Friday, February 6 — Small business leaders across the Twin Cities are sounding the alarm over what they call a dire and accelerating financial crisis tied to Operation Metro Surge. For the first time, they’re sharing numbers: some individual businesses say they’re losing thousands of dollars a day, while they claim the City of Minneapolis is losing millions each week.

Community leaders warn many shops and restaurants don’t have months to survive, saying they only have weeks. Leaders also say even if ICE activity stopped tomorrow, recovery would take months. With no federal relief money on the way, they’re urging the public to spend next week intentionally supporting local businesses, comparing the economic hit to COVID-era losses.

Meanwhile, arrests follow an anti-ICE protest at the University of Minnesota, where demonstrators gathered outside a hotel believed to be housing ICE agents. Eleven people were arrested after repeated dispersal orders, as state officials continue to dispute federal claims about ICE detainers.

WCCO also gets a rare look inside the Crow Wing County Jail, which has been housing ICE detainees since November, raising new questions about who is being held and how local law enforcement is involved in Operation Metro Surge.

Join Johnny Kahner for this episode of 4 Things to Know.

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