Minneapolis Schools Close After Federal Enforcement Action Sparks Safety Concerns

Minneapolis:  Minneapolis Public Schools temporarily shut down classes following a tense federal law enforcement operation near a school campus that, according to district officials and unions, endangered students and staff and caused widespread fear.

The decision came just hours after a fatal shooting involving a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, in which a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, Renee Nicole Good, was killed. Authorities have said she was not the intended target of the enforcement action. The incident has triggered citywide outrage, with local leaders rejecting the federal government’s claim of self-defence and calling for an independent investigation.

Later the same day, federal agents, including U.S. Border Patrol personnel, were reported near Roosevelt High School, approximately three miles from the site of the shooting. According to eyewitness accounts and statements from labour unions, agents were present in the area as students were leaving campus.

The Minneapolis Federation of Educators said agents detained at least one school staff member—a special education assistant and U.S. citizen—who was reportedly taken to a federal building and released late that night. Witnesses alleged that agents used physical force and chemical irritants, including pepper spray, during the operation, affecting bystanders and students.

Parents, teachers and students described chaotic scenes that unfolded near the school, compounding anxiety already heightened by the morning’s fatal shooting. District officials said the presence and actions of federal agents near a school environment posed an unacceptable risk to student safety.

As a precautionary measure, families were asked to collect students early, educators were sent home, and schools were closed. Minneapolis Public Schools said the decision was taken to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of children and staff.

The incident occurred amid a broader federal enforcement surge in Minneapolis, with reports indicating that approximately 2,000 federal agents had been deployed in the city. The heightened presence has raised concerns among local officials and community leaders about the impact of aggressive enforcement actions on public safety and civic institutions.

School leaders and educators stressed that schools must remain safe spaces, free from law enforcement activity that could traumatise students. They have called for clear safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.

As investigations and political responses continue, the episode has intensified debate over the conduct of federal enforcement operations and their consequences for communities, particularly when they intersect with schools and other sensitive public spaces.