Immigration crackdown, economic strain cast shadows over Ramadan in Minnesota

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins in mid-February this year, is traditionally a time of celebration for Minnesota’s Muslim communities.

Prayer halls are packed, and long tables are set for iftar, the evening meal that breaks the daily fast. Families and friends visit each other. Mosques hold extra night prayers. Businesses sell dates, rice, spices, new clothes and gifts for Eid.

But this year, many people are planning for Ramadan with a knot in their stomach.

Across the Twin Cities and in cities like St. Cloud and Willmar, immigrant Muslims say they’re feeling pressure from two directions.

Immigration enforcement, including a crackdown in St. Cloud, along with the rising cost of food, have affected his customers, said Noor Yussuf, owner of Midnimo Halal Grocery in St. Cloud.

Economic pressures are not entirely new, but the recent surge in harsh federal immigration enforcement measures has led to a Minnesota winter like no other, making many people fearful to socialize, shop and move about.

“Fear now shapes everyday decisions,” said Imam Aden Hassan of the Islamic Society of Willmar. “Some people avoid large gatherings, while others stop attending mosque programs they once treated as routine. Talks about safety precede any decisions related to Ramadan and Eid gatherings.”

Ramadan centers on community, he said. People break their fast together after sunset. They pray side by side. They give to charity. They check on elders. They share food with neighbors.

“Food brings people together, but the fear of deportation and detention is keeping many from gathering,” said Imam Mohamed Shuayb of the Bayan Research Center in St. Anthony.

Traditionally, mosques host large iftars that welcome anyone who walks in. Friends are reunited after months apart. Teenagers volunteer in kitchens, carrying trays and trading jokes. Parents talk through work problems, family news and school issues.

Now, Hassan said some people will eat at home and come to mosques only for prayer. Others will avoid mosques altogether because of concerns about what could happen on the way there.

That fear has also affected daily work schedules. Some ride-share drivers have already scaled back work. Faysal Hassan, an Uber driver, said he and many of his fellow rideshare drivers feel watched and uncertain about who they can safely pick up, especially late at night.

And that is affecting Ramadan, he added. “Fewer shifts mean less income before and during a month that already reshapes sleep, meals and routines,” he said.

Money worries sit close to the surface. Charitable giving usually increases during Ramadan. Now mosques, which rely on donations to support religious programs, youth activities and emergency aid, expect donations to drop.

Muslim business owners describe a similar strain. Operating costs have climbed. Billing rules in some service industries remain unclear. At the same time, customers are spending less as the cost of rent and groceries rises.

Nur Hadi Ahmed, the owner of DurDur Bakery and Grocery in Minneapolis, said Muslim-owned businesses had already entered the new year in a weakened position. Last year, the first in President Donald Trump’s second administration, businesses that once supported mosques and community programs faced disruptions tied to immigration policy shifts, trade tariffs and staffing instability.

Ahmed says tighter visa rules reduced the labor pool, while import taxes raised the cost of goods sold during Ramadan and Eid. Some businesses never recovered the revenue they once used to sponsor mosque events or donate food.

Restaurants have long shaped life during Ramadan in Minnesota. After sunset, families often gather at South Asian restaurants for quick meals before prayers. Several popular Indian restaurants have closed.

Mohamed Hussein, a Bangladeshi chef and owner of India Kutir restaurant on Lake Street in Minneapolis, has been serving halal food for three years. He noted that business has been slow since federal immigration enforcement intensified, leading to occasional closures. “My Latino employees, who I trained well, left the job,” he said. “We are not expecting enough customers this Ramadan.”

Still, many Muslims refuse to withdraw completely. Bashir, the imam, urged unity during this period of strain. That means helping others too.

“Families need help covering rent. Small businesses need customers. Mosques need volunteers. Parents need reassurance that their children can worship safely,” he said. “We will pray, we will look for small ways to care for one another. In a season shaped by restraint, those quiet acts still matter.”

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