Anti-ICE protesters crowd Lake Street as ‘Operation Metro Surge’ continues

On a frigid, blustery Saturday, Rick Vandendolder stepped outside to follow in his immigrant father’s footsteps.

“My dad was with the Dutch resistance, and he helped hide Jews and others who were fleeing Nazi persecution,” the 73-year-old said. “I met some of the people that he saved, and I never dreamt that I’d be seeing the same thing going on in this country.”

Thousands descended on East Lake Street on Saturday to march against ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota.

“It’s cold out, people are hungry, our economy is suffering. Those are things we should be working on,” said Je’taylor Coylewright, 49. “But instead, we’re coming out to have to fight against masked officers taking people off the street. That’s horrible. What a waste of time.”

Since Dec. 1, federal officials say “Operation Metro Surge” has arrested more than 400 people. That number has not been verified. The agency says it is targeting the “worst of the worst” unauthorized immigrants with criminal backgrounds, but activists say legal residents without criminal records are getting swept up.

President Donald Trump disparaged Somali people in Minnesota in early December following an unsubstantiated report of state and federal funds being sent to terrorists, setting the stage for December’s ICE operation.

On Friday, the president posted on Truth Social that “Illegal Somalian Criminals ... must pay a big price.”

“I fear every day for my relatives. I’m worried for myself,” said Jackie Perez, a participant in Saturday’s march.

Perez, who is American Indian and Mexican American, said human migration is a natural act that shouldn’t be restricted by national origin.

She said ICE touts deporting criminals but doesn’t emphasize the construction workers and bakers swept up in raids.

“They’re not just targeting the Latino community, but our Somali relatives and other relatives, too,” Perez said. “I think that’s really unfair.”

Minnesota Republican Party Chair Alex Plechash decried the “radical activists” marching Saturday and said people want “safety, accountability and the rule of law, not excuses for criminals.”

Cutting winds flipped banners upside down along East Lake Street as protesters shielded their faces with signs during Saturday’s frigid march.

Dennis Dyce, 75, marched Saturday for immigrant neighbors who may be afraid of protesting in public.

Dyce has lived in Minnesota for about 50 years and said he wants immigrants to feel welcomed like he was.

“[I hope this] demonstrates to our neighbors that they’re loved,” Dyce said. “I don’t know if we can persuade the government, slim chance there, but [ICE] won’t be here forever.”

The march route began at East Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue near the Latino marketplace Mercado Central and ended at East Lake Street and Pillsbury Avenue near the Somali shopping center Karmel Mall.

In June, masked agents in tactical gear from multiple federal agencies, including ICE, drove armored vehicles into the busy intersection of East Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in a raid on the Las Cuatro Milpas restaurant.

The restaurant’s owner was convicted in an immigration case, and an activist was charged with obstruction. The raid triggered a review of the city’s position on not using official resources to assist immigration enforcement.

On Monday, ICE agents near East Lake Street and Pillsbury Avenue reportedly smashed the window of a sedan before pulling the occupants out and at one point dragging a woman through the street.

Bystanders attempted to block the agents in with their cars before agents sprayed the crowd with chemical irritants.

This incident occurred near Karmel Mall, which has been on edge for weeks after Trump called Somali people “garbage" and launched the ICE operation.

“This was an area that was completely desolate in the ’90s, and it has been brought back by the hard work of immigrant communities — both the Latino community and the Somali community,” Hussein said, urging residents to support immigrant businesses after the march.