Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently targeting a broad range of non‑citizens, but with a particular focus on undocumented immigrants and people with even minor immigration violations, including many with no criminal record at all. Recent operations have also concentrated heavily on certain communities and geographic areas, especially the Somali and broader immigrant communities in and around Minneapolis–St. Paul under large-scale crackdowns like “Operation Metro Surge.”

Core focus of ICE targeting

  • Undocumented immigrants and visa violators :
    • People who entered without authorization or overstayed visas are a central focus of arrests and detention.
* A growing share of those detained have no criminal convictions, meaning simple civil immigration violations are enough to be targeted.
  • People with past removal orders or pending cases :
    • Individuals with old deportation orders or who missed hearings are at elevated risk during large enforcement sweeps.
* These operations increasingly pick up people at home, at work, or in public spaces, not just those in local jails.

Current high‑profile operations (Minnesota example)

  • “Operation Metro Surge” in the Twin Cities :
    • Thousands of armed DHS agents, including ICE and CBP, have been deployed across Minneapolis and St. Paul in what officials describe as one of the largest immigration enforcement actions in U.S. history.
* The stated focus includes alleged fraud, human smuggling, and immigration violations, but state and local officials report that many law‑abiding residents and U.S. citizens, particularly people of color and Somali Americans, are being stopped, detained, or harassed.
  • Community impact and legal pushback :
    • Minnesota’s Attorney General and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have sued to halt the operation, alleging racial profiling, unconstitutional stops, and arrests in sensitive locations such as schools, medical facilities, churches, daycares, and even funeral homes.
* A federal judge has ordered limits on agents’ actions against protesters and observers after incidents where ICE used aggressive tactics and a DHS agent fatally shot Renee Good in her vehicle, further intensifying scrutiny.

Who is effectively being targeted

  • By status and record :
    • Non‑citizens with no criminal history now make up roughly three‑quarters of those in ICE detention, reflecting a sharp shift away from prioritizing people with serious convictions.
* People with minor or no criminal records can be swept up during broad operations aimed at “public safety” or “fraud,” because immigration enforcement is civil, not purely criminal.
  • By community and location :
    • Somali and East African communities in Minnesota are under intense pressure, with many residents—often U.S. citizens—carrying passports or IDs out of fear of being confronted by federal agents.
* Agents have been reported at workplaces, on streets, near schools, and around places of worship, creating a climate where whole neighborhoods, not just specific suspects, feel targeted.

What this means if you’re worried about ICE

  • Risk factors that increase attention :
    • Being undocumented, having a past deportation order, or missing immigration court dates.
    • Having any prior interaction with law enforcement that may have put you in federal databases, even for minor offenses.
  • Protective steps people are being advised to take (general informational context, not legal advice):
    1. Know and practice your rights during encounters (e.g., right to remain silent, right to speak with a lawyer, not opening the door without a proper warrant signed by a judge).
    2. Keep key documents and emergency plans ready for family, especially where children or dependents are involved.
    3. Seek individualized guidance from a qualified immigration attorney or local legal aid group that tracks enforcement patterns in your city.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.