Walz, local leaders and thousands of marchers confront ICE surge and fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good
Thousands marched in Minneapolis after an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Good amid a Trump‑era enforcement push—variously described as "Operation Metro Surge"—that local officials say deployed roughly 100 federal agents to the Twin Cities, arrested about a dozen people, and sparked confrontations including pepper‑spray use, reports of U.S. citizens briefly detained, school disruptions and widespread fear in the Somali community. Governor Tim Walz, mayors and faith and education leaders condemned the tactics and asked DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for a review to "respect the Constitution," even as legal experts caution state prosecution of the agent could be complicated by federal immunity and uncertainty over body‑camera footage.
📌 Key Facts
- ICE launched “Operation Metro Surge” in early December; federal officials say roughly a dozen noncitizens were arrested in the Twin Cities for alleged immigration violations and criminal histories, including one person identified as a Somali gang member; arrestees included people from Somalia, Mexico and El Salvador.
- Minneapolis, St. Paul and other local leaders reported a large deployment of federal agents (estimates around 100) targeting the Somali community; protesters and organizers have framed the actions as part of a broader ICE ‘surge’ (organizers at one point referenced a 2,000‑agent escalation), and President Trump publicly criticized Somali immigrants and Minnesota leaders during the enforcement campaign.
- DHS officials told reporters their review found about half of certain visa‑related cases in Minnesota were fraudulent and cited more than 95,000 pending applications in the state (roughly 6,500 listing Somalia), but DHS has not provided the underlying data or details supporting the ‘half’ figure.
- Multiple incidents during the operations involved force and detentions: federal agents used pepper spray to disperse crowds in Cedar‑Riverside and other Somali neighborhoods; video circulated showing a U.S. citizen (identified locally as Mobashir/Mubashir) taken into ICE custody and later released; local leaders and Gov. Tim Walz called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to review arrests and urged that the Constitution be respected.
- Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and several suburban cities publicly distanced local law enforcement from ICE operations—saying they do not collaborate with ICE on immigration enforcement, do not get notified of ICE operations, and only enforce state/local law—and O’Hara criticized ICE tactics after clashes with protesters.
- The fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good in south Minneapolis intensified the backlash: thousands marched to protest ICE (routes included federal buildings and ICE facilities), demonstrations escalated at times with overnight arrests and property damage, and organizers explicitly linked the shooting to the broader enforcement surge and school/community disruptions.
- ICE’s body‑worn camera program is not yet enterprise‑wide and Minneapolis was not part of initial pilots; DHS has not confirmed whether the agent who fatally shot a driver in south Minneapolis was wearing a body camera, leaving uncertainty about federal video evidence beyond bystander footage.
- Legal and civil responses are mounting: at least a dozen immigrants have filed federal lawsuits challenging detentions (citing asylum claims, pending visas or naturalization eligibility); legal experts say an ICE officer (identified in reports as Jonathan Ross) is unlikely to have ‘absolute immunity’ but could invoke supremacy‑clause protections that complicate state prosecution unless prosecutors show he acted outside official duties.
📊 Relevant Data
Supremacy Clause immunity protects federal officers from state prosecution if their actions were necessary and proper in performing official duties, but it is not absolute, and courts have allowed prosecutions in cases where officers acted outside their authority or used excessive force.
Explainer: Can States Prosecute Federal Officials? — State Democracy Project
In precedents like In re Neagle (1890), the Supreme Court established that federal officers are immune from state prosecution for acts done in the performance of their duties, but this immunity does not apply if the acts were not authorized or were malicious.
What Kind of Immunity for ICE Agents? — Reason Magazine
Nearly 90% of defendants in Minnesota's major pandemic-era fraud cases since 2023, involving schemes like housing scams ($104 million), autism fraud ($399 million), and remittances to Somalia ($1.7 billion), are Somali, despite Somalis comprising about 2% of the state's population.
Nearly 90% of defendants in Minnesota's major pandemic-era fraud cases — Facebook (Being Libertarian)
The Somali population in Minnesota grew from approximately 52,000 in 2019 to about 86,000 by 2023, with a significant concentration in Cedar-Riverside, Minneapolis, where they make up a large portion of the neighborhood's residents.
Somali population - Cultural communities — Minnesota Compass
In 2025, there were 32 deaths in ICE custody, marking the deadliest year for the agency in two decades, though this includes custody deaths rather than field use of force incidents.
