ICE surge leaves Twin Cities immigrant communities living in fear
The Reformer piece pulls together how Operation Metro Surge has turned daily life upside down for immigrant communities across Minneapolis–Saint Paul: parents keeping kids home from school, workers too afraid to show up at plants, hotels and hospitals under federal audit, and core commercial strips seeing business drop by half or more as ICE and Border Patrol vehicles prowl the same blocks day after day. Residents describe planning every trip around where agents might be, avoiding groceries, clinics and bus stops they’ve used for years and even sleeping with their clothes on in case of a nighttime raid. Small businesses that serve largely Somali, Latino and other immigrant customers report once‑busy nights reduced to a handful of diners, and some are cutting hours or closing days entirely just to survive. The article also notes that many of the people now hiding at home — or getting swept up in street stops and home raids — are U.S. citizens or long‑time legal residents, undercutting DHS’s spin that this surge is tightly focused on the 'worst of the worst.'
📌 Key Facts
- Immigrant residents across multiple Twin Cities neighborhoods report sharply changing routines — skipping work, school, and essential errands — because of constant ICE and Border Patrol presence.
- Immigrant‑serving businesses on corridors like Lake Street, Cedar‑Riverside and the East Side describe sales plunging by 50–75% since the surge began, forcing them to cut hours and staff.
- The fear is hitting citizens and legal residents as well as undocumented people: many of those avoiding public spaces or stopped in high‑profile encounters have valid status and long local ties.
📊 Relevant Data
Operation Metro Surge is an ICE operation launched in December 2025 in Minnesota to apprehend criminal illegal aliens, described as targeting the 'worst of the worst' with arrests including individuals charged with serious crimes.
DHS Highlights Worst of the Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested in Minnesota, Including Individuals Charged with Murder, Rape, and Child Sexual Assault — Department of Homeland Security
Somali immigrants in Minnesota have per capita crime rates two to five times higher than natives when compared apples-to-apples, accounting for factors like age and gender.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
52% of children in Somali immigrant homes in Minnesota live in poverty, compared to 8% of children in native-born homes.
Report: Nearly 90% of Somali homes with children in Minnesota on welfare — Alpha News
81% of Somali households in Minnesota are on some form of welfare, compared to 21% of native households.
Somali Welfare Use Would Be High Even Without Fraud — National Review
Somali Minnesotans generate over $500 million in income annually and pay about $67 million in state and local taxes.
Contrary to Trump's claims, Somalis add $8B to MN economy — Star Tribune
Somalis began resettling in Minnesota in the 1990s as refugees fleeing civil war, facilitated by U.S. refugee resettlement programs and organizations like the International Institute of Minnesota.
Looking Back at Minnesota's Refugee History — Mpls.St.Paul Magazine
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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