Eviction crisis looms as ICE surge continues

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s recent occupation in the Twin Cities has left the community on edge after daily violence on the streets and the murder of two residents in South Minneapolis this past month. Despite this, rent was still due for many this past week, and hundreds of residents will be unable to pay because many are unable to work.

Border Czar Tom Homan announced that 700 federal agents would be leaving Minnesota. This news is little comfort to residents afraid to leave their homes, since more than 2,000 agents continue to conduct raids in their streets.

“When ICE came into the cities I was shifting from a seasonal position into a permanent position at my job, but I had been doing Shipt delivery driving in the meantime,” Minneapolis resident Moss Winn said. Despite the need for extra hours of work, the constant ICE activity has prevented this. 

“When ICE ramped up activity, I no longer felt as safe going out, so I have been doing it significantly less as a result.”

Housing insecurity is not a new problem in Minneapolis, with data showing that in the Twin Cities around 6,250 people experienced homelessness on a single night in 2023, and the racial disparities in housing continue to be the largest in the nation, with only 47% of households in the Twin Cities being among BIPOC residents.

“We do have clients who are struggling to pay rent more than normal. It is greater,” Media Director for Agate Housing and Services Virginia Brown said. Agate serves 6,000 residents a year.

Other organizations, such as Touchstone Mental Health, which offers housing and residential services, have also witnessed the impact ICE has had not only on the residents it serves but also on its staff.

“We constantly have calls looking for housing, especially affordable housing. This has increased with the request for Integrated Community Supports (ICS) as some providers have been caught up in the payment withholds from DHS, and now case managers are looking for a new housing placement,” Touchstone CEO and Director Ellie Skelton said. A staff member recently quit due to their fear of driving into Downtown Minneapolis every day.

“Our biggest challenge with ICE has been fear from clients, some leaving residential treatment because they want to be with their family, and also fear from our staff. We have staff from all over, and many of them have been fearful and anxious about the random, illegal and unprofessional behavior, some of which we have witnessed in front of our buildings.”

In a response to residents’ concerns, Council Member Robin Wonsley’s office emphasized the urgent need for action. In a statement sent to a constituent, Wonsley’s policy aide Celeste Robinson wrote, “We’re now on day 64 of ICE’s occupation of Minneapolis. The occupation is causing massive trauma in our communities. 

“It’s also creating a looming eviction crisis. Many families have lost income because of the federal occupation of Minneapolis and need assistance paying their rent. For thousands of residents, simply leaving their home to go to work means facing harassment, violence or abduction by ICE. No family should have to choose between keeping a roof over their head and risk being kidnapped on the way to work.”

In response, the Minneapolis City Council is attempting to pass ordinances to prevent evictions, including an eviction moratorium similar to one Governor Walz passed during the COVID pandemic and an extension of eviction notices from 30 to 60 days. 

Robinson said that an eviction moratorium is the strongest way to ensure residents are protected. While Governor Walz has the authority to declare one, he has so far declined to act. Meanwhile, Councilmembers have allocated $1 million in rental assistance funding and proposed extending the timeline for eviction filings to give families more time to access resources.

“There are several organizations and mutual aid groups fundraising for rental assistance,” a memo introducing the “Pause Evictions, Save Lives” ordinance, written by its authors, including City Councilmember Robin Wonsley, read.

“Council Members are proposing to allocate $1 million to Hennepin County for rental assistance to be dispersed to residents impacted by the current enforcement surge. The City cannot address the impacts of this federal occupation alone.”

“State leadership should be taking active efforts to get ICE out of our city so that the people living in fear and losing their jobs and homes can possibly find their way back to something resembling a normal life,” Winn said. “They need to get off their social media making comments about how horrible the situation is, and actually take action against the army that has invaded their state.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who has been in the national spotlight, has been criticized by his own residents for failing to implement any rent relief. While Frey has not announced he will take immediate action on the rent moratorium, his Press Secretary, Jennifer Lor, says that a formal proposal has not yet been brought to his desk. 

“Mayor Frey is supportive of the concept of strategically keeping our neighbors in their homes,” Lor said. “However, our office needs to first understand the implications of the funding source for emergency rental assistance, as well as the ability to administer the program.”

The ordinances were introduced on Feb. 5, with the eviction moratorium being referred to the Business, Housing & Zoning Committee meeting of Feb. 24. However, this is not a solution for the residents facing eviction, Winn says. “Immediate action is more necessary. Landlords will not wait to evict people who can’t pay their rent.” 

“By the time the eviction moratorium reaches that meeting and hopefully is passed, there’s a large chance that people will be unhoused. Immediate action would prevent that from happening.”

Izzy Canizares is a freelance journalist and reporter for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.