Minnesota ICE Crackdown Forces Democrats to Rethink 2026 Immigration Message
An ICE crackdown in Minneapolis–St. Paul — framed by Democrats as Operation Metro Surge — has prompted Minnesota Democrats to rethink their 2026 immigration message after the enforcement exposed political vulnerabilities. The raids have had concrete local effects: Hmong Village merchants reported multi‑day emptiness and 60–70% revenue losses, parents say they tell children to lock doors and stay home while adults work, and St. Paul’s mayor says naturalized‑citizen relatives are “more afraid now than they were fighting communism in Laos,” heightening economic and civil‑rights concerns.
📌 Key Facts
- Operation Metro Surge produced concrete local economic fallout in the Hmong community: multi‑day emptiness at Hmong Village and reported 60–70% revenue losses.
- That economic damage helps explain why Minnesota Democrats view Operation Metro Surge as politically toxic.
- St. Paul’s newly installed mayor personally carried her passport and said naturalized‑citizen relatives are "more afraid now than they were fighting communism in Laos."
- The mayor’s actions and words have sharpened the civil‑rights stakes of the raids, pushing the issue beyond abstract party messaging.
- Parents report telling children to lock doors and not leave the house while adults are at work, and community members say they are "afraid to leave their homes," indicating daily‑life disruption beyond protests and high‑profile arrests.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 22, 2026
2:12 AM
St. Paul mayor says city's Hmong community "afraid to leave their homes" due to ICE
New information:
- Provides concrete local economic fallout — multi‑day emptiness and 60–70% revenue losses at Hmong Village — that helps explain why Minnesota Democrats see Operation Metro Surge as politically toxic.
- Shows a newly installed big‑city mayor personally carrying her passport and saying naturalized‑citizen relatives are 'more afraid now than they were fighting communism in Laos,' sharpening the civil‑rights stakes beyond abstract party messaging.
- Documents parents’ reports that they tell children to lock doors behind them and not leave the house while they are at work, indicating daily‑life disruption beyond protest events and high‑profile arrests.