Minneapolis Immigrant Family Forced Into Hiding Amid Deportation Raids

Undocumented parents and their US-born children live in fear as federal agents conduct sweeps across the city.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 9:55pm

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For the past two months, a Mexican immigrant family living in Minneapolis has been forced to lock themselves inside their home, afraid to leave due to increased immigration raids by federal agents in the city. The parents, Ana and Carlos, along with their son Luis who was born in Mexico, have been living in constant fear, worried that even their US-citizen children could be detained or deported. The family has had to borrow money to pay rent and is struggling to make ends meet as Carlos and Ana are unable to work, trapped in their own home.

Why it matters

The aggressive deportation tactics employed by the Trump administration have created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty for immigrant families across the country, even those with US-born children. This case highlights the human toll of hardline immigration policies and the difficult choices undocumented parents must make to protect their families.

The details

Ana, Carlos, and their son Luis have been locked inside their Minneapolis home for two months to avoid being caught in the federal immigration raids sweeping the city. The family has kept their curtains closed and the door barricaded, living in constant fear. Carlos and Ana both have work permits, but the agents conducting the raids don't recognize that document as protection against arrest and deportation. The family has had to borrow money to pay rent and is struggling financially since Carlos and Ana have been unable to work.

  • For the past two months, federal agents have been conducting immigration raids in Minneapolis.
  • In January 2026, two US citizens were shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

The players

Ana

A 47-year-old mother of four, including three US-citizen children, who is living in hiding with her family to avoid deportation.

Carlos

Ana's husband, a 43-year-old immigrant who works installing granite countertops and has paid thousands in legal fees for his family's visa applications.

Luis

Ana and Carlos' 15-year-old son, who was born in Mexico and is living in hiding with his family.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

A federal law enforcement agency that has been conducting aggressive deportation raids in Minneapolis under the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

A federal law enforcement agency that has been assisting ICE in conducting militarized raids and street sweeps targeting immigrants in major Democratic strongholds like Minneapolis.

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What they’re saying

“It's inhuman to live like this, a prisoner in your own home.”

— Ana

“When we realized Trump had removed the protection (of the work permit) against deportation, we felt as if he swindled us.”

— Carlos

“I don't think we deserve this. We haven't done anything wrong. We are not criminals.”

— Carlos

What’s next

The family is praying that the federal immigration agents conducting the raids in Minneapolis will be sent elsewhere in the country, but they are unsure if the crackdown will ever stop with three more years left in President Trump's term.

The takeaway

This case highlights the devastating human impact of the Trump administration's aggressive deportation tactics, which have forced law-abiding immigrant families to live in constant fear and isolation, even those with US-citizen children. It underscores the need for comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to legal status and protects vulnerable families.