Federal Surveillance Operation Targeting Left-Wing Activists Exposed in US

    The criminal case known as the “Minnesota 15” in the US has exposed a sweeping surveillance operation targeting left-wing social movements. Attorneys for 15 Minnesota residents facing federal charges obtained reports, photographs, emails, audio recordings, and intercepted “Signal” chats during the court proceedings. According to the defense, the operation targeted people across the country who opposed the Donald Trump administration’s immigration policies.    The documents show that the investigations were conducted under the names “Project Whipple Shield” and “Operation Puppet Master.” The legal basis for these investigations was National Security Memorandum No. 7, issued after Charlie Kirk was killed in September last year. The document directs federal agencies to use every available means against people who criticize the administration’s policies and express anti-Christian views. The full scope of the investigations remains unknown.    More than 120 personnel were involved in the operation. Of those, 11 worked undercover. Agents joined meetings, marches, legal training sessions, and “Signal” groups. Unarmed “Reaper” drones were used for surveillance, and the license plates of vehicles arriving at events were checked. Agents were also sent to churches, a step that is alleged to have violated a court order.    According to the indictment, activists created encrypted groups last winter during “Operation Metro Surge” to track immigration agents and their vehicles. They also built their own vehicle database and central dispatch system. Prosecutors consider this a conspiracy to obstruct immigration enforcement, unlawfully identify and track federal agents, and attack some of them. Attorneys say the serious charges do not match the alleged actions.    The “Operation Keyhole” program, which funds undercover operations, has been operating since December 2008. To date, the program has funded at least 77 investigations involving drug trafficking, child sexual exploitation, financial crimes, and the proliferation of dangerous weapons and technologies. According to data from June 2026, the program funded 6 active undercover investigations in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area. One of them was “Project Whipple Shield,” launched in February.    Agents examined bank transfers, “PayPal” payments, and website access data. They also used commercial databases. The materials collected included 15 terabytes of “Signal” communications. On March 31, 2026, a request was submitted to a system created under the “Patriot Act” for terrorism and money laundering cases. The request sought the financial records of 29 people. According to the documents, journalists’ phone records were obtained through administrative subpoenas used to investigate customs and tax violations.