Judge orders release of ICE detainee once held in Minnesota jail
A federal judge in Iowa has ordered the release of an ICE detainee who was previously held in a Minnesota jail, finding that the government lacked adequate legal grounds to continue holding him under current immigration‑detention rules. The case, reported by the Minnesota Reformer, ties directly into the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge, which has routed many people through county jails in the Twin Cities before transferring them to out‑of‑state ICE facilities. The ruling adds to a growing line of federal decisions in Minnesota and elsewhere where judges have pushed back on DHS claims of mandatory detention and required bond hearings, especially when detainees have longstanding community ties and no serious criminal record. Immigrant‑rights attorneys say they’ll look to use this decision as persuasive authority in other cases involving Minnesotans scooped up during the surge and moved to distant detention centers. The case underscores that even once someone is shipped out of state, federal courts can still force ICE to justify the detention or let them go.
📌 Key Facts
- A federal judge in Iowa ordered an ICE detainee released from custody, rejecting the government’s detention rationale.
- The man had previously been held in a Minnesota jail before ICE transferred him to the Iowa facility as part of broader enforcement actions.
- Advocates say the ruling reinforces earlier Minnesota and national decisions that DHS cannot rely on blanket ‘mandatory detention’ claims and must provide individualized justification or bond.
📊 Relevant Data
Somalis constitute approximately 2% of Minnesota's population, with about 107,000 individuals out of a total state population of over 5 million.
By the numbers: Minnesota's Somali population, according to Census data — KTTC
In the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, the vast majority of the dozens of charged individuals were Somali, involving over $250 million in federal funds misused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Somali Minnesotans generate at least $500 million in annual income and pay about $67 million in state and local taxes, contributing to an estimated $8 billion economic impact statewide.
Vang: Somalis don’t contribute anything? How about $8 billion to the Minnesota economy. — Star Tribune
Somali immigrants in Minnesota have a per capita crime rate that is two to five times higher than that of natives, based on apples-to-apples comparisons.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota has resulted in roughly 2,500 arrests, with a focus on fraud and criminal activity, including overrepresentation of Somalis and Venezuelans linked to resettlement concentrations and fraud scandals.
Crowds gather in north Minneapolis after ICE officer shoots Venezuelan national — CBS News
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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