Eat Street businesses became triage hubs after federal killing
Restaurants and shops along Minneapolis’ Nicollet Avenue “Eat Street” corridor opened their doors as makeshift warming centers and medical triage sites after federal immigration agents killed a resident there, according to business‑owner accounts. In the chaos that followed the shooting, staff pulled shaken people in from the cold, tended to injuries and let bystanders shelter inside while squads and ambulances swarmed the street. Owners now say they’re physically and emotionally depleted and are unsure how to operate a neighborhood dining district that keeps doubling as a front‑line response zone whenever federal operations turn violent. Their experience underscores how Operation Metro Surge is not just a law‑enforcement story but a direct blow to a key commercial corridor’s ability to function, on top of years of construction, COVID and civil‑unrest damage.
📌 Key Facts
- Location: Nicollet Avenue 'Eat Street' in south Minneapolis, where a federal immigration operation ended with agents killing a resident in the street.
- Multiple restaurants and small shops immediately converted into ad hoc warming centers and triage spaces, bringing people inside and providing care in the aftermath.
- Business owners report being exhausted and uncertain how to keep their doors open safely as repeated federal actions and shootings drive away customers and turn their storefronts into emergency sites.
📊 Relevant Data
Operation Metro Surge is a federal immigration enforcement operation launched in December 2025, deploying thousands of DHS agents to Minneapolis to apprehend individuals with criminal records, described as the largest such operation ever.
2,000 federal agents sent to Minneapolis area to carry out 'largest immigration operation ever,' ICE says — PBS NewsHour
Since September 2025, DHS agents have been involved in at least 12 shootings during immigration enforcement operations across the US, resulting in multiple fatalities.
Trump's DHS has shot 12 people during immigration enforcement since September 2025 — NBC News
Venezuelan immigrants in host countries commit substantially fewer crimes than the native-born population, based on 2019 data from Latin American countries.
Venezuelan Migration, Crime, and Misperceptions — Brookings Institution
Immigrants in Minnesota, including Venezuelans, contribute approximately $26 billion to the state's economy through spending power, business ownership, and tax payments.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
The Whittier neighborhood in Minneapolis, including Nicollet Avenue (Eat Street), features a diverse array of immigrant-owned businesses, particularly from Latinx and Somali communities, contributing to the area's economic revitalization.
MAKING CONNECTIONS — Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Migration from Venezuela to the US is driven by intertwined social, economic, and political factors, including hyperinflation, food shortages, and political instability, exacerbated by US sanctions.
Understanding the Venezuelan Refugee Crisis — Wilson Center
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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