MINNEAPOLIS, MN — In a blistering public statement, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has directly blamed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allowing a convicted sex offender to “prowl the streets” and victimize residents for years.
“Free to Prowl”
The rebuke came after federal agents successfully arrested Mahad Abdulkadir Yusuf, a Somali national unlawfully present in the United States, following a targeted enforcement operation on December 31.
“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,” ICE stated in a press release.
Taking their outrage to social media, the agency posted on X: “This is who Governor Walz and Mayor Frey defend.“
Horrific Crimes
Yusuf is not a low-level offender. According to ICE, he was convicted in 2016 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct after forcing a victim to perform oral sex on him multiple times. He also has arrests for first-degree assault and an active 2024 warrant for obstructing police.
Despite these “vicious crimes,” Yusuf remained at large in Minneapolis, shielded by the very policies local leaders claim build trust.
“He originally entered the United States in 1996… However, he threw away his shot at the American dream by repaying our country’s generosity with these vicious crimes,” the agency noted.
Obstruction of Justice
The arrest was far from easy. Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported that ICE agents had previously attempted to apprehend Yusuf at his Lake Street apartment but were blocked by a building manager who denied them access.
“The apartment manager obstructed federal law enforcement agents by preventing them from entering the building and actively protected this known, convicted sex offender,” ICE revealed. This obstruction forced agents to plan a complex, targeted operation to finally take him into custody.
“Ridiculous Whistles and Bullhorns”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito did not hold back in his assessment of the local climate that allows such criminals to thrive.
“Local sanctuary policies and continued misinformation… continue to fuel these irresponsible, dangerous acts of obstructing law enforcement,” Zito said. “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.”
While Walz and Frey argue that sanctuary policies encourage cooperation without fear of deportation, federal agents argue the cost is measured in new victims. With Yusuf finally behind bars, the question remains: How many other predators are currently being shielded by the state of Minnesota?