Feds End Operation Metro Surge in Twin Cities, But SE Asian Communities Still Need Your Support

By Eddie Wong, Posted Feb. 12, 2026

Border Czar Tom Homan announced this morning that Operation Metro Surge will end and that federal agents will be withdrawin from Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN in the next week.  This comes after the valiant resistance of the people the Twin Cities who defended neighbors by putting their bodies on the line.  In the course of ICE and Border Patrol’s siege of the Twin Cities, two legal observers, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot to death by federal agents.  Countless others have been arrested for protest activities.  Over 4,ooo people were arrested and detained by ICE and Border Patrol, many of whom are languishing in detention facilities in West Texas waiting for deportation.  Families have been ripped apart.  The trauma visited upon schoolchildren as well as adults who have been forced to shelter in place rather than risk kidnapping by masked goons will take a long time to heal.

Thus, there is still a tremendous need to support the embattled communities in the Twin Cities. This is especially true for the Hmong and Southeast Asian communities along with Somali and Latinx communities. The shocking, lawless arrest of Chongly “Scott” Thao on January 18, 2026 made national news as the elderly Hmong grandfather was hauled out of his home wearing shorts and a blanket.  He was later released after his U.S. Citizenship was verified. He should have never been arrested as no warrant was ever presented.  An interview with Mr. Thao can be seen on YouTube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlhwZuxDl-E.

Screenshot from NBC news.

 

The following press statement by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy spells out the nature of the crisis and asks for your ongoing support. Please give generously. Thank you.

*****

AAPIP Launches Twin Cities Rapid Response Fund to Support AANHPI Organizations Responding to Immigration Enforcement Crisis

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN (February 10, 2026) – Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) announced today that its Twin Cities Rapid Response Fund has raised more than $23,000 in its first week. The fund will support Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI)-serving community organizations providing emergency services to individuals and families affected by ongoing federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Since December 2025, the Twin Cities has been the site of “Operation Metro Surge,” which federal officials have described as the largest immigration enforcement deployment in U.S. history. More than 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents have been deployed to the region, resulting in over 3,400 arrests.

The Twin Cities is home to the largest urban Hmong population in the United States, approximately 95,000 to 100,000 residents, and the largest Karen refugee community in the country. Since mid-2025, Hmong and Lao community members have been detained and deported to Laos, a country many left as infants or have never visited.

“Our community members are afraid to leave their homes, go to work, get food, or take their children to school,” said Tiffany Xiong, AAPIP Twin Cities Chapter Co-Chair and Philanthropic Advisor. “AANHPI-serving organizations are often the first point of contact in moments like this—they provide language access, understand cultural context, and have earned trust over decades. As needs increase, these organizations need resources not only to respond in the immediate moment, but to continue providing stabilizing support as communities navigate what comes next.”

Hmong Village Shopping Center in St. Paul, MN features 17 small businesses and 10 markets. Many shops have closed during the ICE and Border Patrol month-long siege of Minneapolis.

The fund was created at the direct request of Twin Cities community leaders in response to a long-standing gap in philanthropic investment. Data show that AANHPI communities have been historically underfunded and excluded from resource allocation conversations, especially during moments of crisis, a disparity that has become even more acute as community needs have intensified. According to AAPIP’s 2025 Twin Cities AANHPI Funding Snapshot, only 0.13% of philanthropic dollars in the Twin Cities, 13 cents of every $100, support AANHPI causes and organizations. Most AANHPI community organizations operate with fewer than five staff members and budgets under $500,000.

“Southeast Asian communities in Minnesota have deep roots here, we came as refugees, we rebuilt our lives, we raised families, and paid taxes to make this state vibrant,” said KaYing Yang, Co-founder and President of RedGreen Rivers, LLC and longtime community advocate. “Our labor, our culture, and our leadership are woven into Minnesota’s success. And yet, today we are watching our neighbors, and our family members being taken. The fear is real. The need is urgent. Our community organizations are doing everything they can but are stretched beyond capacity.”

The fund distributes unrestricted grants to vetted AANHPI-serving nonprofits on a biweekly basis. An Advisory Committee of local community and philanthropic leaders guides all distribution decisions. Supported organizations provide legal defense, food assistance, know-your-rights education, mental health services, and emergency wrap-around support.

“Philanthropy has a responsibility to respond when communities are in crisis,” said Connie Chung Joe, President and CEO of AAPIP. “AANHPI communities are being directly impacted by ICE, but they are not as visible in many funding conversations. This fund exists because community members asked us to build it. We are honored to provide the infrastructure to move resources quickly to the AANHPI organizations serving families who need help now.”

To donate: https://aapip.app.neoncrm.com/campaigns/aapip-twin-cities-rapid-response-fund

To apply for a grant: https://aapip.org/aapip-twin-cities-rapid-response-fund-grant-application/

About AAPIP

Featured Image:

Image of Border Patrol being confronted by local resisters. Undated image from UK Daily Mail via a Reuters photographer.