Colombian asylum seeker detained by ICE, then self-deported; family left struggling in Minnesota
Feb 4, 2026·Location: St. Paul, MN
Country of origin: Colombia

Cristian, a Colombian immigrant with an asylum claim, was detained by ICE agents on February 4 while heading to a new job in St. Paul. He was transferred to detention centers in Texas and Louisiana before self-deporting to Colombia. His wife Alejandra was left as the sole provider for their two young sons and is now trying to save money for plane tickets to return to Colombia, saying their experience made clear they are not welcomed in the United States.
Sources
More incidents in Minnesota
- Venezuelan man shot through door by ICE agent during raid; agent later chargedOct 4, 2026 · Minneapolis, MN
- Guatemalan man re-detained by ICE moments after judge ordered his releaseOct 1, 2026 · Fort Snelling, MN
- ICU nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti shot 10 times by federal agents in MinneapolisSep 30, 2026 · Minneapolis, MN
- Minneapolis mother and legal observer fatally shot by ICE agent during enforcement operationSep 30, 2026 · Minneapolis, MN
- St. Paul man held at Guantánamo, allegedly beaten, deported to Somalia after mother's deathSep 25, 2026 · St. Paul, MN
- Mexican man re-arrested by plainclothes agents seconds after court-ordered releaseSep 25, 2026 · Fort Snelling, MN