St. Cloud, Minnesota — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents allegedly carried out a forceful enforcement operation last week at Star City Mall in St. Cloud, an incident witnesses and local officials say left the surrounding Somali community shaken and fearful.
According to accounts reported by the Minnesota Reformer, ICE agents entered the mall area to conduct what the agency described as immigration enforcement. Witnesses alleged that federal officers deployed chemical irritants, brandished firearms, and pointed weapons at unarmed observers, including elected officials who were present to monitor the situation. Video reported by KSTP appears to show an ICE agent striking a bystander with a baton in the parking lot, further escalating tensions.
Local officials, including State Sen. Aric Putnam and St. Cloud City Council Member Hudda Ibrahim, condemned the operation as excessive and politically motivated. They alleged the presence of dozens of agents transformed a neighborhood shopping center into a militarized zone. St. Cloud police reportedly received no advance notice of the operation, raising questions about coordination and public safety.
The operation resulted in at least three arrests, though ICE has not publicly detailed the alleged offenses. Minnesota data cited by the Reformer show that roughly 90% of Somali Minnesotans are U.S. citizens, and the state’s undocumented population is below the national average. Polling cited in the report indicates declining public approval of ICE tactics nationally, particularly following the fatal shooting of Renée Good by an ICE agent earlier this month.
Community leaders argue the alleged tactics amount to collective punishment and undermine civil liberties, warning that such operations risk deepening fear and division rather than enhancing public safety.
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