The image went viral instantly: a man, clad only in underwear and sandals, led from his home in the dead of a Minnesota winter. ChongLy “Scott” Thao, a 56-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, was the subject of intense scrutiny after an ICE operation at his St. Paul residence on January 18, 2026.
Initial reports painted a picture of a brutal home invasion. The Thao family alleged agents stormed their home without a warrant, brandishing weapons – even pointing them at a four-year-old child – and dismissing Thao’s identification. They claimed he was transported to an unknown location, processed, and only released when his citizenship was confirmed.
However, the reality, obscured by immediate outrage, was far more complex. Agents *did* possess a warrant – an administrative warrant, newly authorized under directives from Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. These warrants now permit entry into residences when individuals with final orders of removal are suspected to be present, even if it requires a reasonable use of force.
The operation wasn’t a random raid. It was a targeted effort to locate two convicted sex offenders: Kongmeng Vang and Lue Moua. A battering ram was used because a family member inside the home had warned Thao of the agents’ approach, and he refused to open the door. The drawn weapons were a direct response to the dangerous nature of the targets.
Moua is described as a “violent illegal alien sexual offender” and a “child predator,” while Vang has a 2016 removal order and a history of sexual assault and gang involvement. When Thao, matching the physical description of one of the targets, refused to cooperate with a new biometric identification app called Mobile Fortify, agents were compelled to take him into custody for verification.
The outcry over Thao being removed from his home in minimal clothing overlooks a crucial detail: agents did not strip him. He was already in that state when they arrived, a circumstance consistent with High-Risk Entry protocols where speed and control take precedence over comfort when confronting potentially dangerous individuals. Had he simply allowed fingerprinting, the entire incident could have been avoided.
The narrative of a citizen wrongly targeted began to unravel further. It was impossible to confirm Thao’s citizenship until *after* his fingerprints were taken. While media outlets decried a series of blunders, a startling discovery emerged: Lue Moua was already incarcerated at a correctional facility since September 2024.
The situation deepened with the revelation that Kongmeng Vang, the other target, was not in jail, and had a prior connection to the Thao residence. He was identified as the ex-husband of a Thao family member, though the family insists he hadn’t lived there for years. This link to the address, present in older databases, sparked a new line of inquiry.
Adding to the intrigue, Thao’s son, Chris, revealed he was stopped by ICE agents on his way to work shortly before the raid. He was driving a car borrowed from a cousin’s boyfriend whose first name matched one of the targets. Chris admitted he didn’t know the boyfriend’s last name, a detail that raises unsettling questions.
Why was Chris Thao stopped? Was it a routine traffic stop, or something more targeted? And how could he borrow a car from someone without knowing their full name? The circumstances surrounding the stop, and Chris’s limited knowledge of the car’s owner, remain unexplained.
The sequence of events suggests a more intricate connection than initially reported. ICE arrived at an address linked to a fugitive, found a man matching a similar description, and encountered a family with ties to the individual they were seeking. The borrowed car adds another layer of complexity, hinting at a network of associations.
While the media portrays this as an ICE failure, the agency demonstrably went to a location associated with a wanted criminal. The people inside had connections to that criminal. The Thao family intends to sue, alleging a violation of rights, but those claims appear questionable given Thao’s refusal to cooperate with simple biometric verification.
The entire episode, from start to finish, lasted only one to two hours, according to the family. The accusations of overreach and negligence seem to crumble under the weight of the facts. The case underscores the challenges of identifying individuals and the critical importance of cooperation during law enforcement operations.
Ultimately, the incident may not represent an ICE failing, but rather a crucial lead in the ongoing search for Kongmeng Vang, a convicted sex offender who remains at large. The investigation continues, promising to reveal a more complete and nuanced understanding of the events that unfolded on that frigid January day.
