Federal immigration authorities have arrested several individuals in Minnesota who were previously convicted of serious crimes, including murder and sexual offenses against children. The arrests were made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers despite reported efforts by some community members to interfere with enforcement actions.
ICE Director Todd M. Lyons commented on the situation, stating: “Regardless of staged political theatrics, ICE is going to continue to arrest the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota and elsewhere. Some of these criminal aliens have had final orders of removal for 30 years, but they’ve been free to terrorize Minnesotans. ICE’s arrests prevent recidivism and make communities safer, but it feels like local politicians want to ignore that part and drum up discontent rather than protect their own constituents.”
According to ICE, those arrested include individuals from Mexico, Laos, Somalia, Sudan, El Salvador, Guatemala, Burma, and Sierra Leone. Their convictions range from homicide and rape to burglary and drug possession. Several of them had final orders of removal dating back more than a decade.
The agency criticized state and local officials for policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. ICE claims such "sanctuary" policies attract individuals seeking to avoid deportation.
Community members are encouraged by ICE to report crimes or suspicious activity through a dedicated phone line or online tip form.
Additional information about ICE’s public safety activities can be found on its official X account at @ICEgov.
