A wave of fear has swept through parts of Minneapolis as intensified enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) disrupts daily life within the city’s Somali community.
In south Minneapolis, normally busy commercial hubs have fallen quiet. Businesses at Karmel Mall, a sprawling complex housing more than 100 Somali-owned shops were shuttered on a recent afternoon, a period that is usually marked by heavy foot traffic.
Inside the mall, hallways that typically buzz with activity were subdued. The scent of fried food lingered from bakeries, central heating systems hummed softly, and Quran recitations could be heard drifting from a handful of open shops. But many vendors sat alone behind counters, waiting for customers who never came.
Business owners say fear of arrest by federal immigration agents has kept both sellers and customers away. The anxiety cuts across immigration status, affecting citizens and noncitizens alike.
Some shop owners said they no longer open regularly, anticipating empty stores as residents avoid public spaces amid concerns of possible ICE raids
