ICE Out/Spring Forward!
Take Action and Tell Your State Legislators to Support Small Businesses Along Cultural Commercial Corridors!
Our business community is still recovering from the economic impacts of the recent federal ICE operations in Minneapolis. Operation Metro Surge caused significant losses in revenue, disrupted the lives of workers, students, and families, and traumatized communities of color and cultural corridors. But Lake Street rises again!
Efforts are underway to encourage state leaders to allocate funds to help our small businesses recover. You can be a part of this campaign. Here are three things you can do to make sure public officials respond to this crisis:
1) Contact your state legislators and ask them to support Small Business Relief Grants to help our commercial/retail spaces and restaurants get back on their feet. Use this Email Action Alert to advocate for state assistance for our corridor.
2) Attend the bill hearing for SF 4527, a measure that Lake Street Council is supporting, along with our Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) allies, to allocate $100 million to compensate local businesses for the revenue losses they experienced during the Surge.
Jobs and Economic Development Committee
Expected hearing on several Emergency Business Relief bills:
Monday, March 23, 2026
12:30 - 2:30 pm
Room 1100, Minnesota Senate Building
Minnesota Senate Building
95 University Ave. W. Saint Paul, MN 55155
3) Attend a rally outside the Minnesota House of Representatives chamber at the state Capitol on that same day, Monday, March 23, from 3:00 - 5:00 pm. Sign up for this event.
If you have questions, concerns, or comments about our advocacy efforts, contact Russ Adams at 612.438.6338 or russ@lakestreetcouncil.org.
Economic Impacts from the Surge
Lake Street once again finds itself at the center of a severe economic disruption. Our commercial corridor has weathered yet another traumatic event: the recent deployment of ICE & Border Patrol agents under operation Metro Surge. Our immigrant-owned businesses have struggled to remain open under a federal immigration response that has resulted in many unlawful detentions, tearing families apart, and spreading an unprecedented climate of fear in our cultural communities. Initial estimates in just 14 economic corridors in Minneapolis and St. Paul show a loss of $213 million in revenue since the beginning of December. Workers, regardless of immigration status, have been living in fear and not showing up to their place of employment. Many businesses have had to reduce their operating hours or ask staff to work double shifts.
Current Economic Impacts on Lake Street:
According to a recent survey, 96% of Lake Street businesses experienced a negative impact from the federal immigration operation this Winter (Dec. 2025 – Feb. 2026)
Small businesses are experiencing a drop in sales between 30% to 100%.
60% of businesses reported losses of $10,000 - $49,999
25% of businesses reported losses of $50,000 to over $1,000,000
A Hennepin County survey showed small businesses averaged a drop of $57,000 in revenue during this period.