ICE Worker Arrested in Sex Trafficking Sting Told Police, ‘I’m ICE, Boys’

A three-day sex-trafficking investigation in Minnesota resulted in the arrest of 16 men, including an employee of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, after authorities said the individuals appeared to be trying to solicit sex from someone they believed was a 17-year-old girl. Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges announced the arrests on Tuesday, describing the operation — dubbed “Operation Creep” — as a targeted effort that began on November 5.

According to Hodges, one of the men surprised officers by announcing his affiliation with immigration authorities at the moment of his arrest. “When he was arrested, he said, ‘I’m ICE, boys,’” Hodges recounted. “Well, unfortunately for him, we locked him up.”

The ICE employee was identified as 41-year-old Alexander Back of Robbinsdale. He works as a civilian auditor for the Department of Homeland Security and was charged following the sting, according to local reporting. As with all defendants, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. ICE confirmed that Back joined the agency in 2022 under the Biden administration and said he was immediately placed on administrative leave after his arrest. The agency has stated that it is cooperating with local investigators while also conducting its own internal inquiry.

The case has drawn heightened attention because it comes at a moment when federal immigration enforcement agencies are already facing intense scrutiny. Any allegations of misconduct by ICE personnel — especially involving the attempted exploitation of a minor — further raise concerns about internal oversight and disciplinary systems within the agency.

Chief Hodges said most of the men arrested were from the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area, though not all suspects had been formally charged at the time of his briefing. Among the additional suspects were a Metro Transit bus driver, an employee of the Brown County Historical Society, and a staffer with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The men taken into custody ranged in age from 18 to 49.

Hodges also mentioned that ICE personnel took custody of several of the suspects after the arrests, though he noted that Bloomington police do not have the means to independently verify individuals’ immigration status. Investigators released drone footage from the operation that showed one man arriving at a hotel carrying a bag that allegedly held cocaine, methamphetamine, and eight guns. Another man, who told officers he planned to show up armed, was tackled by police as he entered the meeting location.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension worked alongside police from Eden Prairie, Richfield, and Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, contributing to the planning and execution of the sting. Hodges observed that advances in technology have complicated undercover investigations, and he urged lawmakers to consider legislation that would restrict the online platforms commonly used by offenders seeking to exploit minors.

An ICE spokesperson reiterated that Back was an I-9 auditor — not a law enforcement officer — and emphasized that he was immediately removed from duty following the arrest while the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducts its review.

Looking ahead, Hodges said that some of the cases emerging from Operation Creep will likely be forwarded to federal prosecutors for possible charges.

Source: Newsweek