Bismarck residents gathered Friday outside the William L. Guy Federal Building to protest increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the area, with approximately 75 people voicing opposition to recent detainments. The demonstration followed a surge in ICE activity this week, including two arrests that prompted a local Mexican restaurant to temporarily close.
The owner of Charras and Tequila posted on Facebook Wednesday that two of their employees were detained by ICE. The social media post by the unidentified owner asserted that these employees possessed documentation authorizing them to work in the U.S. The owner expressed deep concern for the employees and their families, stating that many workers were fearful to report to work, even those legally present. The restaurant remained closed Friday, having planned to shut down for several days. Both the owner and St. Paul attorney Nico Ratkowski, who is representing the employees, declined interview requests on Friday.
An ICE spokesperson confirmed Friday that the two employees had entered the U.S. illegally and lacked legal status to remain in the country. The spokesperson stated they would remain in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings, clarifying that "work authorization or a pending application does NOT confer legal status."
According to a North Dakota Monitor review on Friday afternoon, 19 individuals arrested by ICE this week were in custody at the Burleigh-Morton Detention Center. The Bismarck Tribune, which had also been tracking the situation, reported more than two dozen ICE detainees in the jail earlier in the week.
Burleigh County Sheriff Kelly Leben confirmed that his office had been notified in advance of the immigration enforcement operations. Sheriff Leben characterized these actions as targeted enforcement, based on intelligence, and what he would consider "routine enforcement." He noted that the sheriff's office monitored and provided limited assistance during the operations due to existing tensions across the U.S. regarding immigration enforcement, emphasizing their "very limited role" in the process. U.S. Attorney for North Dakota Nick Chase stated Friday that his office has not filed any criminal cases related to the recent ICE arrests in Bismarck, adding that only a small percentage of ICE detainments typically result in criminal charges.
Among those protesting, Sonja Mahlum of Bismarck expressed her view that ICE is "out of control," asserting that "They are not going after the worst of the worst." Rachel Patrie, another Bismarck resident at the rally, emphasized the importance of due process rights for individuals arrested by immigration officers nationwide. Patrie stated a belief that "we have to stand up when things are going wrong in our country" and that individuals making an effort to be in the U.S. legally should be permitted to do so. Fran Joersz of Bismarck attended the protest to voice opposition to the arrests of the Charras workers, as well as to officer-involved shootings elsewhere. Joersz expressed pride in those advocating for immigrant communities and stated a belief that "we should have a path to citizenship."
