St. Paul snowplow driver detained by ICE now faces deportation; coworkers launch fundraiser
St. Paul Public Works says one of its snowplow drivers was detained by ICE and is now facing deportation proceedings despite the city previously verifying his legal authorization to work. Colleagues and community members have organized a fundraiser to support his family while he's in custody; the driver is described as a long‑serving member of the snowplow crew with family and health concerns, and organizers say his detention has strained winter operations and morale.
📌 Key Facts
- A St. Paul Public Works snowplow driver has been detained by ICE and is now facing deportation proceedings.
- The city had previously verified his legal work authorization, but he is nonetheless being processed for deportation, raising sharper legal stakes beyond mere detention.
- Colleagues and community members at St. Paul Public Works organized a specific fundraiser to support the driver’s family while he remains in ICE custody.
- Reporting includes additional biographical context about the employee — including his length of service with St. Paul, his role on the snowplow crew, and details about his family situation and health concerns.
- Organizers and local officials are quoted saying his absence affects winter operations and morale within Public Works, and the coverage highlights the community response to those operational and personal impacts.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2023, 18.6% of St. Paul, MN residents were born outside the country, totaling approximately 57,200 people out of a population of about 307,000.
St. Paul, MN | Data USA — Data USA
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States, with estimates ranging from 80,000 to 108,000 Somali-descended residents in 2024, concentrated in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, representing about 1.4% to 1.9% of the state's total population of approximately 5.7 million.
Most Somali people in America and Minnesota are citizens — News from the States
Operation Metro Surge, launched in December 2025 in Minnesota, involved deploying 2,000 federal agents and resulted in the arrest of over 400 individuals by early January 2026, targeting those with criminal convictions including murder, child rape, and drug trafficking.
ICE Arrests the Worst of the Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens Including Pedophiles, Rapists, and Violent Thugs — Department of Homeland Security
In 2025, the percentage of people arrested by ICE and held in detention with no criminal record increased from 6% in January to 41% by December.
Immigration Detention Is Harsher and Less Accountable Than Ever — American Immigration Council
Somali immigrants in Minnesota have per capita crime rates 2 to 5 times higher than natives when using apples-to-apples comparisons, though widespread statistics often use misleading comparisons that understate the difference.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
In high-profile ICE operations in 2025, more than half of those arrested had no criminal record, according to an analysis of hundreds of thousands of immigration arrests.
ICE Arrest Data Shows Many Immigrants With No Criminal Record — The New York Times
ICE arrests in 2025 showed a surge in detentions of Latino immigrants, with data indicating potential racial profiling as a factor in interior enforcement actions.
Racial profiling by ICE will have a marked impact on Latino communities — Brookings Institution
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The article details a specific fundraiser set up by St. Paul Public Works colleagues and community members to support the detained snowplow driver’s family while he is in ICE custody.
- It reports additional biographical context about the employee (e.g., length of service with St. Paul, role on the snowplow crew, family situation and health concerns) that was not in earlier coverage.
- The piece underscores that he is now actively facing deportation proceedings despite the city having previously verified his legal work authorization, sharpening the legal stakes beyond mere detention.
- It adds fresh quotes and framing from organizers and possibly local officials about how his loss affects winter operations and morale inside Public Works.