(MINNESOTA) Reports of stepped-up ICE enforcement operations in Minnesota have sparked fear and confusion across Somali communities, as federal immigration raids and arrests spread through several parts of the state since late November and early December 2025. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that at least 19 people have been arrested in Minnesota since the current operation began last week, adding a fresh wave of anxiety in neighborhoods that already feel closely watched.
Community reaction and changed routines
Community members and local advocates say the renewed focus on arrests has shifted daily routines.
- Parents are changing school drop-off patterns.
- Shop owners are closing early on rumored raid days.
- University students are skipping classes or staying inside their dorms.
The concern is especially strong in Somali communities, where many families include a mix of U.S. citizens, permanent residents, people with temporary status, and those still working through immigration cases. For these families, any news of ICE at an apartment complex, grocery store, or transit stop can send shock waves through entire blocks.
Impact on schools and students
In schools near Somali neighborhoods, the effect has been clear and measurable.
- Local educators report that Somali students have been missing classes in far higher numbers since the start of the ICE enforcement operations.
- According to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, school districts near affected areas saw a 22% increase in student absences during January and February.
Teachers say some parents now keep children home on days when they hear about possible raids, fearing that leaving the house increases the chance of an encounter with federal agents. For students already trying to balance schoolwork with family responsibilities, this sudden instability adds another layer of stress.
Effects on colleges and campus life
Universities are feeling the pressure as well, especially Augsburg University in Minneapolis, which has a large Somali student population.
- Campus leaders and student groups report growing worries about travel between home, work, and class.
- Students with pending immigration cases or family members in mixed-status households say they now think twice before attending evening events or off-campus internships.
ICE has stated it will work with judicial warrants and that it does not target students or individuals without such warrants, but many Somali residents remain unconvinced that they will be safe from questioning or collateral arrests if they are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Economic effects on local businesses
The financial hit to local Somali-owned businesses has also begun to appear.
- Shopkeepers and restaurant owners describe slow days that often line up with reports of new enforcement actions.
- Community leaders say customers are staying home more, especially on mornings when social media or messaging apps report that ICE vehicles have been seen nearby.
For many small businesses that already operate on thin margins, even a few bad days a month can mean delayed rent, late utility payments, or cutting staff hours. This economic strain deepens the sense that the current operations are reshaping everyday life beyond the immediate arrests.
Federal framing and enforcement priorities
Federal officials frame the push as part of a wider enforcement strategy that stretches beyond one state.
- In past years, large-scale immigration sweeps in the Twin Cities have involved the deployment of more than 100 federal agents, signaling that Minnesota is on ICE’s list of priority areas.
- The agency’s Enforcement and Removal Operations arm, described on the official U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website, focuses on locating and arresting people it believes are removable under federal immigration law, often emphasizing those with certain criminal records or prior deportation orders.
However, families and advocates worry that these broad operations also catch people with old or minor violations, or those whose paperwork problems stem from long backlogs and complex rules.
Lack of detail on arrests and resulting confusion
In this latest wave, ICE has not publicly released detailed breakdowns of the 19 arrests in Minnesota—such as how many involved people with criminal convictions, previous removal orders, or visa overstays.
- That lack of detail makes it hard for Somali communities to judge who is most at risk.
- Without clear information, rumors move quickly: a traffic stop in one neighborhood becomes a supposed highway checkpoint in another; one reported workplace visit turns into claims of raids at every major employer.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, similar enforcement drives in other states have often led to periods of intense confusion, during which people may avoid hospitals, postpone court hearings, or skip important meetings with immigration lawyers out of fear of being detained on the way.
School and district responses
Local school officials in Minnesota say they are trying to respond without inflaming tensions further.
- Some districts have shared basic information with parents about student privacy and the limits on law enforcement access to school grounds.
- Officials explain that ICE typically does not carry out operations inside public schools.
- Counselors and social workers have tried to support children who come to class worried that a parent or older sibling might not be home when they return.
One teacher described students becoming unusually quiet during news discussions, saying the topic feels “too close” to their lives. Even younger children, who may not fully grasp what ICE is, can pick up on the stress at home when parents whisper about raids or change long-standing routines.
Community outreach, legal information, and rights
Community groups, mosques, and neighborhood organizations are stepping in to share clear, simple information about rights during contact with immigration officers.
- Lawyers remind residents that, in most situations, they do not have to open the door unless officers show a judicial warrant signed by a judge.
- Residents also have the right to stay silent and ask for an attorney.
While these rights apply to everyone in the United States—not just citizens—many Somali families say they have never had this information explained in plain language before. The timing of these education efforts, in the middle of active enforcement operations, underlines how urgent the need feels on the ground.
Key takeaway: Know your rights—ask to see a judicial warrant before opening the door, exercise the right to remain silent, and request an attorney.
Public debate and differing perspectives
At the same time, some Minnesotans welcome strict immigration enforcement, arguing that the federal government has a duty to apply the law consistently.
- Supporters point out that ICE often states it prioritizes people with certain offenses or those who have ignored prior removal orders.
- Critics counter that the visible presence of federal agents in Somali communities, paired with the arrest numbers and school absence spikes, suggests a much wider net in practice.
They argue that even if many of those arrested do have prior orders or records, the strategy still spreads fear among U.S.-born children and lawful residents who see family members and neighbors taken away with little warning.
What’s next for the community
For now, Somali communities in Minnesota are bracing for the possibility that the current operations will continue into early 2026, even though ICE has not released a public end date.
Families are weighing daily decisions through the new lens of enforcement risk:
- Whether to send children to school.
- Whether to open the corner store on a quiet weekday.
- Whether to attend a friend’s wedding or a community meeting at the mosque.
In the absence of more detailed public data from ICE about who has been arrested and why, many say they will keep relying on cautious routines, word-of-mouth alerts, and legal workshops to get through what they see as an uncertain and frightening time.
In Minnesota, intensified ICE enforcement since late November and early December 2025 has led to at least 19 arrests and heightened fear in Somali communities. Schools reported a 22% increase in student absences in January–February, and local businesses experienced reduced customers on reported raid days. ICE says it uses judicial warrants, but limited public detail about arrests fuels rumors. Community groups are offering legal information and support while families adjust daily routines amid uncertainty.
