Immigration arrests increase in region compared to 2016
Published 5:08 am Saturday, April 29, 2017
MINNEAPOLIS — New data from the federal government shows immigration arrests in Minnesota and four surrounding states increased about 80 percent since President Donald Trump took office, compared to the same time in 2016. But, the number of arrests is in line with the level earlier in President Barack Obama’s second term.
Under the Trump administration, 620 immigrants have been taken into custody in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska by federal agents from the St. Paul office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Star Tribune reports about a quarter of those arrested don’t have criminal convictions, compared to 10 percent of similar arrests last year.
ICE spokesman Shawn Neudauer says ICE doesn’t target people who don’t have criminal records, but he says agents can’t ignore them either.