ICE Operations Escalate in Minnesota as Blizzard Hits; Community Demands Accountability

As a severe blizzard swept across the state this week, ICE intensified enforcement actions in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, sparking widespread outrage, community mobilization, and calls for federal intervention. The operations which included the wrongful detention of two U.S. citizens have left immigrant communities shaken and local officials facing mounting pressure for transparency.

Saint Paul City Council Meeting Halts Amid Demands for Answers

Tensions ran high at Wednesday’s Saint Paul City Council meeting, where residents gathered to address new details about the Saint Paul Police Department’s involvement in a November 25 ICE arrest on the East Side. Although the matter was not on the agenda as councilors had previously promised, residents urged the council to open a public comment period, hold an emergency hearing, and commit to full transparency regarding city cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The council approved a resolution calling for an audit, but many in attendance said that fell far short of what the moment requires. BLCK Press founder and independent journalist Georgia Fort live-streamed the meeting and captured an exclusive on-camera interview with Saint Paul Police Chief Axel Henry in the hall as he was leaving. Georgia asked the chief for his thoughts on the resolution.

“There’s a lot of information out there right now that just clearly isn’t accurate, so the only way to really bring that all to light for our public and for them to have confidence in it is to have someone come and do an independent review, and we welcome it,” said Chief Axel.

When given the opportunity to explain what misinformation he was talking about, the chief said, “I don't want to get into it.”

Back in the meeting, as community pressure mounted, Council President Rebecca Noecker and Councilmember Saura Jost left the chambers. With two additional members absent, only Councilmembers Nelsie Yang, Hwa Jeong Kim, and Molly Coleman remained. The three reconvened briefly to hear from residents for about 25 minutes.

U.S. Citizens Detained, Arrested in Minneapolis

Even as the blizzard shut down major parts of the metro, ICE continued early-morning operations throughout Minneapolis. As North News reported, community observer Susan Tincher was detained around 6 a.m. Tuesday while monitoring ICE arrests on the northside. Susan was later released but told reporters that she was handcuffed, transported to a federal facility, and threatened with an obstruction charge.

More reports of ICE activity have poured in from Cedar Riverside, a predominantly Somali neighborhood where a local journalist was recently maced while documenting an arrest. City officials say they have received a steady stream of alerts, in some cases every 15 minutes. The alerts were about detentions at Hazel Recreation Center, parents arrested while leaving children unattended, and harassment of volunteer observers tracking ICE movements.

Governor Walz Condemns “Unlawful” ICE Practices

On Nov. 9 in Cedar-Riverside, federal immigration officers racially profiled Mubashir, a U.S. citizen, chased him down, tackled him, put him in a chokehold, and dragged him through the show. Mubashir was detained and held for hours, even after repeatedly asserting his citizenship and offering identification.

Governor Tim Walz issued a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security this week after learning that two U.S. citizens were violently detained despite being suspected of no crime. He addressed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, saying, “The forcefulness, lack of communication, and unlawful practices displayed by your agents will not be tolerated in Minnesota.”

Walz highlighted Susan's case, as well as that of Mubashir, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen.

“All I did was step outside as a Somali American citizen, and I got chased by a masked person, assaulted, kidnapped. It was inhumane,” Mubashir told the press. “If this is what's happening to a citizen on camera, imagine what could happen to your loved ones.”

Governor Walz warned that such actions “erode civil liberties and public trust” and demanded a federal review of the arrests. He has requested clarity regarding the rights of citizen observers, mandatory civil-rights training for ICE agents operating in Minnesota, and a reassessment of the federal enforcement surge currently underway.

Target Faces Backlash Over Silence as Somali Community Calls for Boycott Participation

Somali leader Jaylani Hussein is the executive director of CAIR-MN and cofounder of the national Target Boycott.

Target Corporation is facing renewed criticism for its silence amid what Somali leaders describe as a targeted escalation of enforcement and a surge in anti-Somali sentiment.

Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-MN and cofounder of the national Target Boycott, urged Somali Americans across the country to join the movement, arguing that the Minneapolis-based retailer’s lack of response, coupled with its rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, signals complicity during a moment of crisis for the Somali community.