ICE Data Reveals 1,300 'Collateral' Arrests During Operation Metro Surge -- 35% of All Minnesota Detentions

Newly released ICE data revealed that 1,300 of the 3,785 arrests during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota were labeled “collateral” – people who were not the target of enforcement actions but were swept up during raids. This means 35% of all arrests during the massive operation were bystanders. The operation, which ran from December 2025 through February 2026, deployed at least 2,000 ICE officers and 1,000 CBP officers to the state.

Following the Minnesota pullout, ICE daily arrest numbers dropped below 1,000, down from over 1,400 during the operation’s peak. The post-surge data also shows a shift in arrest demographics: roughly 65% of recent arrests involved people with criminal convictions or pending charges, compared to the Metro Surge period where a substantial majority had no criminal record. Meanwhile, an ACLU lawsuit filed on behalf of Minnesota residents challenged the operation’s pattern of racial profiling, stops without reasonable suspicion, and warrantless arrests – with plaintiffs describing being detained simply for appearing Latino while walking in their neighborhoods.