Federal immigration officers arrested more than a dozen individuals in Minneapolis this week as part of what the Department of Homeland Security is calling a crackdown on the “worst of the worst” criminal offenders in the country illegally — but the operation has sparked fierce backlash from local officials following a fatal shooting by an ICE agent.
In a press release issued Wednesday, DHS highlighted arrests of noncitizens with prior convictions ranging from sexual assault to drug trafficking, framing the Minneapolis operation as part of a broader initiative that has netted more than 1,500 arrests across Minnesota.
Contentious Enforcement Action
“We will not let violence or rioters slow us down from fulfilling the American people’s mandate to remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from American neighborhoods,” the agency declared in its announcement, which detailed operations that reportedly led to 150 arrests in a single day.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin characterized the operation as occurring despite what she termed “violent attacks” against federal agents. “In the face of violent attacks, ICE law enforcement arrested pedophiles, rapists, and drug traffickers in Minneapolis yesterday,” McLaughlin stated.
The DHS official also took aim at local leadership: “Every single day our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to arrest the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from American communities. We will not let rioters slow us down from making Minnesota safe again—something Governor Walz and Mayor Frey REFUSED to do.”
Profiles of Those Arrested
Among those detained was Jose Alejandro Alvarado, identified as a Salvadoran national with a prior conviction for sexual assault on a child, according to federal officials.
The agency also highlighted the arrest of Abdikani Noor Ibrahim, described as a Somali national and registered sex offender with 17 separate convictions including larceny, forgery, domestic violence, and terroristic threats.
Other arrests included Alfonso Gregorio-Lopez from Guatemala, convicted of attempted sexual assault; Vang Pao Lee from Laos, convicted of attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor under 16; and Said Abdulahi Elmi, a Somali national with convictions for drug possession and fraud, among other offenses.
Several individuals with drug-related convictions were also detained, including Isaac Marin Ramirez from Mexico, convicted of identity theft and selling cocaine and amphetamine; Bashir Ali Kulmie from Somalia, convicted of drug trafficking; and Marco Antonio Heras Angulo from Mexico, convicted of selling methamphetamine.
Fatal Shooting Sparks Backlash
The operation has not gone smoothly. A fatal shooting involving an ICE agent has ignited fierce criticism from local officials, particularly Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
“This was a federal agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying,” Frey charged in response to the incident. In unusually blunt language, he added: “ICE — Get the f*** out of Minneapolis.”
The mayor has directly challenged the federal narrative about the shooting. “They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense,” Frey said. “Having seen the video myself, I wanna tell everybody directly, that is b——-.”
Federal officials have struck back against protesters. “Welcome to the Find Out stage,” DHS posted on social media, announcing the arrest of four individuals on federal charges for allegedly assaulting law enforcement. “Absolutely NO violence against federal agents will be tolerated. Assaulting a federal agent is a CRIME!”
Political Divide Deepens
How far will this standoff between federal and local authorities go? The confrontation has already drawn in officials from neighboring states.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem defended the ICE officer involved in the shooting. “Our officer followed his training, did exactly what he has been taught to do in that situation and took actions to defend himself and defend his fellow law enforcement officers,” Noem argued.
The DHS operation, internally labeled under keywords including “Worst of the Worst,” continues to highlight the deep divisions over immigration enforcement priorities under the current administration.
As protests continue and local officials maintain their opposition, what began as an immigration enforcement action has evolved into a test of federal authority versus local control — with Minneapolis caught in the middle.
