St. Paul small businesses say ICE surge slashes sales and forces hour cuts
St. Paul small businesses say a recent surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity—part of Operation Metro Surge—has slashed sales and forced some restaurants to cut hours or close. Owners at a coordinated news conference said customers are afraid to shop or even leave home, and some storefronts posted signs explicitly warning ICE agents not to enter.
📌 Key Facts
- FOX 9 documented a coordinated St. Paul news conference where multiple small‑business owners described how Operation Metro Surge has cut sales and disrupted customer traffic.
- Owners say the downturn is not seasonal but directly tied to fear: people are afraid to shop or even leave home while federal agents patrol neighborhoods.
- The federal enforcement activity is identified in reports as Operation Metro Surge.
- At least one business, Bymore Mercado, displayed a sign explicitly warning ICE agents not to enter, underscoring how visible fear has become part of storefront operations.
- The reporting was published by FOX 9 Minneapolis‑St. Paul on 2026-02-06.
📊 Relevant Data
Twin Cities businesses are losing an estimated $10-20 million in sales every week due to the effects of Operation Metro Surge, as employees and customers stay away out of fear.
Twin Cities businesses feeling the strain since Operation Metro Surge — KARE 11
Immigrants account for 33.2% of business owners in Saint Paul, generating 13.5% of the total business income in the city.
New Americans in Saint Paul and East Metro Area, MN — City of Saint Paul
Somali Minnesotans generate at least $500 million in income annually and contribute about $67 million in state and local taxes.
Somali Minnesotans drive economic growth, pay $67M taxes annually — KSTP
Noncitizens were underrepresented in welfare fraud convictions in 2024, making up 13 percent of convictions while comprising 17 percent of the adult population.
Noncitizens Were Underrepresented in Welfare Fraud Convictions in 2024 — Cato Institute
The Somali community in Minnesota grew primarily due to refugee resettlement starting in the 1990s, driven by the civil war in Somalia and facilitated by U.S. policies like the Refugee Act of 1980.
How Minnesota became a hub for Somali immigrants in the U.S. — NPR
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- FOX 9 documents a coordinated St. Paul news conference where multiple small‑business owners describe how Operation Metro Surge has cut sales and shaken customer traffic.
- Bymore Mercado is shown with a sign explicitly warning ICE agents not to enter, underscoring how visible fear is now part of storefront operations.
- Owners frame the downturn not as seasonal but as directly tied to people being afraid to shop or even leave home while federal agents patrol neighborhoods.