Woman and American citizen describes being held by ICE for two days
Nasra Ahmed came to the podium in the Minnesota State Capitol press briefing room on Wednesday with bandages still on her head, explaining that it was hard to speak given the concussion the American said she sustained thanks to ICE.
"I got kidnapped by ICE," Ahmed said.
Bystander video shows multiple masked ICE agents surrounding a woman already on the ground in St. Paul on January 14. Ahmed said that she was in the area when she believes ICE were targeting two men she did not know, only for agents to shove her to the floor. She said that one of them called her a racial slur before putting her into a vehicle, where she said she met another woman who was detained.
"We were holding each other tight. I'll never forget the fear that we both felt in our hearts that day," Ahmed said, "they pushed me hard, they used a lot of violence."
Ahmed spent the next two days detained, only to be released without any charges. The 23-year-old was born in the United States and WCCO found no evidence of a criminal record.
Her story is one of many reported instances where ICE has detained an American citizen without charging them since Operation Metro Surge began in December. MN Ice Witness, a website driven by independent citizens, is recording media reports that detail these detainments. According to their efforts and WCCO's own review, ICE has detained at least 12 Americans, at times violently. DFL Representative Mohamud Noor shared video which he said shows ICE pulling an American man from his car in St. Cloud on Wednesday.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino did not answer a question about the number of Americans ICE has detained. The agency provides no public data regarding these arrests, with many of those involved accusing the agency of profiling them. WCCO has asked multiple times for data related to American detainments, questions the agency is choosing to ignore.
On Jan. 18, ICE detained Chongly Scott Thao at gun point at his home in St. Paul, bringing him out into the frigid temperatures in little more than a blanket. The American was released without being charged.
On Jan. 11, ICE detained Rogelio Jimenez, dragging him out of his vehicle after he said that they mistook him for a different person. The American was released without being charged.
On Jan. 8, ICE agents held two Target employees in Richfield on the ground before forcing them into the back of an SUV. Minnesota Rep. Mike Howard, who represents Richfield, said he confirmed that both are Americans.
On Jan. 6, a naturalized citizen told WCCO that ICE left him hurt and hospitalized after they detained him. ICE then released him.
On Dec. 10, Minneapolis leaders said ICE wrongfully arrested a U.S. citizen because he looks like he could be Somali.
