DHS's Operation Metro Surge in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in early 2026 resulted in at least 94 documented crowd-control weapons misuse incidents, with federal agents — primarily ICE and other DHS components — responsible for at least 76% of cases, according to a study by the Physicians for Human Rights Center at UC Berkeley. The study documented 44 incidents of MK-9 pressurized pepper spray deployed at distances below the manufacturer's recommended six-foot safety threshold, including in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Fort Snelling and Owatonna. A FOX 9 investigation found DHS spent millions of dollars stockpiling chemical munitions before launching enforcement operations in Minnesota and Chicago. More than 100 sworn declarations have been collected, including from Katie Story, who said she was sprayed in the face without warning shortly after Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents.