ICE's presence hits small businesses in Minnesota

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report

Episode: ICE's presence hits small businesses in Minnesota
Date: January 26, 2026
Host: David Brancaccio

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the economic and community impact of increased ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity in Minnesota, particularly in the area of St. Cloud, home to a large Somali American community. Business owners, workers, and industry leaders describe how the immigration crackdown affects daily operations, consumer behavior, and employee wellbeing. The episode also includes a brief segment on volatile gold prices and a preview of the upcoming Winter Olympics’ economic outlook.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Minnesota Business Leaders Respond to ICE Activity

• Over 60 CEOs from major Minnesota companies (including 3M, Best Buy, General Mills, and Target) signed a letter demanding officials de-escalate the situation after deadly shootings by immigration agents in Minnesota.
• This marks a shift from previous silence among business leaders on the issue.
• [00:46] David Brancaccio: "More than 60 CEOs there have now signed and sent a letter calling for federal, state and local officials to de-escalate. Now this is a turnabout. Last week here we had discussed so many Minnesota business leaders staying quiet amid the situation."

2. Impact on Small and Immigrant-Owned Businesses in St. Cloud

• Businesses frequented by immigrants are experiencing dramatically fewer customers, as members of the immigrant community are scared to leave their homes due to fear of ICE raids and detentions.
• Owners and employees (even those in the US legally) are afraid to come to work.
• [01:57] Kirstine Marrone: "Owners I spoke to say they're struggling with two problems. First, businesses that cater to immigrants are seeing fewer customers. People are scared to leave their homes and venture out for fear of being stopped and detained by ICE."
• New York Gyro, a popular St. Cloud restaurant, has seen business decline:
  • [02:27] Haseeb Azam (co-owner): "We have a lot of, like, mixed customers, like Mexican, Somali and white. But right now most of them, the white customer, they come, but now Somali, no, Mexican, nothing."
• Employees fear for their safety, resulting in owners working 12-13 hour days to stay afloat.
  • [02:43] Kirstine Marrone: "Azzam says he and his co-owners are working 12 to 13 hour days just to keep the restaurant going."
• Some businesses have closed temporarily or reduced hours due to lack of staff and fears for employee safety.
  • [03:05] Kirstine Marrone: "Some have already temporarily closed their doors or reduced hours due to staffing shortages or out of concern for their employees."

3. Community Adaptations & Atmosphere Shift

• Star City Mall, a hub for Somali-owned businesses, has become quieter:
  • [03:48] Abdeh Dasani: "They already see the impact. They see less people showing up to just hang out there, maybe more pick up than sitting down and enjoying their meal or even just socializing with people."
• Restaurants have adapted by drawing blinds, locking doors, and using volunteers to control entry for customer safety and reassurance.
  • [04:04] Kirstine Marrone: "At one restaurant in Minneapolis, the blinds are now drawn and the front door is locked and a volunteer sits inside to open it for customers."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:57] Kirstine Marrone (on business atmosphere):
  "The owners I spoke to say they're struggling with two problems. First, businesses that cater to immigrants are seeing fewer customers. People are scared to leave their homes and venture out for fear of being stopped and detained by ICE."

• [02:33] Haseeb Azam (co-owner, New York Gyro):
  "Right now most of them, the white customer, they come, but now Somali, no, Mexican, nothing."

• [03:48] Abdeh Dasani (Somali American business owner):
  "They already see the impact. They see less people showing up to just hang out there, maybe more pick up than sitting down and enjoying their meal or even just socializing with people."

