Reports indicate that Destiny Jackson, a 32-year-old mother of six from Minneapolis, and her family found themselves caught in a chaotic situation when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deployed tear gas under their vehicle.
The incident occurred while the Jackson family was returning home from their son’s basketball game. They became trapped between police and protesters. CNN featured their story, highlighting the distress of their 6-month-old infant, who struggled to breathe and required CPR. Jackson recounted having to rinse tear gas from her other children’s eyes. The family labeled themselves “ICE victims” in a GoFundMe campaign that garnered over $176,000. However, critics pointed out that the narrative heavily relied on left-leaning media, leading to questions about its validity.
Remember last Wednesday’s sob story about a family with a baby being tear-gassed during the riots in north Minneapolis? They claimed they were just passing through after a basketball game.
No! Here they are… pic.twitter.com/1uryQj2Sdw
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) January 21, 2026
As more details emerged, questions about the family’s role in the protests began to surface. Initially, they portrayed themselves as innocent victims, a narrative even Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison supported in a CNN statement.
According to reports, their vehicle was stopped due to a blockage. Jackson admitted her husband left the car, while she claimed she was merely trying to assess what was happening and locate her mother, who was involved in the protests.
New video footage revealed Jackson and her husband lingering near the protest site without their children for about 45 minutes before the tear gas was used. During that time, Jackson reportedly made threatening remarks towards ICE agents, though she later dismissed them as sarcastic.
Our follower examined video from the North Minneapolis riots and noted that Sean and Destiny Jackson were still at their car minutes before the tear gas incident. https://t.co/1cX9se3YVj
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) January 23, 2026
CNN initially presented Jackson as a victim of ICE’s actions, but further investigation raised doubts about her claims that they were trapped in the protests.
Questions emerged regarding their decision to remain at an anti-ICE protest for almost an hour, especially considering some children had health issues like asthma. Moreover, her threats during a livestream led to further scrutiny of their actions during the chaos.
The narrative that the Jackson family was merely innocent bystanders feels misleading in light of the evidence. Female anti-ICE protesters have been prominent in the Minnesota unrest, often prioritizing their political beliefs over personal safety, even when children are involved. One mother, for instance, publicly stated her young child was not more valuable than others in the face of broader issues.
BREAKING NEWS – A Minneapolis mom is going viral after taking her 18-month-old baby to protest ICE in sub-zero conditions, claiming her baby is not more valuable than an illegal immigrant. pic.twitter.com/aDS9h8foM2
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) January 23, 2026
In essence, Jackson and others seem to be placing political ideals above the safety of their children. Jackson acknowledges that the trauma her family endured was unwarranted, which might be true. However, it was their own decision to engage with protesters that led to their child needing CPR and others suffering from the effects of tear gas.
The situation surrounding the Jackson family appears to be another instance of a questionable narrative, engineered to portray victims where, perhaps, the reality is more complicated.