2025 was ICE's deadliest year in two decades. Here are the 32 ... — The Guardian
Claims of a 1,000% rise in assaults on ICE agents in 2025 were disputed by data showing only a 25% increase in charges of assault against federal officers through mid-September 2025 compared to the previous year.
Claims of huge rise in assaults against ICE drive responses, but ... — Colorado Public Radio
Somali immigrants in Minnesota face poverty rates as high as 50% in some communities, compared to the statewide average of 9%, which correlates with higher involvement in welfare fraud schemes.
Somali Immigrants in Minnesota — Center for Immigration Studies
📰 Source Timeline (23)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 11, 2026
5:01 PM
Minneapolis ICE shooting: Could the officer face charges? Legal expert weighs in
New information:
- Hamline law and political science professor David Schultz explains that ICE officer Jonathan Ross is unlikely to have 'absolute immunity' but could invoke supremacy-clause immunity that makes state prosecution difficult.
- Schultz says Minnesota prosecutors would have to show Ross was not acting in his official capacity, but as a purely private individual, to overcome supremacy-clause protection.
- The piece corrects Vice President J.D. Vance’s public claim that Ross enjoys 'absolute immunity,' noting that such immunity typically covers judges, legislators and prosecutors, not line law‑enforcement officers.
12:14 AM
Thousands march in Minneapolis to protest ICE after shooting
New information:
- Reports that thousands of people marched in Minneapolis to protest ICE following the fatal shooting, indicating one of the largest street demonstrations so far in this enforcement cycle.
- Specific march route and targets (federal buildings/ICE facilities) and the character of the protest (peaceful, heavily policed, key chants/demands).
- Additional quotes and demands from organizers linking the shooting, the 2,000‑agent ICE ‘surge,’ and school/community disruptions, sharpening the protest movement’s message.
January 10, 2026
2:22 PM
Minneapolis ICE shooting: 30 detained as Hilton Canopy Hotel protests escalate overnight
New information:
- Reports that a crowd of several hundred gathered near the Canopy by Hilton in downtown Minneapolis around 8 p.m. and later moved to the Depot Renaissance Hotel, where property damage occurred.
- Minneapolis police say more than 30 people were detained and cited over the course of the night after declaring an unlawful assembly around 10:15 p.m.
- Police allege protesters threw snow, ice and rocks at officers, squad cars and other vehicles in the roadway.
- MPD says some protesters tried to force their way into the Canopy Hotel through an alleyway entrance around 9:45 p.m.
- Officers responded to a separate incident at 8:30 p.m. involving a vehicle driven onto a sidewalk near the hotel by a 'belligerent and possibly intoxicated' woman, though no building damage was found.
January 08, 2026
8:58 PM
Education Minnesota demands ICE stays away from schools
New information:
- Education Minnesota President Monica Byron issued a statewide statement demanding that ICE operations be kept away from Minnesota schools, saying their presence near schools ‘endangers children, educators and families.’
- The union ties its demand directly to ICE’s fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis and to a Roosevelt High School incident where an educator was detained and students were pepper‑sprayed during dismissal.
- Education Minnesota says ICE activity is disrupting teaching and learning, noting Minneapolis Public Schools canceled classes for the rest of the week and that students are experiencing ‘ongoing fear and emotional harm.’
- The Minneapolis Federation of Educators alleges Border Patrol/ICE deployed pepper spray near Roosevelt and ‘abducted’ a staff member assisting with safe dismissal, who was later released.
- DHS counters that agents were pursuing a U.S. citizen who allegedly rammed a government vehicle, led a 5‑mile reckless chase ending in the school zone, and that another individual who identified as a teacher assaulted a Border Patrol agent while a crowd threw objects and paint at officers and vehicles.
January 07, 2026
11:49 PM
Some ICE agents wear body cameras...but not everywhere
New information:
- ICE’s body‑worn camera program began with pilots in select cities in 2024, and Minneapolis was not among the initial rollout locations.
- ICE updated its body‑worn camera policy in 2025 under the Trump administration, stating that full implementation depends on available appropriations and acknowledging cameras are not yet enterprise‑wide.
- The Department of Homeland Security has not said whether the ICE agent who fatally shot a driver in south Minneapolis was wearing a body camera, leaving uncertainty about federal video evidence beyond bystander footage.
- A federal judge in Chicago has ordered immigration agents operating there to wear body‑worn cameras unless exempted by policy, and in a separate border‑patrol case, body‑cam footage led DOJ to drop "domestic terrorism"‑framed charges against a motorist accused of ramming agents.
