Cedar-Riverside Community Gathers to Address ICE Raids and Support Neighbors
Residents of Cedar-Riverside gathered with state and local leaders at a community hall meeting to discuss the impact of recent ICE raids across Minnesota. Community members shared how fear has disrupted daily life, while organizers and elected officials emphasized solidarity, local business support, and protections under Minneapolis’ updated separation ordinance.
Cedar-Riverside residents and state legislators gathered for a community hall meeting on Dec. 13 to discuss the increase in ICE’s raids across Minnesota, and how they can support their Somali and African American neighbors both on the streets and in their local businesses.
The event took place at the Brian Coyle Neighborhood Center, giving local neighbors a place to socialize and escape freezing temperatures. Many Cedar-Riverside residents spoke about the ongoing raids and how the fear of being targeted by ICE has impacted their everyday lives.
“I see parents and friends too scared to leave their homes, children scared that a normal school day can end with their family being torn apart,” said Cedar-Riverside resident and college student Sudiva Mohammed. “What hurts most is knowing that no matter how American my life has been, my existence is still being questioned.”
Mohammed is currently studying elementary education and is a second-generation immigrant. “Being Somali means being watched,” she said, “being profiled and treated as if we are always one step away from being deported.”
The community hall came days after ICE agents attempted a raid on Cedar-Riverside’s Hook Fish and Grill. Agents began confronting residents, checking IDs, and would not let anyone leave the restaurant. They temporarily detained one U.S. citizen and subsequently released him and left, but the incident left residents frightened.
“These raids do not just remove people. They strip entire communities of safety, dignity, and peace. They leave lasting trauma, especially for those of us who are born here,” said a resident.
Since the 1990s, the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood has become a cultural hub of Somali and African culture, with many opening locally owned restaurants and businesses. Data shows the neighborhood has a large population of Black residents, making up 57% of its population, and 32% of residents are non-U.S.-born citizens.
“All Americans have enriched the state,” said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-MN. “We have been part and parcel to the net growth of the state’s population and state wealth. Most importantly, we have been able to add a little bit more flavor to the Lutherist-filled land.”
With the recent terror of ICE raids, many of these shops have been forced to close early or have lost a significant number of customers in the past three weeks. The organizers of Saturday’s event encouraged attendees to go out and support local businesses in Cedar-Riverside after the community hall and thanked those who have already been standing with their Somali neighbors, whether by patrolling their streets or keeping watch at local mosques so people can continue their prayers without fear.
“I urge all of us to leave here, walk to the neighborhood, and start ordering things from them,” Hussein added. “There are great restaurants here. This neighborhood has been home to so many different communities. I’ve been so impressed.
“I had a woman yesterday tell me after prayer, ‘Please, please, tell them, thank you.’ I was saying, yes, we were going to tell them. And she said, ‘No, make sure you let those people know because I see them in the middle of the night watching and pacing in the neighborhood and protecting our community.’”
Elected officials also spoke, including state Senator Omar Fateh, Minneapolis City Council member Aurin Chowdry, and others.
“With our current separation ordinance, we’re making it extremely clear that no city employee, especially our own law enforcement, will be engaging in any federal immigration law enforcement,” Councilmember Chowdry said. The Minneapolis City Council recently passed an updated separation ordinance, which prohibits Minneapolis law enforcement from assisting in immigration operations. This includes creating traffic perimeters or using city facilities to stage arrests.
“I’ve been seeing you showing up and pulling up to apartment buildings where ICE is just hanging around trying to get in,” Chowdry continued. “Thank you for keeping us informed as your local elected officials. It is helpful, and it keeps things running. And I’m really looking forward to seeing all of you out there in Cedar-Riverside supporting our immigrant-owned businesses today.”
Reports of residents across the Twin Cities patrolling the streets and sending out alerts where ICE is active have been increasing, and while ICE agents continue to detain people, these local volunteers have successfully chased away agents, preventing some from being arrested.
“Yesterday I was praying at one of the mosques, and we saw a large number of non-Muslims standing outside as protectors to make sure that folks have the right to peacefully pray on Friday, which was really touching and really, really good,” Senator Omar Fateh said.
“Despite what we’re seeing from our federal government and our president, the divisive language calling us garbage, and saying that he wants to send us all back, we are here to say that not only are we not going back, we’re going to stand for one another.”
Izzy Canizares welcomes reader responses at icanizares@spokesman-recorder.com.