Target silent after ICE detains two U.S. citizen employees
A Minneapolis-area Target store became the scene of another controversial ICE operation when federal agents detained and dragged away two Target employees who are both U.S. citizens, according to a Business Journal report. The retail giant has not issued any public statement or internal explanation about the detentions, even as business groups and local officials warn that visible immigration raids at stores, gas stations and malls are chilling consumer traffic and destabilizing workplaces across the Twin Cities. The incident adds a new flashpoint to Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s deployment of hundreds of federal immigration agents to the metro, and deepens questions about how accurately ICE is identifying its targets and what responsibilities large employers like Target have to protect or at least inform their workers. The case is already being cited by legal-technology startup TurnSignl, which reports a spike in sign‑ups from people worried about encounters with law enforcement and ICE, and by business advocates who say this kind of enforcement inside or just outside major retailers is bad for both worker safety and the regional economy.
📌 Key Facts
- Two Target employees, both confirmed U.S. citizens, were detained and dragged off by ICE agents at a Minneapolis-area Target store.
- Target has made no public comment about the incident, despite mounting public attention and concern from workers.
- The detentions occurred amid Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale ICE and Border Patrol deployment in the Twin Cities that business groups say is discouraging customers and disrupting the local economy.
📊 Relevant Data
Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the United States, with approximately 80,000 Somali Americans residing in the state.
How Fraud Swamped Minnesota's Social Services System on Tim Walz's Watch — The New York Times
Somalis in Minnesota are overrepresented in recent federal fraud cases, with many of those indicted in schemes like Feeding Our Future being from the Somali community, involving billions in losses from public programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What to Know About Trump's Targeting of Somalis in Minnesota — TIME
Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis is linked to investigations into massive fraud in public programs, targeting individuals involved in schemes that siphoned billions from federal aid, with a focus on the Somali community.
What we know about the federal ICE surge in the Twin Cities — Star Tribune
Somali refugees began resettling in Minnesota in large numbers in the 1990s through voluntary agencies (VOLAGs) such as Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota and Catholic Charities, facilitated by U.S. refugee resettlement policies.
History of Somalis in Minneapolis–Saint Paul — Wikipedia
Somali Minnesotans generate at least $500 million in income annually and pay about $67 million in state and local taxes, contributing an estimated $8 billion to the state's economy.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
More than 170 U.S. citizens have been held by immigration agents, with instances of being kicked, dragged, and detained for days, according to data from 2020-2025.
Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents Against Their Will — ProPublica
The median household income for Somalis in Minnesota from 2019-2023 was $43,600, compared to the national median of $78,538, indicating economic disparities.
Refugee flood isn't smart policy, it's the gift that keeps on taking — Fox News
From 2000 to 2015, Somalia accounted for the largest number of arriving refugees in Minnesota with 19,064 individuals, driven by resettlement policies.
Fiscal Impact of Refugee Resettlement — Minnesota Legislature
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time