Officials: ICE targeting Somalis in Twin Cities; MPD won’t assist

📌 Key Facts

• Federal immigration authorities deployed an operation in the Twin Cities beginning Dec. 1 called 'Operation Metro Surge,' with local officials reporting roughly 100 federal agents sent to the area to target the Somali community.
• ICE said the operation arrested 12 noncitizens in the Twin Cities; arrestees included people from Somalia, Mexico and El Salvador and included individuals with criminal convictions (reported offenses include child sexual abuse, domestic abuse, assault and DUI); ICE identified one arrestee as a Somali gang member.
• Minneapolis city officials held a news conference in which MPD Chief Brian O’Hara said the Minneapolis Police Department does not collaborate with ICE on immigration enforcement or share information for that purpose; several suburban cities (Edina, Bloomington, Burnsville, Golden Valley) issued similar statements that they do not ask about immigration status, are not notified of ICE operations and only enforce state/local laws.
• Federal agents used pepper spray on a crowd in a Somali Minneapolis neighborhood during an enforcement action on Dec. 9; reporting indicates this was a separate use-of-force episode from an earlier St. Paul operation, reflecting continued, citywide enforcement activity.
• At least 11 immigrants have filed federal lawsuits in December challenging their detention after the roundups (four newly filed suits were highlighted), with plaintiffs coming from Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Honduras, Egypt and Mexico and citing asylum claims, pending visa applications or eligibility for naturalization.
• DHS officials have claimed roughly half of the visa or immigration cases they reviewed in Minnesota were fraudulent but did not provide totals behind that 'half' figure; DHS said there are more than 95,000 pending immigration applications/petitions in Minnesota — about 6,500 listing Somalia as country of origin — and identified case types reviewed including naturalization, H‑1B, marriage fraud and Ukrainian humanitarian parole.
• President Trump made on‑the‑record remarks saying he does not want Somali immigrants in the U.S. and accused some of defrauding Minnesota; DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and other administration officials discussed visa changes at a cabinet meeting, comments that local leaders say have heightened fear in the Somali community.
• Community responses included planned protests and events (a deportation-flight protest at MSP Airport and a 3 p.m. community response/press event), reports of local businesses losing customers out of fear, and public statements from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and faith leaders denouncing the targeted deployment.

📰 Sources (11)