Ventura visits Roosevelt High after ICE confrontation
Former Gov. Jesse Ventura visited Minneapolis’ Roosevelt High School on Thursday to show support for staff after a chaotic ICE enforcement incident outside the school at dismissal, where video shows agents and a crowd as a chemical irritant is deployed and a staff member is reportedly detained. Ventura, a Roosevelt alum, publicly praised staff for standing up for students, criticized federal tactics and called the separate deadly ICE shooting in Minneapolis a needless tragedy, while DHS provided FOX 9 a detailed statement saying agents were pursuing a U.S. citizen who allegedly rammed a government vehicle and led a dangerous five‑mile chase into the school zone before a teacher assaulted an agent and officers used 'targeted crowd control' with no tear gas. Minneapolis Public Schools has confirmed the Roosevelt incident and says it is investigating, as the teachers union alleges an employee was detained by ICE and community concerns over federal operations near schools escalate.
📌 Key Facts
- Video from Wednesday shows an ICE enforcement confrontation outside Roosevelt High School at dismissal, with a chemical irritant deployed and the Minneapolis Federation of Educators saying a school employee was detained.
- In a statement to FOX 9, DHS/ICE claims agents were arresting a U.S. citizen who had rammed a government vehicle and led a five‑mile chase that ended in a school zone, and says a teacher assaulted an agent as a crowd threw objects and paint, prompting 'targeted crowd control' but 'no tear gas.'
- Former Gov. Jesse Ventura, a Roosevelt graduate, visited the school Thursday to support staff, praising them for standing up for students and calling the separate ICE shooting in Minneapolis a preventable tragedy.
📊 Relevant Data
Minneapolis is a sanctuary city that separates city services from immigration enforcement and does not ask about immigration status unless required by law.
City Federal Response — City of Minneapolis
The Trump administration deployed 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis area to carry out what officials describe as the largest federal immigration enforcement operation ever.
2,000 federal agents sent to Minneapolis area to carry out 'largest immigration operation ever,' ICE says — PBS NewsHour
Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the United States, with approximately 107,000 people of Somali descent in 2024, representing about 2% of the state's population.
By the numbers: Minnesota's Somali population, according to census data — KTTC
Somali immigrants in Minnesota were primarily resettled as refugees, with about one-third coming directly from refugee camps, facilitated by voluntary agencies.
Immigration in MN Africa — IATP
More than half (52 percent) of children in Somali immigrant homes in Minnesota live in poverty, compared to only 8 percent of children in native-born households.
Somali Immigrants in Minnesota — Center for Immigration Studies
The homeownership rate for Minnesota's Somali community is 11 percent, compared to 77 percent for White households.
New Report Shows Stark Economic Inequalities Among Minnesota's Cultural Groups — House of Charity
Despite high poverty rates, Somali Minnesotans collectively generate over half a billion dollars in spending power.
FAQ: Economic Contributions of Somalis in Minnesota — Empowering Strategies
The fatal shooting in Minneapolis is the 9th ICE shooting since [recent period], highlighting a series of such incidents during enforcement operations.
Deadly Minneapolis Encounter Is the 9th ICE Shooting Since ... — The New York Times
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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