ICE detained seven men in recent Bemidji immigration raid

Kim Hyatt, Star Tribune on Jul 20, 2026

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Officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement say that seven men were detained during a recent targeted operation in Bemidji.

It was the second raid in a month targeting construction sites in the city that is still recovering from a storm last summer that caused extensive damage to homes and millions of trees.

On June 11, workers jumped off roofs attempting to flee from federal agents; 21 men were detained. On July 16, one worker jumped into Lake Bemidji and was later detained along with six others.

A spokesperson with ICE confirmed in a statement to the Minnesota Star Tribune that a man from Mexico swam approximately 100 yards from shore before agents removed him from the water and took him into custody.

ICE said the man had been deported six times and illegally reentered the country in 2022 for the seventh time. He and the six other men detained are in custody pending further immigration proceedings.

The Star Tribune typically does not name defendants until they have been formally charged.

“ICE remains committed to enforcing federal immigration laws and ensuring public safety during all enforcement actions,” the statement read.

According to ICE, the others detained in Bemidji were an Ecuadorian man who was previously removed in 2012 and illegally reentered the country in 2021; a man with dual citizenship in Ecuador and Spain who has a final removal order from July 17; a man from Ecuador who illegally entered the country in 2023 and has a final removal order from July 9; a man from Ecuador who has a final removal order from November 2025; and two men, one from Mexico and one from Ecuador, who ICE said illegally entered the country at an unknown time and location.

ICE targeted a construction site at SouthShore Hotel, which saw extensive damage from a derecho last June that packed 120 mph winds. Construction companies have since descended on Bemidji to repair homes and businesses.

David Hanson, hotel owner and Beltrami County Attorney, told the Star Tribune that he was assured that all employees and subcontractors performing work on site had full legal employment status.

Stronghouse, an Illinois-based roofing company contracted by SouthShore, did not respond to requests for comment.

A 30-member roofing crew with Rhino Roofing and Siding, a military veteran-owned company based out of Nisswa, Minn., was reduced to seven workers after a raid last month.

ICE said among the 21 arrested in June, four had previously been removed and illegally reentered the country.

Owner Ryan Lamusga said he was unable to bail out any of his workers and he wasn’t sure how many were undocumented. The roofing industry, he said, relies on immigrant workers.

ICE raids have tapered off since February when federal officials ended Operation Metro Surge, which at its peak saw 4,000 federal agents deployed to Minnesota. But people say they are beginning to notice an uptick in ICE activity again, especially around construction sites.

A spokesperson with the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement to the Star Tribune that “worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to protect public safety, national security, and economic stability while rescuing individuals who may be victims of labor trafficking or exploitation.”

DHS added that the employment of undocumented workers “incentivizes dangerous and illegal practices.”

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