Mubashir, a Somali, who is a us citizen detained by ICE
Executive summary
A 20-year-old Somali American identified as Mubashir was tackled, handcuffed and detained by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis during December’s "Operation Metro Surge," despite repeatedly telling officers he was a U.S. citizen and offering identification that agents initially refused to accept [1] [2]. Local officials, advocates and Mubashir say he was held based on race or perceived Somali appearance; ICE has pushed back, saying the stop was supported by its assessment of the encounter [3] [4].
1. What happened on the street: the sequence reported by witnesses and video
Multiple local news outlets report video and eyewitness accounts showing agents rushing at, tackling and placing Mubashir in a headlock before handcuffing him and moving him to a vehicle; Mubashir says he repeatedly offered to show his passport or ID while being detained and was refused, and agents also sought to take his photo and scan his fingerprints [5] [6] [7].
2. How long he was held and how the encounter ended — conflicting accounts
Reports vary: some accounts say Mubashir was detained for about two hours before being released from an ICE facility after a staffer allowed him to show his passport on his phone [3] [8], while other outlets describe shorter holds of roughly 45 minutes or "several hours" at Fort Snelling; the disparity highlights uneven on-the-ground reporting and evolving details as officials, family and advocates spoke to different reporters [6] [9].
3. Official responses and denials from federal and city leaders
Minneapolis city leaders publicly condemned the detainment as unlawful racial profiling and promised legal responses — Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara joined Mubashir at a news conference calling the actions unconstitutional and “embarrassing” [4] [8] — while ICE defended the operation in a statement saying the agency believed the subject’s actions created reasonable suspicion, denying racial profiling [4].
4. Broader enforcement context: “Operation Metro Surge” and community impact
The detainment occurred amid a concentrated ICE operation targeting the Twin Cities’ Somali community, which has prompted fears, reduced foot traffic at Somali-owned businesses and many reports from U.S. citizens and residents of being stopped or questioned; media reported that DHS said hundreds were arrested across operations while community groups say citizen neighbors have been swept up or harassed [1] [10] [11].
5. Legal follow-up and claims of civil-rights violations
Civil-rights advocates and a class-action lawsuit allege systemic racial profiling of Somali and Latino residents and cite Mubashir among plaintiffs or illustrative victims who were taken to ICE facilities despite showing U.S. identification; the complaint describes agents attempting biometric scans and then releasing him without initiating immigration proceedings [12] [7]. Local officials have asked DHS for review and administrative action against agents they say acted unlawfully [4].
6. Points of uncertainty and why the record matters
Reporting diverges on precise timelines, what documents were shown when, and which federal claims justify the stop; ICE’s public denial and city leaders’ demands for investigation underline a contested factual record where video, witness accounts and agency statements must be reconciled in any formal review or lawsuit — the sources provided document the detainment, release and political fallout but do not include the outcome of any internal DHS investigation or court ruling at this time [2] [4] [12].