A cloud of fear hangs over Minnesota immigrant communities

by Atra Mohamed, Minnesota Reformer
January 19, 2026

Sahra Sharif, a mother of 16 and owner of an apparel shop at Madina Mall in Minneapolis, said her new routine is to open at 3 p.m. and stay open for about four hours, hoping to cover the month’s rent. 

Due to a fear of immigration agents, “The entire shopping mall is completely empty because people rarely come out of their homes,” she said. 

With the food, utility, and rent for both the shop and her flat looming, Sahra picked up a side job caring for a person with a disability. The job also went unpaid, however, after the state’s latest anti-fraud effort delayed payment to home care agencies.  

“I was hoping to get a few checks already, but I haven’t gotten even one yet,” she said.

She said she started her business 10 years ago and never thought she would go back to being an employee.

This is life for many Minnesota immigrants these days in President Donald Trump’s America. 

Since the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stepped up raids and random stops last month, three of Sharif’s family members have been arrested. Her son was deported to Somalia; a cousin is a permanent resident who was released; and the other is still in custody, she said.  

“In my family, people rarely go outside unless it’s absolutely necessary; and if anyone does, it is considered a reckless thing to do,” she said.

Imam Yusuf Abdulle, executive director of the Islamic Association of North America, said fear of ICE has changed many immigrants’ daily routines.

Social gatherings have vanished, parents advise their young adult children to stay home, and short walks and unnecessary trips have become a thing of the past. Imam Yusuf Abdulle, executive director of the Islamic Association of North America, said fear of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has changed many immigrants daily routines. (Photo by Atra Mohamed/Minnesota Reformer)

“The Somali community heavily depends on each other’s mutual support, so if people remain indoors, that will impact everyone,” Abdulle said. “That’s why we encourage people to come together and support each other.”

Moreover, most Somali Minnesotans are U.S. citizens, so Abdulle and other community leaders are encouraging people to resume their normal routines.

But because ICE’s approach seems to be “detain first, identify later,” no one wants to take a risk, even U.S. citizens.  

For many young Somali Americans, the stress caused by ICE has led to confusion and doubt about why they and their family are being stopped, questioned and at times detained.  

“Some of them worry if their parents will return home,” Abdulle said.

Many young people born and raised in the U.S. are forced to carry their passports, while white teens do not. The implicit racism takes a toll on them, Abdulle said.

Despite the confusion and fear, the immigrant community is finding strength by helping each other through ride-sharing, picking up groceries, paying rent, and running errands for those who lost their jobs due to fear of being detained, are afraid to go out or don’t have proper documentation. 

For the newly isolated, however, their struggles are unseen. Abdulle is urging them to contact their nearest mosque or community center for help.

The Latino community is also struggling under the federal glare, especially because their rate of citizenship is far lower. 

Jerardo Rivera, an owner of a painting company, said fear has rippled through the community. 

“Workers don’t come to work anymore,” he said. After ICE repeatedly showed up at construction and other job sites, many in his community are in hiding due to fear of being arrested and thrown out of the country overnight. 

“Everyone in my family is a U.S. citizen, but we are still scared. Because if ICE is killing a white U.S. citizen, do you think an immigrant would stand a chance?” he asked, referring to the recent killing of Renee Good by federal officer Jonathan Ross.

Rivera said he worries about his family and community given ICE’s near limitless power to detain and deport. 

Mohamed Ali, a truck driver, said he is not always in the cities, but in the past month or so, he was shocked by how Minneapolis went from a vibrant city with businesses, cafes and social gatherings to a place that now looks unfamiliar. 

“I went to Karmel Mall to get a haircut at 3 p.m., the busiest time in the mall, but I couldn’t find a single barbershop open,” he said.

Mohamud Abdi, a Minneapolis resident, said that the new community norm is to stay hidden because even those with documents are reluctant to interact with ICE for fear of something going terribly wrong. 

“They call it law enforcement, but there is nothing lawful about the things that they are enforcing,” Abdi said.

Abdi compared the current situation to the administration of former President Barack Obama, which deported 3 million people from the U.S., more than any other president in American history, but as Abdi noted, Obama did so without hurting so many innocent people or putting a city like Minneapolis under siege.

Sharif, the Madina Mall shop owner who fears she may have to return to the bad old days of having a boss, gave out an exasperated sigh. 

“Would you believe if I told you I voted for this man?” she said, referring to Trump.

Sharif is not politically active, but in 2024, some campaigners came to her shop and told her that Trump would be good for business and against the LGBTQ agenda. 

“I was immediately hooked,” she said. She voted Republican for the first time.

Now, chagrined, she said, “I never thought the man I put in office would come for my family, make me financially struggle and cause me so much fear that I carry my passport when I go to the bathroom,” she said, pointing at the mall’s bathrooms.

“I feel as though the weapon I built is coming to kill me and my people,” she said.

Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Minnesota Reformer maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor J. Patrick Coolican for questions: info@minnesotareformer.com.