encrypted messaging apps, photos, and real-time alerts to track Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. The Signal group chats drew attention after conservative journalist Cam Higby said he had "infiltrated" some groups and alleged they were obstructing law enforcement, claims NBC News has not verified.
The controversy comes amid heightened tensions over federal immigration operations in Minnesota, including protests following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer earlier this month and the killing of Alex Pretti on Saturday.
It has also unfolded alongside broader debates over public efforts to document federal enforcement in the state. Brad Tabke, a Minnesota state legislator, has gotten heat from conservative personalities for posting ICE locations on social media. Tabke has defended his effors by saying that it's his right to apply "Constitutional Observation":
I know not everyone agrees with Constitutional Observation. And that is ok. Everyone does want bad guys to face punishment. It is clear that more and more people every day in Minnesota do not agree with the tactics ICE is using to meet that goal.
— Brad Tabke (@BradTabke) January 15, 2026
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Tags: FBI, Kash patel, Minnesota, Signal, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement