PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
February 12, 2026
Contact: press@alianzaamericas.org / (773) 638-4278
Chicago, IL – Today, Trump officials have announced they are ending the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota. Alianza Americas, a network of more than 55 organizations led by immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean, shares the sentiment of relief expressed by Minnesotans who endured the violence of DHS agencies, both ICE and CBP, that disrupted daily life, resulting in unlawful arrests, family separations, deportations, injuries, and the death of two community members. Our member organization, COPAL, made us proud with their courageous actions to build community action and provide services to communities in need.
This operation was an unjustified deployment of DHS personnel that acted unlawfully, leaving people psychologically impacted as a result of law enforcement, fearful of federal agencies, and enduring the economic impact of disorganized operations aimed at terrorizing communities. This is an example of what law enforcement should not be. The excuse of the lack of cooperation agreements between localities and immigration enforcement is unjustified for the violence that Minnesotans endured.
On the positive side, we saw communities stand up for one another because the social fabric is not contingent on immigration status, but on shared schools, job sites, stores, sidewalks, and streets. Minnesotans acted as members of a community, standing up and caring for one another.
Now is the time to hold the enforcement operation in Minnesota accountable. The people deserve to know the true extent of the damage. This operation was funded by public resources. We all must understand what happened, its results, and its costs.
There was a high human cost to this mistaken operation. How many agents were deployed? How long was their deployment? What was the cost in lodging, car rentals, and flights of detainees out of Minnesota? How many people were arrested? How many were released because they were U.S. citizens? How many were released after a habeas corpus petition because their arrest was unlawful? How many people remain in deportation proceedings? How many people were deported? How many opted for voluntary departure? Where are people arrested in Minnesota currently detained? How many DHS agents were injured? How many detainees and community members were injured during the immigration enforcement operations?
Improper law enforcement actions scar communities and destroy trust in law enforcement. How many bullets were fired? How many tear gas canisters were used? What other gases and equipment were used to disperse crowds?
Creating terror in communities also has economic costs. What was the economic impact of the operation? How many people lost their jobs due to fear of immigration enforcement, the family impact of these operations, or other related reasons? How much tax revenue did the State and the cities lose? Was there damage to the cities’ infrastructure? What is the cost of those repairs?
Finally, the impact on personal lives must also be considered. How many classes were suspended in schools? How did school absentias increased? How many hours of teaching had to be devoted to help children understand and process what was happening in their community? How many medical appointments and treatments were missed because people were unable to reach medical facilities? What other impacts are we failing to understand and consider?
Targeted immigration operations are politically motivated. They are reaching out to States and cities led by the opposition party with an unjustified level of vengeance. This has never been about public safety. This was about creating a chilling effect, terrorizing immigrants with the intent of pushing many to leave because of our ethnic identity, our accent, and how we make a living. The American People understood that this is violence at the hands of our own government. Communities rose to protect each other because of our love for each other, and our common struggle for a dignified life is stronger than the hate that they tried to incite.
We call on members of Congress to confront the full consequences of immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota as DHS budget negotiations continue. The harm inflicted on families and communities does not disappear when an operation ends — the damage has already been done, and we are witnessing in real time the human cost of the resources Congress approved. The question is not whether this will happen again. Congress has a choice: impose immediate limits on ICE’s authority and funding, and confront the larger truth that a system capable of producing this level of harm must be fundamentally dismantled.
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Alianza Americas is a transnational network of migrant-led organizations in the United States. We advocate for social justice, equity and human rights in the Americas.
