Apparent ICE arrests in Duluth, no confirmation from ICE

A resident of Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood reports that apparent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers made arrests Thursday morning. A witness, who spoke to WDIO after the arrests, said they were walking their dog around 9:00 AM when they saw men with protective vests and ICE insignia arresting individuals working outside of a home near Gilliat St. and 44th Ave. East.

WDIO has been in contact with several organizations working to confirm the arrests.

And ICE spokesperson provided WDIO with the following statement: “Due to our operational tempo and the increased interest in our agency, we are not able to research and respond to specifics of routine daily operations for ICE.”

The Duluth Police Department (DPD) said in a statement that they were not informed or involved with any immigration incidents.

“DPD’s public safety response remains the same,” said Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa. “Our main priority has been and always will be the safety and security of our community. We weren’t involved in any immigration incidents and weren’t informed of actions occurring in our community.”

Mayor Roger Reinert also provided a statement in response to WDIO’s inquiry stating, “We have multiple levels of government in the United States, and each is charged with different responsibilities. At the local level, our city staff continue to be focused on core city services: streets, utilities, and public safety. Local government is not responsible for immigration enforcement.”

The roofing company whose signage was posted at the home where the arrests happened has declined to comment.

WDIO is continuing to work on confirmation of the arrests, how many people were arrested, and why they were arrested.

This is an ongoing story that will be updated as more information is obtained.