​‘I’ve Never Felt Less Safe’: Survey Captures Fear, Anxiety Over ICE Agent Surge In Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN — A Patch survey of more than 2,600 respondents across the Twin Cities metro found a strong majority say the recent surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has made them feel less safe in their communities, with many describing fear, anxiety, and significant disruptions to daily life.

Respondents were from communities across the metro, including Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Woodbury, Eagan, Apple Valley, Maple Grove, and Eden Prairie.

Among respondents:

• 72.6 percent said the ICE surge has made them feel significantly less safe
• 2.6 percent said it has made them feel slightly less safe
• 17.8 percent said it has made them feel significantly safer
• 2.0 percent said it has made them feel slightly safer
• 1.3 percent said it has made no difference
• The remaining responses were write-in answers that echoed similar themes of feeling less safe.

While a clear majority of respondents said the ICE surge made them feel less safe, about one in five respondents said the opposite, according to the survey results shown above. Those respondents most often cited support for law enforcement and enforcement of existing laws as reasons for feeling safer.

"I feel safer knowing that law enforcement is actually enforcing the law and removing people who have committed violent crimes," one respondent wrote.

Others said they felt more uneasy about protests or unrest surrounding ICE activity than the agents themselves. "I’m more afraid of the protests and unrest than I am of ICE," another respondent said.

Other participants used the survey’s open-ended section to describe how the ICE activity has altered everyday routines. Parents described children as afraid to attend school or visit friends. Others said they now avoid grocery stores, restaurants, or public spaces.

One respondent wrote, "I’ve lived in Minneapolis for 13 years and I’ve never felt less safe. People are scared to leave their houses."

Another said, "My wife is scared to go to Cub or Target. She’s scared to go to any restaurants."

The fear described in the survey is echoed in messages sent directly to Patch.

In an email shared with Patch, an immigration attorney who lives in south Minneapolis described witnessing the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Renee Good in her neighborhood earlier this month, just blocks from her home.

She said she arrived minutes after the shooting and watched firefighters attempt to revive Good while federal agents blocked streets and confronted neighbors who tried to observe what was happening.

The attorney, who asked not to be named out of safety concerns, said the incident was not isolated. In her message, she described masked, armed federal agents operating in unmarked vehicles, detaining people near bus stops and day care centers, and using force against bystanders, including U.S. citizens.

She said the experience left her afraid for herself and her children.

“I have cried more in the last few days than I have in my entire adult life,” she wrote, describing fear she said now permeates her neighborhood and many others across the city.

The anxiety reflected in the survey is also affecting local businesses. In a separate email to Patch, an Eden Prairie small business owner said she has lost employees who are afraid to leave their homes or travel to work because of ICE activity, disrupting operations and threatening workers’ financial stability.

A clear majority of respondents associate the recent ICE surge with fear, disruption, and a diminished sense of safety.

Patch will continue reporting on how the federal enforcement surge is affecting Minnesota communities. Readers who wish to share their experiences can email william.bornhoft@patch.com.

Also read:

• MN Corrections Says Feds Are Misleading On ICE Prison Data
• 1,500 Active-Duty Troops Ready For Possible Deployment To Minnesota, National Guard Mobilized: Reports