The immediate threat of mass immigration enforcement raids may have receded in Minnesota, but a climate of fear endures among migrant communities, the UK home secretary observed during a visit to the region. Speaking from a community centre in Minneapolis on Tuesday, James Cleverly said the United Kingdom could draw lessons from the aftermath of the controversial enforcement operations.
Cleverly is in the United States for a series of meetings with federal and state officials on irregular migration. His visit to Minnesota, a state that witnessed a surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity earlier this year, was intended to examine the long-term social and institutional fallout.
“The operations themselves have concluded, but the legacy is one of mistrust and disengagement,” Cleverly told reporters. “People are still afraid to access public services, to report crime, to send their children to school. That is a destabilising outcome that undermines the rule of law.”
The UK home secretary’s remarks come as the British government faces its own challenges over migration policy. The Rwanda deportation plan, a flagship government initiative, has been stalled by parliamentary opposition and legal challenges. Cleverly said the American experience underlined the importance of maintaining community relations even as enforcement actions proceed.
“What we see here is that enforcement cannot be divorced from integration. If you carry out operations without a strategy for rebuilding trust, you create lasting fractures,” he said.
Local advocacy groups echoed the assessment. The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Network reported a 40% drop in calls to its helpline in the months following the raids, which they attribute to fear of surveillance. “People are terrified,” said Maria Santos, the network’s director. “They believe that any interaction with the state could lead to deportation.”
ICE officials have defended the operations as targeted and lawful, focusing on individuals with final removal orders. But community leaders argue that the sweeps were indiscriminate and caused widespread panic.
Cleverly’s visit also included a meeting with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat who has criticised the federal enforcement approach. Walz said the state had been left to manage the social consequences without adequate federal support.
“We are spending millions on mental health services and legal aid for families torn apart by these raids,” Walz said. “The federal government needs to understand that enforcement has a price tag beyond the immediate operation.”
The home secretary’s engagement with Minnesota’s experience signals a pragmatic shift in Britain’s approach to migration enforcement. Downing Street has not commented on specific policy changes, but sources close to Cleverly suggest he will present a report to Cabinet recommending more emphasis on local partnerships and post-enforcement community rebuilding.
Analysts note that the UK has its own history of immigration enforcement controversies, notably the Windrush scandal, which eroded trust among Caribbean communities. “The echoes are unmistakable,” said Dr. Eleanor Graves, a migration scholar at Oxford University. “When enforcement actions are perceived as hostile, the damage to social cohesion can persist for generations.”
As Cleverly prepares to return to London, the enduring fear in Minnesota serves as a cautionary tale. The raids may be over, but the shadow they cast remains.
