ICE’s Unseen Toll in Minneapolis: Suicide Helpline Calls More Than Doubled During Surge

Report Examines Effects of Immigration Enforcement Operation in Minneapolis Area

More than six months after federal agents conducted immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota, data and interviews describe ongoing effects in the Twin Cities.

A Human Rights Watch report released Thursday presents findings from over 130 interviews, video review, and government arrest records concerning Operation Metro Surge. The report covers events from December through February and includes accounts of violence, detentions, and changes in daily activities.

The report references the deaths of Minnesota residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti during encounters with federal agents. It also describes interviews with healthcare and mental health providers. According to the report, the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Minnesota recorded a 120 percent increase in calls and noted more individuals reporting suicidal thoughts or actions during the operation. One provider cited knowledge of at least three teenagers who attempted suicide after a parent’s detention, with one case described as recurring.

Reagan Williams, author of the report, stated that the document aims to document effects on daily routines, including access to medical care, school, and work. Human Rights Watch reported that some residents avoided medical appointments following publicized incidents. One provider indicated that nearly one-third of scheduled patients, primarily Somali or Spanish-speaking, missed appointments the day after Good’s death. Another provider reported up to a 50 percent drop in in-person visits.

Williams described interviews in which residents reported fear, stress, and concerns about children missing school or experiencing community violence. The report states that children may face longer-term effects from such events.

Operation Details and Arrest Data

Trump administration officials described Operation Metro Surge as the largest immigration enforcement operation in U.S. history. It involved thousands of personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol conducting arrests across Minneapolis and St. Paul. Department of Homeland Security statements characterized the operation as focused on individuals considered priorities for removal, including those with criminal convictions.

Government figures indicate approximately 3,700 to 3,789 arrests occurred during the period. Earlier reporting had referenced more than 4,000. Of those arrested, 64 percent had no criminal record, according to the data reviewed in the report. Officials have stated that enforcement priorities included broader categories beyond criminal convictions.

The report notes that U.S. citizens and noncitizens were approached by agents in various settings, including while driving or at work. It states that residents of Somali and Latin American descent were frequently contacted, though most members of those communities are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. A National Lawyers Guild hotline documented 524 reports of U.S. citizens detained, a figure described as likely incomplete. A University of California, San Diego survey found that nearly one-third of Minneapolis residents reported an interaction with federal agents, with nearly half of those interactions occurring near schools, healthcare facilities, childcare centers, courthouses, or places of worship.

Economic and School Impacts

Minneapolis officials last week estimated that the operation cost the city nearly $700 million, covering lost business revenue, wages, and overtime pay. A tenant services nonprofit reported an 85 percent increase in requests for rent assistance, according to the Human Rights Watch document.

School attendance in one district fell by nearly one-third during the operation. At least 14 incidents of enforcement activity were reported at or near school grounds, including arrests of a preschool teacher, a special education staff member, and a parent at a bus stop. A district superintendent told Human Rights Watch that enforcement near schools occurred frequently.

Recommendations and Official Response

The report calls for changes to Department of Homeland Security oversight of ICE and Border Patrol, congressional reviews of the operation, and legislation restricting arrests at sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals. It states that federal agencies have faced limited accountability for actions during the operation to date.

Human Rights Watch based its mental health findings primarily on provider interviews without additional independent datasets cited in the report. The arrest total and demographic observations rely on government records and the organization’s fieldwork.