Several arrests were made in Bemidji between yesterday and today when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents performed an operation across multiple locations throughout Bemidji, including at Vista North, through traffic stops, and reportedly at other apartments as well. Later this afternoon, local government officials confirmed that the agents were here on a specific operation and have since left the area. Reports of ICE agents making arrests in Bemidji were officially confirmed by local law enforcement early this morning after members of a roofing crew were arrested on Jun. 11, along with agents making a traffic stop in the morning of Jun. 12. “I mean, it was just chaotic,” said Rhino Roofing and Siding Owner Ryan Lamusga. “[Agents] were driving on the grass and everything in between the houses and everything. They didn’t even care to speak to me; they were going to come track me down after and whatnot, but that wasn’t the case. Some of them were dropped off down the road, so they weren’t checking all documentation here, either. They were arresting everybody. Lamusga added that several members of his crew were detained. “I mean, I had probably 30 here at [one] point and I think we were left with seven, something like that. A couple of legal guys, the one foreman doesn’t even want to come back.” “There was one gal, said they were right behind her house, they grabbed somebody and mistreated them,” said Vista North Town Home Association President Jerry Hemstad. “I wasn’t a witness of it, but she was pretty upset. And there was about five gals that were all together kind of felt the same way, that they were really mishandled is their view, but I didn’t witness it.” The City of Bemidji issued a statement that they did not collaborate or coordinate with ICE as a part of the operation, and they were not notified that federal agents were in the area until a few minutes before the operation. Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs reported that the county was notified several days ago about ICE making their way to Bemidji, but local law enforcement were not physically involved in any of the arrests. State Rep. Bidal Duran, whose district includes Bemidji, said he heard directly from ICE that no other operations were taking place in the area. “I have directly spoken with ICE officials,” said Duran in a statement, “who confirmed that the activity was a targeted enforcement operation focused on specific individuals with prior removal orders or other immigration violations. The individuals they were seeking have been arrested, including those taken into custody this morning. He continued, “ICE has further informed me that no additional operations are planned or ongoing in the Bemidji area at this time.” The exact number of people being detained is unknown at this time. “It’s just a constant run-around,” said Lamusga. “They gave me a picture of, like a list, which is fine, which I’m grateful that he did. But where are the rest of the guys? I mean, where are they actually detained? Then when we try and call Crow Wing [County] where they said they are, they’re saying they don’t got ’em there. So it’s like, where are they? If we can bond them, there’s no reason why we can’t. And then we can start a process of [getting a H-2B] visa, a work visa for them and start getting them on the right path, then.” (Last year, Crow Wing County announced they joined into an agreement with ICE to help fill the county jail.) While the number of individuals apprehended from the Bemidji area has still not been released, community efforts have started to raise funds and provide resources and aid to those detained.