ICE detains asylum seekers in Minnesota, uses facial recognition in enforcement operations
Feb 6, 2026 · Minneapolis, MN

ICE agents detained at least 100 asylum seekers and refugees in Minnesota and transported them by air to detention facilities in Texas for questioning and reprocessing, with some released without documentation, money, or phones. During enforcement operations across multiple cities, federal immigration agents used facial recognition technology via smartphones and professional cameras to photograph and scan faces of people, including bystanders and activists, often without consent. The practices have sparked panic in immigrant communities, with residents afraid to seek medical care, send children to school, or leave their homes. Civil rights groups are challenging the facial recognition program through lawsuits and legislation, citing Fourth Amendment privacy violations.
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More incidents in Minnesota
- DHS surveilled Minnesota activists, unions with facial recognition and informantsAug 13, 2026 · Minneapolis, MN
- Father detained by ICE in May, family fights for his returnJul 31, 2026 · Minneapolis, MN
- Detained man files habeas petition challenging ICE detention in MinnesotaJul 22, 2026 · MN
- Twin Cities suburbs ban immigration searches on license plate camerasJul 21, 2026 · Fridley, MN
- Border Patrol apprehends suspects after chase from gas station to airport runwayJul 17, 2026 · Bemidji, MN
- Seven undocumented immigrants arrested in ICE targeted operation in BemidjiJul 16, 2026 · Bemidji, MN