Federal immigration agents quietly carried out a targeted arrest in Minnesota late last month, detaining a convicted sex offender, authorities say, who had remained free for years despite a serious criminal history.
According to Fox News, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that agents arrested Mahad Abdulkadir Yusuf, a Somali national living in Minnesota, during an operation on Dec. 31.
ICE said Yusuf was in the country illegally at the time of the arrest and posed a continued threat to public safety.
According to the agency, Yusuf was previously convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct after forcing a victim to perform oral sex on him multiple times. ICE records also show he was arrested in 2016 for first-degree assault and had an active warrant issued in 2024 for obstructing police.
Yusuf originally entered the United States in 1996 and later became a lawful permanent resident, ICE said. That status was lost following his criminal convictions.
“He threw away his shot at the American dream by repaying our country’s generosity with these vicious crimes,” ICE said in a statement announcing the arrest.
Federal officials blamed Minnesota’s sanctuary-style policies for allowing Yusuf to remain at large for years. ICE directly criticized Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in its statement.
“Thanks to the sanctuary policies of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, this dangerous criminal was free to prowl the streets and victimize Minneapolis residents for years,” the agency said.
Homeland Security Investigations officials said agents had previously attempted to take Yusuf into custody but were blocked by an apartment manager at his building, who allegedly refused to allow officers inside.
“Local sanctuary policies and continued misinformation about what ICE operations actually entail continue to fuel these irresponsible, dangerous acts of obstructing law enforcement,” HSI Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito said. “Every time local jurisdictions refuse to cooperate with ICE, and every time activists use their ridiculous whistles and bullhorns to alert criminal aliens, they are helping violent offenders, including convicted sex predators like this one, escape justice.”
ICE also highlighted the scale of recent enforcement efforts, saying more than 622,000 deportations have been carried out since President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown began on Jan. 20, 2025.
The arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis during an enforcement operation. Democratic leaders, including Walz and Frey, sharply criticized ICE after the incident, with Frey demanding the agency “get the f— out” of the city and Walz issuing a warning order to the National Guard.
President Donald Trump addressed the shooting on Truth Social, calling the footage “a horrible thing to watch” and urging Americans to support law enforcement officers who “are just trying to do the job of MAKING AMERICA SAFE.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said Good was “stalking and impeding” ICE agents throughout the day and accused her of attempting to “weaponize her vehicle” by trying to run an officer over.
