St.Cloud, Minnesota.
Members of the community protested Thursday evening following the arrest of a man by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents earlier in the day in St. Cloud.
Photos and videos circulated on social media and in private messaging groups showed a young Somali man being escorted by four ย ICE agents. In the footage, the agents are seen leading the man to a gray Jeep with Iowa license plates. The arrest took place at Marketplace East African Community Center, located on 33rd Street in St. Cloud.
Marketplace East African Community Center is home to more than 30 small businesses, many of them owned by members of the Somali American community. Community members identified the arrested man as Yonis. According to those who know him, he is a soccer enthusiast and worked at least two jobs in the St. Cloud area. Efforts to reach his family for comment were unsuccessful.
Later that evening, a group of residents gathered to protest ICE activity in the city. Protesters assembled outside a local hotel where they believed ICE agents were staying. Chanting โICE out of our city,โ demonstrators voiced concerns about immigration enforcement practices.
Several protesters told us they believe ICE operations under President Donald Trump disproportionately target specific communities, calling the actions unfair and discriminatory.
St. Cloud, Minnesota, is home to a large Somali immigrant population, most of whom arrived in the late 2000s. Many Somali Americans in the area are U.S. citizens and play a significant role in the local economy as workers, homeowners, and business owners.
Protesters
One protester, who was asked to provide his name, declined, saying he feared potential repercussions from ICE. Many of the demonstrators at the protest wore face coverings and chose not to speak publicly or identify themselves, citing concerns about retaliation by federal immigration authorities.
Several participants said they were afraid of increased enforcement actions under the Trump administration and expressed anxiety that speaking out could lead to personal or family consequences.
During the protest, one demonstrator warned the community that ICE agents were allegedly planning to target specific housing and locations in the St. Cloud area. The protester read aloud a list of sites said to be at risk, including areas near St. Cloud State University and several local businesses such as Taco Johnโs, Salaama, and Waamo. Some of these locations include both residential and commercial areas that are heavily populated by immigrants in St. Cloud.
In recent days and weeks, multiple community members have reported seeing individuals believed to be ICE agents moving through St. Cloud. According to these accounts, agents have approached people in public spaces, requested identification, and asked for specific individuals by name. Authorities have not publicly confirmed these reports.
