Fear Is Spreading Across Minnesota as ICE Activity Escalates
Minnesota Sen. Bobby Joe Champion says a surge in ICE activity is creating widespread fear across Minneapolis and beyond, impacting citizens and non-citizens alike. He argues the actions violate constitutional rights and calls for a calm, strategic, and lawful response to protect communities.
Across Minneapolis, and particularly in North Minneapolis and Senate District 59, fear has become a daily reality. Parents are questioning whether it is safe to send their children to school. Workers are weighing whether it is worth the risk to show up to their jobs.
This fear not only affects undocumented residents. It is impacting U.S. citizens, naturalized Americans, and longtime Minnesotans who have done everything right, yet still find themselves anxious about simply moving through their own communities.
The recent surge of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Minnesota is unprecedented. We have been told that more than 2,000 ICE agents were initially deployed here, more than in any other state, with additional agents arriving afterward.
This is not about fraud prevention, nor is it about public safety. What we are witnessing is aggressive, unlawful behavior that appears designed to intimidate and provoke.
Reports from the community include racial profiling, warrantless searches, and detentions that violate the Fourth Amendment. People exercising their First Amendment right to protest have been met with pepper spray. Journalists doing their jobs have been targeted. These are not isolated incidents but reflect a broader pattern of disregard for constitutional rights.
I want to be clear: Our response must not be chaos. I believe the goal of the Trump administration is to provoke unrest, then use that unrest as justification for further unlawful actions. We cannot give them that narrative. Remaining calm is not weakness. It is strategy. It is discipline. And it is how we protect one another.
Behind the scenes, we are working aggressively. I am coordinating with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, local law enforcement, and the Attorney General’s Office to determine what additional laws ICE agents may be violating and what authority the state has to intervene. We are documenting cases involving invalid or unsigned warrants, incorrect names, and unlawful searches, and formally notifying federal agencies that these actions violate the law.
I am encouraged by the recent announcement from Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter that the state and local governments are pursuing legal action, including an injunction, to either remove ICE from Minnesota or force them to operate within the bounds of the law.
At the Legislature, we are preparing further action. While the legislative session does not begin until Feb. 17, we are already drafting policy solutions, including addressing ICE agents concealing their identities by wearing masks and ensuring there are real legal consequences for unlawful conduct. Our goal is to give prosecutors and law enforcement the tools they need to protect Minnesotans.
I am deeply concerned about recent raids in my district and about the impact on our schools, our neighborhoods, and our families. Let me say this clearly: We are doing everything within our power to keep our communities safe. We will continue to fight lawfully, strategically and relentlessly, because no one should have to live in fear simply for existing.
Bobby Joe Champion is an attorney and politician serving as a member of the Minnesota Senate, District 59.