MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Federal immigration agents on Friday morning arrested prominent Somali activist Omar Jamal, a longtime community leader in Minnesota’s Somali diaspora, on allegations connected to immigration fraud.
The arrest was carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in downtown Minneapolis and was recorded by television crews from Newsmax who were accompanying ICE at the time. Video footage shows Jamal being removed from a vehicle and taken into custody.
According to court documents, Jamal’s immigration status has been under scrutiny for more than two decades. In 2001, he was first charged with making multiple false statements regarding his immigration history. Five years later, in 2006, he was sentenced to one year of probation and formally referred to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for deportation proceedings.
Jamal originally fled Somalia’s civil war and famine in 1989, first settling in Canada, before later making his way to the United States, where he became a visible and sometimes controversial public figure. Over the years, he was frequently quoted in both U.S. and international media as a voice on Somali and immigrant affairs.
At the time of his arrest, Jamal was employed as a civilian Community Service Officer with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, a position he has held since 2020. His role involved bridging communication between law enforcement and Minnesota’s Somali community — the largest Somali diaspora population in the United States.
In a statement, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Steve Linders praised Jamal’s contributions, saying:
“Omar Jamal joined the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office as a civilian Community Service Officer in 2020, after living in America for over 20 years. He came to America as a refugee from famine-stricken and war-torn Somalia. Omar Jamal has played an integral role in helping us liaise with the Somali community in Minnesota. He’s done a great job in that role.”
ICE’s St. Paul Field Office Director, Sam Olson, confirmed Jamal’s detention and referred to him as a Somali national. Olson stated that Jamal will be “set up for removal from the United States” in accordance with standard immigration protocols.
The case highlights the long-running tension between immigrant communities and U.S. immigration enforcement, especially in Minnesota, where tens of thousands of Somali refugees resettled in the 1990s and 2000s. For many community members, Jamal has been both a bridge-builder and a polarizing figure due to his outspoken views and legal troubles.
Omar Jamal, a well-known Somali activist and community liaison officer. Arrested by ICE on immigration fraud-related charges. Friday morning, August 29, 2025. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Linked to past immigration fraud allegations dating back to 2001. Taken into custody by ICE agents, with the arrest captured on video.
https://t.co/nZkBEj3GGi pic.twitter.com/NRiKZfNxDW
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 29, 2025
For now, Omar Jamal remains in federal custody as ICE initiates removal proceedings. His case underscores the complex intersection of immigration law, community leadership, and identity in America’s largest Somali community.
