Lawsuit challenges ICE detention of Minnesota activist Omar Jamal

A new lawsuit seeks to free a Minnesota activist who has been detained in Albert Lea for weeks.

Attorneys Abdiqani Jabane and Nico Ratkowski filed the lawsuit in U.S. Minnesota District Court on Sunday for 52-year-old Omar Jamal.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Jamal, a longtime leader in Minnesota’s Somali community who also worked as a community service officer for the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, last month in Minneapolis.

Jamal’s lawyers are now seeking a temporary restraining order to stop ICE from transferring or removing Jamal from the U.S. as his case continues. Jabane said Jamal is “doing well,” but agents are attempting to send him to Canada. Canada said no, according to Jabane, but he worries that authorities could send Jamal to Uganda, South Sudan or “any other place that would put him at risk.”

“He’s not a flight risk. He’s not a danger. ICE has no lawful basis to keeping him detained, so his continued incarceration is not only unlawful, but it is inhumane,” Jabane said. “Omar Jamal is not just a community advocate; he’s a father to American children and a public servant with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. His abrupt detention serves no purpose other than to needlessly inflict pain, separate a family and remove a trusted leader who has spent decades building bridges in our community.”

Jamal has been held in Freeborn County jail in Albert Lea, where many federal detainees are held. Court records show Jamal was convicted in Tennessee for immigration fraud in 2005, and he was sentenced to a year of probation and referred to federal officials for possible deportation.

Jamal fled war and famine in Somalia to arrive in the U.S. more than 20 years ago, but authorities say that he’s been convicted of further crimes.

“Under President Trump and [Homeland Security] Secretary Noem, criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States. America is no longer a safe haven for the world’s criminals.”

Jamal’s lawyer said there are no charges or convictions related to assault or a restraining order in Minnesota, and clarified that the conviction in Tennessee is from a mistake on his client’s asylum application.

Some Minnesotans expressed dismay over Jamal’s detention, defending his community service. They include Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher, who spoke in favor of Jamal’s release via a Sept. 11 affidavit.

“In my experience, Mr. Jamal has demonstrated professionalism and a commitment to community well-being. I have never known him to pose a threat to public safety. On the contrary, he has often acted as a stabilizing presence and a mediator in complex situations,” Fletcher’s affidavit said. “While I understand that ICE has discretion over immigration custody matters, I submit this statement in support of a request for Mr. Jamal’s release under supervision. Based on my experience working with him, I believe he would comply with release conditions.”

Bosteya Jama, executive director for the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota, said Jamal’s detention was a “wake-up call” for the local Somali community, adding that many longtime residents felt Minnesota was a safe space for immigrants.

“[Jamal] has been a polarizing figure in the community, but it’s extremely concerning to see that ICE picked him up,” Hussein said. “The community is on edge. For someone like [Jamal] who’s well known to be picked up, it adds more stress and fear when it comes to ICE deportations.”