Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained a parent at a school bus stop in Minnesota this week, an incident that has sent waves of fear and anxiety through the local community, according to school officials.
Arrest During Morning Routine
The arrest occurred on the morning of Wednesday, 14 January 2026, in the city of Crystal, a suburb of Minneapolis. The individual was waiting with their child for the school bus when ICE agents took them into custody. The Robbinsdale Area Schools district, which covers several Minneapolis suburbs, confirmed the incident in a public news release.
Superintendent Teri Staloch moved to reassure families that all students were kept safe. "First and most importantly, all students, including the student involved, were able to safely board the school bus and arrive at school," Staloch wrote. She confirmed that the district's bus driver and administrative staff followed established protocols during the unsettling event.
School Response and Community Anxiety
In the aftermath, school principals and support staff made direct contact with the affected family. They also communicated with the families of other children who were on the bus and notified all staff and families at the impacted school site.
Staloch described the situation as "an incredibly difficult time," acknowledging that the news "can create fear, confusion, and anxiety for students and for adults across the district." The district has specific protocols for such incidents, including instructing staff to call 911 if an unauthorised person enters school property and barring bus drivers from allowing unauthorised individuals on board. Some students have also been permitted to switch to remote learning.
Background of Intensified Enforcement
This bus stop arrest is not an isolated event. It comes amidst a significant ramp-up of federal immigration enforcement across Minnesota under the Trump administration.
Hundreds of additional ICE agents have been deployed to the Minneapolis area in recent days. This surge follows the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis the previous week. Furthermore, a major Department of Homeland Security crackdown, dubbed Operation Metro Surge, began on 29 November. Since its launch, over 2,400 people have been detained in the Twin Cities area, according to NBC News reports.
The scale of these operations has provoked a strong reaction from state authorities. Minnesota officials have filed a lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that the ICE actions constitute an unconstitutional "invasion" and seeking to halt them. A spokesperson for ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent regarding the bus stop arrest.
