Additional Coverage:
A recent documentary by Unreported World sheds light on the severe challenges faced by communities of color in Minneapolis amid intensified ICE enforcement actions.
Minneapolis has become a focal point for a series of aggressive ICE raids known as Operation Metro Surge, which have swept across the metropolitan area. Since the operation began, at least 4,000 individuals have been detained.
While authorities maintain that the crackdown targets criminals, the majority of those apprehended have no prior convictions. This has driven many families into hiding, profoundly disrupting daily life.
Ena “Gaya” Castilla, an immigrant mother originally from Colombia, spoke candidly with Unreported World about the pervasive fear gripping her community. Having fled threats from a drug cartel in her home country, Castilla now finds the United States no safer. She highlighted the impact on education by showing the now-empty Minnesota Spanish-speaking Montessori preschool, which has been closed since the ICE raids commenced.
“They don’t even come here; it’s not worth the risk,” Castilla explained. “They are targeting us-taking hard-working people who came here seeking opportunities.
They are even taking children. That is terrifying and heartbreaking.”
Despite denials from the Department of Homeland Security regarding targeting schools or children, data from President Trump’s second term reveal that over 3,800 children were placed in detention within nine months. By early February, ICE detention centers held nearly 70,000 individuals, about 75% of whom had no criminal records.
Xavier Vasquez, who manages the Montessori school and is a U.S. citizen, expressed his own fears. “It doesn’t matter at this point,” he said. “They have deported citizens and residents alike.”
The raids have also taken a toll on public health. Minnesota health officials describe the situation as a “public health crisis,” noting that fear of detention is causing many residents to avoid seeking medical care. Healthcare workers themselves are increasingly concerned for their safety when going to work.
Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley highlighted the widespread effects: “We’re seeing residents not leaving their homes, missing work, skipping doctor appointments, and postponing surgeries and care.” The community has had to adapt quickly, with organizations offering home visits, telehealth services, and delivering essentials such as prescriptions and groceries to vulnerable families.
“They are afraid of being pulled out of their cars, taken to detention centers, and flown far away-even legal permanent residents and U.S. citizens,” Conley added. “Everyone is living in fear.”
Since the start of Trump’s second term, roughly 400,000 people have been booked into ICE detention centers nationwide, underscoring the scale of the enforcement campaign and its far-reaching impact on immigrant communities.