On the last night of the year, federal agents quietly executed a targeted operation in Minneapolis that culminated in the arrest of Mahad Abdulkadir Yusuf.
A man described by authorities as a convicted sex offender who had eluded federal custody for years. What might have been a routine enforcement action became, instead.
A defining moment in an ongoing struggle over sanctuary policies, community trust, and the role of federal law enforcement in American cities. By the morning of January 1, news of Yusuf’s arrest had rippled through Minneapolis and across the country.
To federal officials, it was proof of a system weakened by local policies that limit cooperation with immigration authorities. To community advocates and city leaders, it was a stark example of how aggressive enforcement tactics can deepen fear in immigrant neighborhoods and undermine public safety itself.
The Man at the Center of the Controversy
Federal authorities, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), confirmed that they arrested Mahad Abdulkadir Yusuf in Minneapolis on December 31 during a planned enforcement operation.
According to ICE, Yusuf had a prior conviction for first‑degree criminal sexual conduct involving forced acts, a 2016 conviction for first‑degree assault, and an active 2024 warrant for obstructing police when he was apprehended.