Members of Minnesota’s Somali community gathered with faith leaders and supporters on Friday to continue speaking out against a federal immigration operation underway in the Twin Cities.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement late Thursday issued its first statement confirming the operation, which it’s calling “Operation Metro Surge.” That statement came after several days of reports that ICE was going to be targeting members of Minnesota’s Somali community who have deportation orders.

The ICE statement said federal agents have arrested at least 12 people with criminal records during the operation that started on Monday. The agency said all were in the U.S. illegally — from Somalia, Mexico or El Salvador. It was not clear how many other people may have been detained in the operation —

See Full Page