Signalgate: Leaked Chats Expose Links Between Walz, Anti-ICE Activists

SignalGate: Leaked Chats Expose Links Between Walz, Anti-ICE Activists — Inside Minnesota’s Deepening Political Clash

In late January 2026, the world of Minnesota politics and national debate over immigration enforcement collided in a burst of encrypted text messages, social-media outcry, and news headlines. What began as a social-media post by an independent journalist grew into a full-blown controversy — labeled by some commentators as “SignalGate” — involving leaked chats from the messaging app Signal, accusations of coordination between anti-ICE activists and political figures, and an ensuing criminal investigation launched by the FBI.

The fallout has been swift and chaotic, with allegations and denials flying across party lines, national political figures weighing in, and communities in the Twin Cities still grappling with lingering tensions after violent encounters between federal agents and local protesters earlier in the year. For many observers, the story reflects far more than a mishap in digital communications — it highlights how encrypted platforms, grassroots organizing, partisan narratives, legal boundaries, and public safety can all become entangled in the modern media landscape.

This blog post explores what SignalGate really is, what the leaked chats allegedly show, reactions from political leaders and activists, the FBI’s involvement, and the broader implications for public discourse and the rule of law.

What Sparked the SignalGate Controversy

The controversy began with a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) by independent journalist Cameron Higby, who claimed he had “infiltrated” several encrypted Signal chat groups used by anti-ICE activists in Minneapolis. In his posts, Higby asserted that these groups coordinated real-time information on ICE and Border Patrol agents’ activities, including sharing license plate numbers and alerting activists to enforcement activity.

The headline narrative circulating online was stark: these Signal chats were not just networking spaces but coordination hubs for what Higby described as efforts to “track down federal agents and impede/assault/and obstruct them.” While his claims have not been independently verified by major news outlets, they were shared widely and amplified across national political media, particularly among conservative influencers.

Within hours of the initial posts, the allegation of a behind-the-scenes link between the chats and Minnesota political figures — including state representatives and former Gov. Tim Walz aides — began circulating. The narratives quickly became polarizing, with some characterizing the leaks as evidence of an organized effort to thwart federal law enforcement, and others dismissing them as exaggerated or mischaracterized social-media chatter about neighborhood watch-style activism.

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