Four ICE arrestees in Minneapolis sue over detention
Four immigrants arrested since Minneapolis’ Operation Metro Surge began Dec. 1 have filed federal lawsuits challenging their detention, part of at least 11 immigration suits lodged in Minnesota in December. Plaintiffs include Abdul Dahir Ibrahim of Shakopee, arrested Nov. 29 and long under a removal order, and Mahamed Cabdilaahi Awaale, an asylum seeker; filings argue asylum eligibility, pending visas, or naturalization eligibility while at least three face deportation.
📌 Key Facts
- At least 11 immigrants filed federal lawsuits in Minnesota in December; 4 were arrested since the Dec. 1 operation launched.
- Named plaintiffs include Abdul Dahir Ibrahim (Shakopee; removal order from 2004) and Mahamed Cabdilaahi Awaale (asylum seeker).
- Plaintiffs’ countries include Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Honduras, Egypt, and Mexico; most suits challenge detention.
📊 Relevant Data
Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the United States with 64,354 Somalis, making up 1.12% of the state's total population.
Somali Population by State 2025 — World Population Review
In fiscal year 2023, the asylum grant rate for Somali nationals in the US was 38%, with 72 grants out of 190 decisions.
Asylum Decision Rates by Nationality — US Department of Justice
Federal prosecutors have charged 86 people in fraud cases involving meals, housing, and autism therapy programs in Minnesota, with 78 of them being of Somali ancestry.
How Fraud Swamped Minnesota’s Social Services System on Tim Walz’s Watch — The New York Times
More than $1 billion in taxpayers' money was stolen across fraud schemes in Minnesota's social services, including $250 million from meals programs largely involving Somali defendants.
How Fraud Swamped Minnesota’s Social Services System on Tim Walz’s Watch — The New York Times
In 2023, the national incarceration rate for illegal immigrants was 613 per 100,000, which is 50% lower than the native-born rate of 1,221 per 100,000.
Illegal Immigrant Incarceration Rates, 2010–2023 — Cato Institute
Since 2021, 37% of people arrested for crimes in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area were Black, with Somali-Americans comprising a portion of the Black population.
U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer makes wildly inaccurate claim about Somali crime on national TV — Minnesota Reformer