December 23, 2025
4:25 PM
Gov. Walz talks ICE targeting U.S. citizens in Minnesota: Watch live
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz will hold a news conference at 10:30 a.m. with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and faith leaders to address the ongoing ICE operation in the Twin Cities.
- The briefing will focus not only on ICE targeting the Somali community but explicitly on U.S. citizens who have been swept up in the enforcement effort.
- FOX 9 identifies two previously reported cases as context: a U.S. citizen known as Mubashir arrested in Cedar-Riverside and detained in Bloomington until his status was verified, and another U.S. citizen arrested downtown and held for more than 24 hours.
December 17, 2025
10:21 PM
Minneapolis police chief criticizes ICE tactics after clash with protesters
New information:
- Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara publicly criticized ICE tactics following a clash with protesters in Minneapolis.
- The chief’s remarks add an official MPD stance to ongoing federal immigration operations and local protest response.
- Article indicates a call for different tactics/coordination during future federal operations (as characterized in the report).
December 16, 2025
12:00 AM
St. Paul woman in turmoil after ICE detains husband unexpectedly
New information:
- ICE detained 35-year-old Senegalese citizen Hadarane Demba Ka at a gas station while he was driving to work in Hudson, Wisconsin.
- His wife, Nadia Ka, says he is on a path to citizenship and has no criminal history beyond minor traffic and parking infractions.
- Ka’s recent employment includes work at Norflex (Hudson) and prior placements in St. Paul schools via Zen Educate, which said it verifies immigration status.
- His car was found still at the gas pump; ICE has not provided specific reasons for the detention.
December 11, 2025
12:17 AM
Minneapolis ICE surge: Citizen's detainment sparks alarm
New information:
- Video shared by Minneapolis leaders shows a U.S. citizen being taken into ICE custody in Cedar-Riverside on Tuesday.
- Gov. Tim Walz formally asked DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to review the arrests of American citizens in Minnesota tied to Operation Metro Surge.
- FOX 9 reports observers in Minneapolis have been pepper‑sprayed by ICE; AP video shows agents using pepper spray to disperse a crowd blocking vehicles.
- Rep. Brad Tabke says more than 250 observers in Shakopee are monitoring ICE activity and assisting affected community members (groceries, escorts).
- Article cites Cato Institute analysis that over 70% of ICE arrests involve people without criminal records, fueling community concern (contextual data point).
12:12 AM
Walz tells Noem to 'respect the Constitution' after ICE agents detain US citizens
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz sent a formal letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urging a review of ICE operations in Minneapolis and to 'respect the Constitution.'
- Walz’s office cited reports that some U.S. citizens who refused to move back were allegedly pushed, handcuffed, transported to federal facilities, and held in isolation for hours.
- Walz encouraged Minnesotans to continue exercising their rights while avoiding escalation and recording interactions only when safe and lawful.
- Article includes new Trump remarks criticizing Minnesota’s Somali community and Gov. Walz amid the ongoing ICE operation; DHS response pending.
December 10, 2025
10:39 PM
Gov. Walz urges Noem to review Minnesota ICE arrests after reports of detained U.S. citizens
New information:
- Gov. Tim Walz publicly urged DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to review Minnesota ICE arrests after reports that U.S. citizens were detained during the operations.
- The governor’s request adds a state-level call for scrutiny to ongoing federal enforcement actions in the Twin Cities.
5:44 PM
ICE agents pepper spray crowd after allegedly detaining U.S. citizen in Minneapolis
New information:
- ICE agents used pepper spray to disperse a crowd blocking vehicles during an enforcement action in Cedar-Riverside.
- Council Member Jamal Osman says agents detained a 20-year-old U.S. citizen named Mobashir, transported him to a Bloomington detention center, then released him without transportation.
- AP video corroborates the pepper-spray confrontation as agents checked identifications in the neighborhood.
12:04 AM
Federal agents use pepper spray on crowd in Somali neighborhood of Minneapolis amid Trump crackdown
New information:
- Federal agents used pepper spray on a crowd in a Somali neighborhood of Minneapolis during an enforcement action on Dec. 9, 2025.
- This Minneapolis incident is a separate use-of-force episode from the St. Paul (Bro‑Tex) operation previously reported, indicating continued, city‑wide enforcement under the Trump administration’s crackdown.
December 09, 2025
5:59 PM
ICE operations in Minnesota: What cities are saying
New information:
- Additional Twin Cities cities (Edina, Bloomington, Burnsville, Golden Valley) issued statements outlining that they do not ask about immigration status, are not notified of ICE operations, and only enforce state/local laws.
