Somali man says he's an American citizen and speaks out after ICE detainment

kare11.com · By Jennifer Hoff (KARE 11)

Mubashir says he showed his identification multiple times and was held at a federal building in Fort Snelling before being released. MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara is expressing his frustration Wednesday with ICE agents who he says detained a U.S. citizen. The chief calls their tactics "questionable" and "unplanned" and says they're putting everyone's safety at risk. "From a tactical perspective, things could be well planned beforehand, both for the safety of law enforcement and the safety of people in our community and that we wouldn't have to deal with so many stories after the fact," said Chief O'Hara. O'Hara stood beside Minneapolis Mayor Jacoby Frey, alongside 20-year-old Mubashir, who is seen being detained in videos, at a press conference. Mubashir, who isn't using his last name, says he was surprised by the masked men he says tackled him when he went on his lunch break. He says they didn't identify themselves and Mubashir says he showed his passport multiple times, confirming his citizenship. "I felt like I was getting assaulted, I was getting kidnapped, and that's exactly what it was," said Mubashir. The videos were taken from Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. It's heavily populated with Somali residents, whom the Trump Administration has recently targeted amid alleged fraud allegations in our state. Mubashir says he was detained for several hours at the Fort Snelling federal building. Mayor Jacob Frey called the act a violation of the Constitution and said he's working on a legal strategy to combat these actions while still supporting the Somali community. "If you are an American citizen, you yourself may be in the crosshairs of this administration because in that sense, you're no different than Mubashir," said Mayor Frey. Chief O'Hara says he understands the job of federal law enforcement, praising targeted and lawful arrests. He pushed back, instead, on their methods, calling them random and questionable. "And clearly a use of resources that doesn't appear to be getting a return on investment," said Chief O'Hara. The Department of Homeland Security confirms eight Somalis were arrested in December. Data shows about 80,000 live in Minnesota and half are foreign-born. Mubashir says he came here when he was five and is now scared to go outside. "We shouldn't be targeted just because we're Somalis," said Mubashir. On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security responded to the detainment, insisting racial profiling was not a factor. “On December 9th, ICE officers were investigating criminal immigration violations in Minneapolis near a location that has a high level of criminal activity. The officers were having a consensual conversation with a suspected illegal alien. At that time, a second male individual walked out of a nearby restaurant, turned around, and fled from law enforcement. Having reasonable suspicion--as protected under the U.S. Constitution--officers gave chase and caught up with the individual, who violently resisted officers and refused to answer questions. A large crowd of agitators descended and began to threaten the officers. For their safety, they temporarily detained the individual to safely finish asking their questions. Once officers finished their questioning, he was promptly released." Notably, the statement does not address whether ICE personnel identified themselves or why Mubashir was targeted.