Minneapolis grapples with lingering trauma, economic damage after ICE surge

The economic damage linked to the immigration operation in January alone totals $260 million. Read more at straitstimes.com.

MINNEAPOLIS – Few federal agents are seen on the streets of Minneapolis these days.

While many of the city’s residents still wear red whistles around their necks, used to sound an alert if they spot US immigration agents, there has been little need to raise the alarm lately.

Although parents dutifully patrol the perimeters of school grounds for ICE agents, sightings are rare. The network of observers who follow ICE agents remains active, but on a far smaller scale than before. Now, raids targeting undocumented migrants are mostly occurring in communities outside of the city.

Once scenes of turmoil as immigration agents carried out aggressive sweeps under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, the streets of Minneapolis have today settled back into a more familiar rhythm.

But everyone from Mayor Jacob Frey to teachers, doctors, lawyers, activists and immigrants who live and work in the city says the relative calm belies the lasting damage caused by Operation Metro Surge. Starting in December 2025 and running through February, about 3,000 immigration agents fanned out across the area. ICE said its immigration sweeps resulted in roughly 4,000 arrests.

“The full-throttle attack that we experienced with Operation Metro Surge was not limited just to ICE agents,” Frey said, estimating 400 federal immigration officers remain in the city, more than double the normal level. “We’re seeing other forms of attacks.”