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:46 — Introduction to the ICE crackdown’s impact on business; CEO letter of protest
• 01:49 — Interview with Kirstine Marrone about St. Cloud businesses
• 02:19 — On-the-ground report at New York Gyro; owner’s perspective on customer dropoff
• 03:05 — Effects on restaurant hours and staffing due to employee fears
• 03:24 — Star City Mall, community response, and adaptations
• 04:04 — Security measures at Minneapolis restaurants

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Additional Segments

Gold Prices and Market Volatility [04:23–05:37]

• Gold hits a record high ($5,100/oz), up 2% today, with a 64% increase over the previous year.
• Reasons include central bank demand, dollar weakness, Federal Reserve rate cuts, tariffs, and global trade uncertainty.
• The VIX (volatility index) is up after trade war threats but fell as those threats receded.
  • [04:33] Nova Safo: "Precious metals, especially gold, are up because demand is up. Last year, gold prices rose 64%, the most since 1979."

Winter Olympics Economic Impact Preview [06:39–08:04]

• NBCUniversal has sold out all advertising slots for the Winter Olympics in northern Italy.
• Economic impact for Olympic host cities is mixed; Milan-Cortina expected to yield just slightly more revenue than expense (~$6B).
  • [07:30] Michael Clark: "The cost associated with hosting the Olympics tends to be considerably higher than the benefits cities receive."
  • [07:52] Kiki Kaplanid: "They are expecting to make a little bit more money than they spend, but not much more..."

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Summary

This episode highlights the stark economic and human effects of immigration enforcement in Minnesota’s small businesses, painting a picture of fear, adaptation, and prominent civic pushback from corporate leaders. Complemented by a quick look at financial market anxieties and the Olympic Games’ looming presence on the business landscape, listeners leave with a sense of both regional upheavals and larger economic shifts affecting the start of 2026.

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Transcript

[Narrator/Host]

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[David Brancaccio]

Business is caught in the immigration crackdown I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles following deadly shootings by immigration agents in Minnesota. More than 60 CEOs there have now signed and send a letter calling for federal, state and local officials to de escalate. Now this is a turnabout. Last week here we had discussed so many Minnesota business leaders staying quiet amid the situation. Among the CEOs who put their names on this new letter William Brown of 3M, Corey Barry of Best Buy, General Mills, Jeff Harmening and Target's incoming chief executive, Michael Fidelke. Advocates for stricter border enforcement argue the policies over time could mean better jobs for legal workers. But in Minnesota, some business businesses have closed or reduced hours, with employees and customers concerned about getting caught up in raids and protests. Kirstine Marrone is a correspondent with Minnesota Public Radio. Same company as us. She's been reporting from St. Cloud, population 70,000, a city that includes a large Somali American population. Hi, Kirsty.

[Kirstine Marrone]

Hi, David. Thanks for having me.

[David Brancaccio]

You've been going into businesses facing immigration searches and detentions. What are you hearing?

[Kirstine Marrone]

The owners I spoke to say they're struggling with two problems. First, businesses that cater to immigrants are seeing fewer customers. People are scared to leave their homes and venture out for fear of being stopped and detained by ice. I stopped in at New York Gyro, a popular restaurant in St. Cloud. Usually at lunchtime, it's full of hungry customers craving its halal pita sandwiches and kebabs.

[Narrator/Host]

But last week, as you can see, very slow. Very, very slow, especially for the last couple weeks.

[Kirstine Marrone]

That's co owner Haseeb Azam. He told me that the recent ICE activity in St. Cloud is scaring people away.

[Narrator/Host]

We have a lot of, like mixed customers, like Mexican, Somali and white. But right now most of them, the white customer, they come, but now Somali, no, Mexican, nothing.

[Kirstine Marrone]

And the other issue for businesses is that some employees are afraid to come to work even if they are in the US Legally. Azzam says he and his co owners are working 12 to 13 hour days just to keep the restaurant going.

[David Brancaccio]

13 hour days, is that sustainable? I mean, not every business could pull those hours off longer term.

[Kimberly Adams]

That's right.

[Kirstine Marrone]

In fact, some have already temporarily closed their doors or reduced hours due to staffing shortages or out of concern for their employees. Restaurants are doing more takeout and delivery orders as fewer customers want to linger for long periods in public places. I visited Star City Mall in St.