- FOX 9 cites approximately 100 federal agents deployed to Minnesota as part of the operations, with several reported raids in various cities.
3:54 AM
4 immigrants arrested in Minneapolis ICE roundup sue feds, fight detention
New information:
- Four immigrants arrested since Operation Metro Surge began Dec. 1 filed federal lawsuits in Minnesota challenging their detention.
- A total of 11 immigrants have filed lawsuits in December; nearly all challenge detention, with at least three facing deportation.
- Plaintiffs cite asylum eligibility, a pending visa application, or eligibility for naturalization as grounds.
- Abdul Dahir Ibrahim (of Shakopee), ordered removed in 2004, was arrested Nov. 29; DHS publicized his arrest and referenced prior Canadian convictions; he awaits a hearing on a status-renewal application.
- Mahamed Cabdilaahi Awaale, who came from Somalia in 2022 after family violence, is seeking asylum.
- Plaintiffs come from Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Honduras, Egypt, and Mexico.
December 05, 2025
12:50 PM
ICE: 12 criminal illegal aliens arrested in Minneapolis operation, including Somali gang member
New information:
- ICE states 12 noncitizens with criminal histories were arrested in a Minneapolis operation.
- Among those arrested, ICE says one individual is identified as a Somali gang member.
1:24 AM
ICE arrests several individuals in Twin Cities during 'Operation Metro Surge'
New information:
- ICE conducted 'Operation Metro Surge' beginning Dec. 1 and arrested 12 people in the Twin Cities for alleged immigration violations.
- One arrestee is described as a Twin Cities gang member; others have convictions including child sexual abuse, domestic abuse, assault, and DUI.
- Arrestees are from Somalia, Mexico, and El Salvador.
- Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly responded alongside faith leaders following President Trump’s comments about Somali immigrants.
12:41 AM
DHS claims half of visas in Minnesota are fraudulent, total number not shared
New information:
- DHS says a targeted operation in Minneapolis–Saint Paul found approximately half of the cases it investigated were fraudulent.
- Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin specifies case types reviewed: naturalization, H‑1B visas, marriage fraud, and the Ukrainian humanitarian parole program.
- DHS cites more than 95,000 pending immigration applications/petitions in Minnesota, with about 6,500 listing Somalia as country of origin.
- DHS did not provide totals behind the 'half' figure or information on resulting criminal charges; FOX 9 has requested data.
December 03, 2025
5:30 PM
Trump targeting Somali community: How many Somalis live in Minneapolis?
New information:
- Census-based estimate: about 33,521 people of Somali descent live in Minneapolis.
- Twin Cities metro estimate: more than 83,000 people of Somali descent; statewide about 107,000 (lower statewide estimate ~76,000; metro ~64,699).
- Foreign-born Somali Minnesotans: roughly 41,000, with about 87% naturalized citizens.
- Somalis comprise about 2.26% of the Twin Cities metro population and 1.88% of Minnesota’s total population (using the higher estimate).
5:13 PM
LIVE UPDATES: ICE operations in Minneapolis reportedly starting Wednesday
New information:
- FOX 9 reports immigration enforcement operations are beginning in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
- A deportation-flight protest rally is scheduled for 11 a.m. at MSP Airport.
- A 3 p.m. community response/press event is planned to denounce the targeted ICE deployment.
- Includes new on‑the‑record Trump quotes saying he does not want Somali immigrants in the U.S.
5:11 PM
Trump's remarks, threats spark fear in Minnesota’s Somali community
New information:
- Minneapolis and St. Paul city officials say they received credible reports that as many as 100 federal agents will be deployed to the Twin Cities this week to target the Somali community.
- Local business impact: a Karmel Mall cafe owner reports customers staying away out of fear of ICE activity.
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem made comments at a cabinet meeting regarding visas that could affect the Somali community (context for potential federal policy shifts).
December 02, 2025
8:35 PM
LIVE UPDATES: ICE reportedly targeting Somalis in Minneapolis
New information:
- City officials held a news conference where MPD Chief Brian O’Hara said the department does not collaborate with ICE on immigration enforcement or share information for that purpose.
- President Trump, in a cabinet meeting, said he does not want Somali immigrants in the U.S., accused Somalis of defrauding Minnesota, and criticized Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar.
- FOX 9 recorded two men being questioned by ICE in Minneapolis on Tuesday afternoon and asked to produce passports.
- Gov. Tim Walz posted on X that he welcomes fraud investigations but called indiscriminate targeting of immigrants a political stunt.