Man Freed After Minneapolis Immigration Raid Says He Now Fears Leaving Home

After a massive federal enforcement operation and multiple detentions, a longtime Minneapolis resident describes ongoing fear, legal uncertainty, and the human toll of aggressive immigration raids.

By: Haitian Prime News|January 17, 2026|Minneapolis, Minnesota

A Minneapolis man who was released following a large-scale federal immigration raid says the experience has left him fearful of leaving his home, despite nearly two decades of compliance with immigration authorities.

Video recorded on January 11 shows federal officers forcibly entering the Minneapolis residence of Garrison Gibson during what the Department of Homeland Security described as its largest immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota to date. The operation involved the deployment of more than 2,000 federal officers as part of an intensified immigration crackdown under the Trump administration.

Gibson was taken into custody during the raid and transported to an immigration detention facility in Texas before being returned to Minnesota. He remains under an order of supervision connected to a 2008 drug conviction, which immigration officials have cited as the basis for potential deportation. Family members say Gibson has consistently complied with immigration check-ins for approximately 17 years.

Despite his release, Gibson was taken back into custody on Friday during what was described as a routine immigration check-in. According to his cousin, Abena Abraham, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers told her the re-arrest was ordered by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The White House has denied issuing any such order.

Speaking at a news conference, Gibson said the repeated arrests and enforcement actions have deeply affected his sense of safety and daily life. “I don’t leave the house,” he said. His family reported spending roughly $700 to repair the front door damaged during the raid, after temporarily securing it with a dumbbell to keep it closed.

The enforcement operation has sparked daily protests across the Twin Cities, with demonstrators criticizing what they describe as aggressive and militarized tactics. Tensions escalated further following the January 7 shooting of protester Renee Good during demonstrations linked to the crackdown.

In a related legal development, a federal judge ruled that law enforcement officers may not detain or use tear gas against peaceful protesters, reinforcing constitutional protections amid ongoing demonstrations.

As protests continue and legal challenges expand, Gibson’s case has become a focal point in the national debate over immigration enforcement, due process, and the impact of large-scale federal raids on long-term residents and their families.

Sources
Ground News summary and reporting; Department of Homeland Security statements; public comments from family members; federal court rulings related to protest protections.