Minneapolis Erupts as FBI and ICE Uncover Deep Cartel Infiltration: Somali Mayor and Judge Arrested

The crisis began with a single gunshot during an ICE operation when an agent, fearing for his life, fatally shot a woman driving a vehicle that accelerated toward him.

This incident set off protests accusing federal agents of murder and triggered a sweeping investigation that would reveal a paramilitary cartel’s grip on Minneapolis.

In the early hours following the shooting, a massive raid unfolded at a South Minneapolis hotel, where over 230 undocumented immigrants were detained—most Somali nationals.

The site was not merely a shelter but a well-armed cartel command center, stocked with forged passports, burner phones, firearms, and large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl.

Federal agents uncovered a sophisticated drug distribution hub operating under the protection of Minneapolis’ sanctuary city policies.

The cartel used the city’s hospitality infrastructure to traffic narcotics across the Midwest, while exploiting vulnerable migrants forced into labor to pay off smuggling debts.

These individuals served as drivers, lookouts, and couriers under threat of harm to themselves and their families back in Somalia.

The investigation’s most shocking revelation was the involvement of prominent Somali-American figures—Judge Khalif Nurelmi and immigration attorney Hodan Elanur.

Both held esteemed positions in the community but were found orchestrating this criminal enterprise.

Nurelmi allegedly used his judicial authority to delay search warrants, tip off cartel members about upcoming raids, and suppress evidence, effectively shielding the network from law enforcement.

Meanwhile, Elanur’s law firm provided false identities and legal cover to smuggled migrants, binding them into forced labor under threat.

The corruption extended beyond the courtroom.

The Somali mayor of Minneapolis, whose office was implicated as a co-conspirator, allegedly provided political cover for the cartel’s operations.

Evidence showed that police resources were deliberately diverted away from key trafficking areas, complaints about open-air drug markets were ignored or dismissed, and city officials financially benefited through funneling municipal contracts into shell companies tied to the network.

This betrayal of public trust was further amplified by widespread corruption within the Minneapolis Police Department itself.

Internal investigations revealed that multiple police officers accepted bribes to tip off cartel members about raids, escort drug shipments, and suppress internal complaints.

Even the police chief was implicated for accepting payments to maintain silence and obstruct investigations.

These revelations shattered the community’s faith, exposing how deeply the cartel had embedded itself within law enforcement and city governance.

Following the initial raids, coordinated federal operations swept across six Midwest states, involving over 1,200 agents from the FBI, DEA, and DHS.

These raids targeted stash houses, drug labs, and cartel enforcers, resulting in hundreds of arrests, the seizure of millions in drugs and cash, and multiple shootouts where cartel members were killed resisting arrest.

The impact on Minneapolis was immediate and profound.

Drug-related violence and open-air markets declined sharply, and hospital admissions for overdoses dropped by nearly 40% within a month, underscoring the cartel’s massive role in fueling the region’s opioid crisis.

Despite the victories, the fallout stirred political turmoil.

Several federal prosecutors resigned amid ethical concerns over the investigation’s scope and pressure from Justice Department leadership.

Meanwhile, public outrage grew over the systemic corruption that allowed the cartel to flourish under the guise of sanctuary policies and ethnic solidarity.

The Somali community, deeply affected by the scandal, grappled with the painful reality that trusted leaders had exploited their people.

Families who fled war and violence found themselves trapped in a cycle of exploitation and fear, manipulated by those sworn to protect them.

Judge Nurelmi now faces racketeering and human trafficking charges, while Elanur’s assets have been frozen.

The former mayor’s guilty plea confirmed his active participation in the criminal enterprise, marking a historic fall from grace.

Federal officials warn that this case is a stark reminder of how organized crime can infiltrate legal and political institutions when oversight fails.

Minneapolis is now in a period of recovery, with federal oversight imposed on city government divisions and renewed efforts to restore public trust.

This investigation sends a clear message nationwide: no official, no matter their rank or community standing, is above the law.

The sanctuary shield has been pierced, and the fight against corruption and cartel influence continues.