New Delhi, Jan. 31 -- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is auditing the employment records of at least two Minneapolis-area businesses.

The audits are taking place against a backdrop of heightened conflict in Minnesota over increased federal immigration enforcement and the fatal shooting of two US citizens Renne Good and Alex Pretti this month, incidents that have ignited protests across the country and hindered everyday life in Minneapolis.

Hennepin Healthcare, which runs the state's largest safety-net hospital, and Mischief Toy Store, a small retail shop in St. Paul, both received notices from the Department of Homeland Security requiring them to produce documents to confirm that their employees are legally permitted to work i...