Tipsheet

Is the Minneapolis City Council Going to Punish Businesses That Accommodated ICE?

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  February 17, 2026 11:15 AM

Just a couple of days ago, Democrats were sounding the alarm that the anti-ICE protests in the city had cost it $200 million in revenue.

Here's more:

Minneapolis officials said on Friday that Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement deployment by the Trump administration, cost the city at least $203 million.

The statement came Friday as the White House began winding down the operation across Minnesota following months of occupation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, and emergency management officials detailed losses to wages, restaurants and small businesses, housing stability, food security, and mental health services as agents surged personnel into the metro beginning in December 2025.

The assessment also comes as calls for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to resign in the face of the operation that resulted in the deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti continue.

But ICE is not the reason the city took an economic hit. Democrats harassed hotels into refusing ICE agents, Leftists mobs made noise outside hotels which surely kept tourists away, and they also told businesses to close their doors on January 23.

But for all the pearl-clutching, it appears the Minneapolis City Council might just be poised to punish businesses who housed ICE agents during the surge. 

Two weeks ago, the Council delayed reapproval of those licenses, according to Alpha News.

Here's more:

The Minneapolis City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to approve liquor licenses for two hotels that reportedly housed ICE agents during Operation Metro Surge. The council previously delayed reapproval of those licenses two weeks ago.

On Feb. 3, council members sent a slate of liquor licenses on to the next stage of approval. However, two of those licenses were pulled out of the group and scheduled for a later vote. Those two licenses belonged to Canopy by Hilton and The Depot.

At that council meeting, the Minneapolis city attorney said the city found that the hotels in question “comply with all applicable liquor licensing laws and ordinances and regulations, and therefore they are eligible to have the license renewed.”

Despite this, council members moved to delay the liquor licenses for both hotels. In short, council members claimed that ICE agents had stayed at those hotels, and that ICE agents are known to use hotel bars to get drunk and engage in illegal behavior.

But remember: President Trump is the authoritarian who will weaponize government against his political opponents.

Yes, it is. Pure political corruption.

Seems that way.

There's even a political group pushing to revoke the liquor licenses.

There it is, in full color.

The lawsuits are coming.

There must be punishment for cooperating with ICE.