The winter of 2025–2026 will long be remembered in Minnesota as a period of profound upheaval. Known as "Operation Metro Surge," a massive federal immigration enforcement campaign descended upon the Twin Cities, transforming a state historically recognized for its robust social safety net and immigrant-friendly culture into the epicenter of a national crisis. Over the course of several months, thousands of federal agents blanketed the streets of Minneapolis and surrounding communities, leading to the apprehension of more than 4,000 individuals accused of immigration violations.
The human cost of this operation—defined by persistent trauma, deep-seated isolation, and the fracturing of families—continues to reverberate across the state. While the visible presence of federal enforcement has waned as of June 2026, the psychological scars and the structural damage to community trust remain, leaving many Minnesotans to grapple with a "new normal" that feels hauntingly fragile.
A Chronology of Crisis: From Surveillance to Tragedy
The onset of Operation Metro Surge in late 2025 signaled a shift in federal strategy. By November, families like that of "Lucy," a longtime Minneapolis resident who emigrated from Mexico two decades ago, had effectively gone into hiding. For Lucy, the fear of family separation became an all-consuming reality. Her daily existence was dictated by the threat of surveillance; she began taking out the trash only in the dead of night and avoided using her personal vehicle to ensure her license plate could not be tracked by federal databases.
As the winter deepened, the community response grew in tandem with the enforcement actions. Rapid response networks, such as those organized by volunteers under groups like "Minnesota 50501," emerged as a critical line of defense. These volunteers, ranging from scientists to students, spent dozens of hours weekly shadowing federal agents to provide early warnings to targeted neighborhoods via encrypted messaging apps like Signal.
The situation turned lethal in January 2026. On January 7, federal agents fatally shot Renee Good while she was observing enforcement actions from her vehicle. The death of Good served as a catalyst for widespread civil unrest. Tens of thousands of mourners and protesters filled the streets, denouncing the escalation of violence. Just three weeks later, a second fatality occurred near the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue, where federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti. These two incidents transformed the local protest landscape into a site of intense mourning, where makeshift memorials, tear gas, and the sound of police sirens became the city’s grim background noise.
The Infrastructure of Resistance and Community Support
The scale of the community pushback was unprecedented. With at least 40,000 people actively involved in support networks, the resistance to Operation Metro Surge was both organized and multifaceted.
Faith and Solidarity
Religious and interfaith organizations played a pivotal role in maintaining the mental health of the community. Rev. Susie Hayward of the Creekside United Church of Christ led recurring online healing sessions, providing a sanctuary for volunteers exhausted by the constant cycle of raids and arrests. "There’s this lovely way in which faith communities across religious lines are showing up to make sure people can practice their faiths," Hayward noted during one such session.
The Economic Blackout
By late January, the resistance had taken on an economic dimension. Following calls from community leaders, unions, and interfaith groups, hundreds of businesses across Minneapolis and St. Paul shuttered their doors in a statewide economic blackout. This act of solidarity was intended to demonstrate the integral role of the immigrant workforce and to voice a collective demand for the cessation of the federal raids.
Mutual Aid in the Face of Fear
When the fear of detention prevented many families from accessing food and essential supplies, mutual aid networks filled the gap. Volunteers, such as Amanda Humpage, organized food distributions at public schools. These efforts were vital in ensuring that families who were too terrified to leave their homes did not go hungry.
Official Responses and Federal Tactics
Throughout the surge, the rhetoric from federal authorities remained centered on the enforcement of existing immigration statutes. However, the aggressive nature of these tactics—which often involved the use of chemical irritants, high-pressure detention maneuvers in public spaces, and the tracking of individuals via license plate readers—drew intense criticism from local officials and civil liberties groups.
The legal fallout from the operation has been significant. In the months following the peak of the raids, federal prosecutors filed charges against 15 individuals in connection with alleged efforts to obstruct or oppose ICE operations. These legal actions, described by federal authorities as necessary for the enforcement of law, have been characterized by community organizers as a continuation of the intimidation tactics used against those who dared to document or resist the federal presence.
The Lingering Implications: A "New Normal"
As of June 2026, the acute phase of Operation Metro Surge has concluded. The streets of south Minneapolis are no longer under constant federal surveillance, and for individuals like Lucy, the daily terror has begun to subside. Her children have returned to playing outside, and she has resumed driving to work. Yet, the sense of security that existed before the winter of 2025 has been irrevocably shattered.
The Psychological Toll
The "new normal" is defined by a lingering, guarded anxiety. Even as life returns to a semblance of its former state, the trauma of the past months remains etched in the collective memory of the community. Many U.S. citizens of color report continuing to carry their passports and identification documents at all times, a precautionary habit born from the fear of being swept up in a raid.
Institutional Distrust
The relationship between immigrant communities and federal law enforcement agencies in Minnesota has reached a nadir. The visual record of the winter—the photos of ICE agents in neighborhoods, the memorials for Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and the footage of school-ground arrests—serves as a permanent reminder of the state’s vulnerability to federal overreach.
Moving Toward the Future
The question of what comes next remains unresolved. While organizers continue to push for local protections and policy shifts to insulate community members from future federal actions, there is a pervasive sentiment that the state has been fundamentally changed. As Lucy reflected in a recent interview, the world feels different. "Normalidad," she said—a return to how things were before the fear arrived—remains the ultimate, yet seemingly elusive, goal.
The story of the 2025–2026 Minnesota raids is not merely a record of policy and enforcement; it is a testament to the resilience of a community that found itself under siege. The memorials along Portland Avenue and the stories of those who went into hiding are markers of a historic time that, while seemingly reaching its conclusion, has left a legacy that will define Minnesota’s social and political landscape for years to come.
This report was compiled with contributions from Cleo Krejci, Trevor Mitchell, Matthew Blake, and Shadi Bushra, with photo editing by Angela Jimenez. The reporting was supported by CatchLight Local and Report for America.
