Survey: Operation Metro Surge agents frequently used force, random stops
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Observers and protestors filmed and debated with ICE agents in a vehicle parked at Western and Sherburne avenues in St. Paul. Photo: Kyle Stokes/Axios
One in four Minneapolis residents and one in five St. Paul residents encountered an ICE or Border Patrol agent during Operation Metro Surge, a new survey found.
Why it matters: The university-backed poll is a stunning measure of how deeply the immigration enforcement surge disrupted daily life in the Twin Cities.
Flashback: At the height of the operation, more than 3,000 federal agents were deployed to Minnesota — a force far larger than any police agency in the metro.
- Highly coordinated efforts emerged to protest agents' presence and track their movements, bringing agents and residents into frequent contact.
What they're saying: Residents' reports suggest agents "frequently engaged in broad, non-targeted stops," wrote Tom Wong, who authored the survey for the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at UC San Diego.
- The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to an Axios request for comment about the survey.
By the numbers: Among those who reported encountering ICE or Border Patrol, the vast majorities of both Minneapolis (73%) and St. Paul (91%) respondents reported the agent did not show a warrant.
- More than half of the Minneapolis respondents (54%) said the agent stopped them "randomly" while driving. In St. Paul, more than one-third (36.5%) were "randomly" stopped on the street.
Zoom out: The findings reflect a long list of anecdotes from residents, activists, metro police agencies and even state lawmakers about their encounters with federal agents.
- Agents followed DFL state Rep. Brad Tabke, an ICE watch volunteer, to his Shakopee home and ran his license plates, the Star Tribune recently reported.
- Rep. Jessica Hanson (DFL-Burnsville) said at a state legislative committee meeting that agents called her a "slut" after they recognized her as a lawmaker.
Plus: The survey suggests agents drew their weapons, used physical force, or deployed chemical irritants at higher rates than national statistics suggest is typical during encounters with police agencies.
What's next: Gov. Tim Walz this week ordered the creation of a council to document the surge's effects through interviews and hearings.