[Kimberly Adams]

Cloud.

[Kirstine Marrone]

It's a strip mall with several Somali owned businesses. There's a clinic, pharmacy, grocery store, several cafes. Dozens of ICE agents clashed with protesters in the mall's parking lot last week. And a few days later, it was noticeably quieter than usual. I met Abdeh Dasani there. He's a Somali American business owner and also a Democratic candidate for the Minnesota Legislature.

[Narrator/Host]

I was talking to some of the business people here and they already see the impact. They see less people showing up to just hang out there, maybe more pick up than sitting down and enjoying their meal or even just socializing with people.

[Kirstine Marrone]

And we're also seeing some businesses adapting the way they operate. So at one restaurant in Minneapolis, the blinds are now drawn and the front door is locked and a volunteer sits inside to open it for customers.

[David Brancaccio]

Minnesota Public Radio reporter Kirsty Marone in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, thank you very much.

[Kirstine Marrone]

You're welcome, David.

[David Brancaccio]

Gold's hit a record high. Over $5,100 an ounce now up 2% today. This means some investors are nervous. Marketplace's Nova Safo has that prices for.

[Nova Safo]

Precious metals, especially gold, are up because demand is up. Last year, gold prices rose 64%, the most since 1979. Central banks are buying gold, as are traders looking to diversify away from the US Dollar, which has weakened against other currencies. Part of this has to do with the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts. It also has to do with the higher tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and global uncertainty around trade policies. The VIX volatility index, Wall Street's fear gauge, is up 17% just this month. It peaked last week as President Trump was ratcheting up threats over a new trade war with European countries over his desire to acquire Greenland. He backed off those threats and the Vix fell. I'm NovaSafo for Marketplace.

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[David Brancaccio]

Where the weather forced many to skate and to slide, let's turn to the business of the winter oly, which begin February 6th in Northern Italy. Here's Marketplace's Kimberly Adams.

[Kimberly Adams]

NBCUniversal, which has the rights to air the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the US Says it sold out all its advertising slots by early January, setting what the company calls a new ad sales record. Beth Mahalik teaches corporate communications at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

[Kirstine Marrone]

Audiences are really drawn to the allure, to the pageantry, to the stories of.

[Kimberly Adams]

Triumph and traged of the Olympic Games.

[Kirstine Marrone]

And brands recognize that.

[Kimberly Adams]

But in terms of economic impact, for Olympic host cities, it can be hit or miss. Michael Clark directs the center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Kentucky.

[Narrator/Host]

When researchers have looked at this, they generally tend to see that the cost associated with hosting the Olympics tends to be considerably higher than the benefits that the cities receive.

[Kimberly Adams]

Early estimates say the Milan Cortina Games will Yield More than $6 billion in economic impact. Kiki Kaplanid runs the Department of Sports Management at the University of Florida.

[Kirstine Marrone]

They are expecting to make a little bit more money than they spend, but not much more compared to if you look at all the expenditure and what goes into building facilities and all that stuff.

[Kimberly Adams]

The Winter Olympics will run from February 6th to the 22nd, and the Paralympic Winter Games are starting up March 6th. In Washington, I'm Kimberly Adams for Marketplace Curling.

[David Brancaccio]

That's what I'm going to be watching. In Los Angeles, I'm David Brancaccio, Marketplace.

[Narrator/Host]

Morning Report.

[David Brancaccio]

From APM American Public Media.

[Rima Reis]

I'm Rima Reis, and this week on this Is Uncomfortable, fellow podcaster and host of Scamfluencers Sarah Haggie joins me to sort out your work drama. We answer your questions about scammy bosses, managing workplace friendships and coworkers who pushed boundaries a little too far. I'm going to stay at your place for a bit while I'm breaking up and obviously I'll need a key. And that is how you get a squatter. Listen to this is Uncomfortable on your favorite podcast.

[Narrator/Host]

Applause.