Internal planning documents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reveal that the agency is looking to establish a comprehensive detention and transportation network for immigrants across Minnesota and four neighboring states. This network represents a forecasted investment of $20 to $50 million and aims to set up a privately operated transfer hub in Minnesota, enabling the movement of detainees within a 400-mile radius.
The scope of this initiative extends into North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska, allowing for the transfer of up to 1,000 detainees from the Twin Cities region. The revelations come amidst what local and civil rights advocates term an “unprecedented deployment” of ICE agents, part of a controversial operation known as Metro Surge. This operation has resulted in widespread ICE raids marked by aggressive law enforcement tactics, including mass arrests and confrontations with protesters.
Demonstrations against ICE’s actions have erupted in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, with protestors frequently targeting hotels where federal agents are believed to be staying. Despite some judicial restrictions placed on the use of force against peaceful protesters, the local response has been characterized by significant civil unrest.
ICE’s plans for a regional transfer hub in the Upper Midwest have been longstanding, with previous documentation suggesting a prison facility in Appleton, Minnesota, as a potential site to house the influx of detainees. Local clergy and immigration advocates are concerned that reopening this facility would lead to normalized long-distance transfers of detainees—a grim prospect that intertwines local employment concerns with immigration policy.
CoreCivic, the private company that owns the proposed facility, has indicated its willingness to explore federal opportunities for its reopening. However, the local administration claims it has had no contact with ICE regarding this matter since discussions began last fall.
As ICE moves forward, it may soon issue a solicitation or directly award contracts based on ongoing plans, with final decisions anticipated early in 2026. Local officials express frustration over their lack of control regarding the implementation of such federal policies, highlighting the tension and complexity of immigration enforcement in the region.
