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A Minneapolis man said federal immigration officers chased him on foot in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood Tuesday, tackled him and handcuffed and arrested him even though he’s a U.S. citizen.
He shared his story Tuesday, identifying himself as Mubashir, but declining to share his last name. Mubashir spoke at a news conference organized by the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) after video of his arrest was widely viewed on social media.
“I just felt targeted,” Mubashir said. “That shouldn’t happen to anyone, that’s not right.”
In the video, a federal officer is seen putting Mubashir in a choke hold and forcing him onto his knees in the snow as he was on his way to get food. Mubashir said he told officers multiple times that he is a U.S. citizen and asked if he could show them his I.D. Officers ignored him, dragged him in the snow and pushed him into a car as witnesses yelled and blew whistles, according to the video of his arrest.
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The video also showed witnesses chasing after the car in traffic; one person stood in front of the vehicle at one point.
The arrest occurred as federal agents walked into nearby businesses in the Somali-heavy neighborhood, questioning people and asking them to show their passports.
Mubashir said he was in the car with officers for about 20 minutes, asking them repeatedly if he could show them his I.D. They refused, he said.
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Officers asked if they could take a picture of him to check if he was a U.S. citizen. Mubashir told reporters that he declined their request, because, “How would a picture prove I’m a U.S. citizen?”
Officers took him to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling, which houses immigration court and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices. They took his fingerprints and then one of the officers allowed Mubashir to show his I.D., proving his U.S. citizenship, Mubashir said. He was then immediately allowed to leave.
Mubashir said he asked if the officers could take him home to Cedar-Riverside, but they refused. They told him to walk home, he said, so his parents picked him up.
“I deserve to be here like anyone else — I’m a U.S. citizen,” he said. “I can’t even step outside without being tackled — no question — because I’m Somali.”
Mubashir has lived in Minneapolis since he was a year old, according to a newsletter published by Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman.
“This young man is a bright, hardworking member of our community, and his experience is a stark reminder of the overreach and lack of accountability in ICE operations,” read Osman’s newsletter.
At least two other local Somali residents were arrested by federal immigration officers Tuesday and then released, because they are also U.S. citizens, said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-MN.
Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, speaks at a Dec. 9, 2025, press conference about immigration enforcement in Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. Credit: Chris Juhn for Sahan Journal
CAIR-MN has received many calls from Somali residents who are U.S. citizens reporting that they were arrested or questioned by federal agents since “Operation Metro Surge” started last week targeting their community, Hussein said. There are varying reports of how long officers kept residents in detention before they were released, he added.
“We believe this is a violation of our constitution,” Jaylani said, adding that his organization is potentially considering legal action to address “this particular abuse of power.”
Another similar incident involving the arrest of a U.S. citizen of Somali descent occurred last Wednesday, according to a Fox 9 news article. A Somali woman was detained while she was running errands in downtown Minneapolis and held in ICE custody for 24 hours. Her cousin told Fox 9 that federal agents mocked her hijab and “touched her inappropriately.”
Fox 9 also reported that two Somali U.S. citizens were questioned by federal officers last Tuesday.
Jaylani urged Somali Minnesotans to call CAIR-MN at 612-206-3360 if ICE agents question or arrest them. CAIR-MN has organized a task force to respond to ICE arrests.
Hassan Jama, an imam at the Al-Hikam Islamic Center in Minneapolis, is a task force member. He said he’s seen an increase in racist rhetoric targeting Somalis, including at restaurants and schools.
“We will organize more, put our hands and efforts together and fight back” Jama said, who thanked the protesters who showed up when federal officers arrived in Cedar-Riverside Tuesday.
## READ MORE
### ICE arrests citizen observer in Minneapolis, holds her for five hours
### Court observers blocked: Immigration hearings face new restrictions across the U.S.
### How Minnesota became the center of the Somali diaspora
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