Twin Cities Suburbs Face Unprecedented Financial Hurdles After Operation Metro Surge

Nonprofit serving Hopkins and Minnetonka sees 10x increase in rent assistance requests in wake of ICE raids

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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In the aftermath of the recent Operation Metro Surge immigration enforcement actions in the Twin Cities suburbs of Hopkins and Minnetonka, Minnesota, a local nonprofit organization is reporting an unprecedented level of need for financial assistance, including a 10-fold increase in rent support requests over the past six weeks. The cities themselves have also incurred significant unexpected costs, primarily in the form of police overtime to respond to the ICE operations.

Why it matters

The financial strain on both residents and local governments in these suburbs highlights the broader community impact of aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. Smaller cities may struggle to sustain the costs of responding to such federal actions, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of these communities.

The details

Matt Dymoke, the Director of Development and Communications at the ICA Food Shelf nonprofit, said the organization has had to provide around $150,000 in rent assistance in the past six weeks - 10 times the normal monthly amount. Dymoke noted that this level of need is not going to stop anytime soon, as the impacts of Operation Metro Surge will be felt for months. In addition to rent support, the nonprofit has also provided thousands of emergency food packages. Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon said the city incurred around $150,000 in unexpected costs, primarily for police overtime to respond to the ICE operations, which at times disrupted traffic in the city. Hanlon criticized the tactics used by ICE, saying "I don't know what they [ICE] were thinking or are thinking going around with masked men, pulling guns out at a moment's notice."

  • Operation Metro Surge took place in the Twin Cities suburbs in recent weeks.
  • In the past six weeks, the ICA Food Shelf has had to provide 10 times its normal monthly amount of rent assistance.
  • Hopkins incurred around $150,000 in unexpected costs, primarily for police overtime, during the ICE operations.

The players

Matt Dymoke

Director of Development and Communications at the ICA Food Shelf nonprofit serving Hopkins and Minnetonka.

Patrick Hanlon

Mayor of Hopkins, Minnesota.

ICA Food Shelf

A nonprofit organization serving the communities of Hopkins and Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency that conducted the Operation Metro Surge immigration enforcement actions in the Twin Cities suburbs.

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What they’re saying

“We know that that's not going to stop anytime soon. The impacts of Operation Metro Surge are going to be there for months to come.”

— Matt Dymoke, Director of Development and Communications, ICA Food Shelf (cbsnews.com)

“I don't know what they [ICE] were thinking or are thinking going around with masked men, pulling guns out at a moment's notice.”

— Patrick Hanlon, Mayor of Hopkins (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

Hopkins and about 20 other municipalities have asked the State of Minnesota for assistance, concerned that smaller cities will be unable to sustain the unexpected costs from the ICE operations in the long term.

The takeaway

The financial strain on both residents and local governments in these Twin Cities suburbs highlights the broader community impact of aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. Smaller cities may struggle to sustain the costs of responding to such federal actions, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of these communities.