St. Cloud man arrested twice by ICE shares story of confusion, terror

Community leaders in St. Cloud, Minnesota, say federal agents have detained at least 10 Somali people there and arrested several more during protests.

One man says he was arrested and released, only to be arrested again.

Video taken from outside a St. Cloud grocery store shows Mohamed Jama being taken into custody.

Court records say Immigration and Customs Enforcement was looking for another person whom they mistook Jama for and tried to pull him over. Jama says he was frightened and tried to drive away. 

"I wish they would have a siren on me, I would've stopped earlier, but that never happened. Unmarked vehicles chasing you," Jama said.

When agents boxed him in, ICE says Jama hit one of their cars with his. He is now facing charges of interfering with a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.

St. Cloud has been the scene of tense clashes with ICE and the Somali Community. On Jan. 12, dozens of community members angrily protested an ICE arrest. 

Jama says his arrest was confusing and scary.

"There was these guys who jumped out the vehicles yelling, you don't know who's talking to you, which one to follow," Jama said.

Jama was taken to the Whipple Building and eventually freed. Days later, he was taken into custody again on the charges resulting from the first arrest. He is not sure he will get a fair hearing.

"They turned on the body camera after I was shackled and put in the vehicle," he said.