ST. PAUL, Minn. (Diya TV) — A 23-year-old St. Paul woman who is a U.S. citizen returned home Friday night after spending more than two days in federal immigration detention, an incident that has sparked outrage among state leaders and renewed questions about immigration enforcement practices in Minnesota. Nasra Ahmed, who was born in Minnesota and raised in St. Paul, was released without charges after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents earlier this week. Her family and a state lawmaker say the experience left her shaken, humiliated, and traumatized.
Ahmed was detained around 11 a.m. Wednesday, as she left her apartment complex on Lower Afton Road in St. Paul. According to her family and state Rep. Samakab Hussein, two ICE agents forced her into a vehicle. Neighbors recorded the encounter on video and tried to intervene on her behalf. Ahmed was on her way to pick up prescription medication, her family said. She suffers from seizures and requires regular medical care. A review of Minnesota court records shows she has no criminal history.
“She went home traumatized, not eating, not talking, pissed off,” Hussein said. “She feels that she got kidnapped. The law is not protecting her. She was humiliated.”
After Ahmed disappeared, her father, Mohamed Ahmed, struggled to find out where she was being held. He contacted Hussein for help. The lawmaker traced her location to the Sherburne County Jail, which houses detainees for ICE, and later to Fort Snelling. Mohamed Ahmed said he could not speak with his daughter in person on Thursday. The lack of clear information added to the family’s fear and frustration.
“I don’t know what to say other than to make her comfortable,” Hussein said. “She’s devastated. They treated her with no respect.”
In Minnesota, people detained by law enforcement usually must receive a probable cause hearing within 48 hours or be released. Federal detainees generally must be released within 72 hours if no charges are filed.
On Friday morning, a jail roster listed Ahmed as being held pending federal felony charges. The listing did not include details. By Friday evening, authorities released her without filing any charges. Hussein said Sherburne County transferred Ahmed back to Fort Snelling before her release around 7:45 p.m. He said he spoke with her attorney, a federal public defender, earlier that day.
“I said, ‘They’ve been holding onto a U.S. citizen for over 48 hours. What’s the deal?” Hussein said. “He said, ‘There’s been a lot of changes. Everyone I know has resigned.’”
The case has raised serious concerns about how federal immigration enforcement handles U.S. citizens. Civil rights advocates say mistaken or unjustified detentions damage public trust and cause lasting harm. Ahmed’s family says she now fears leaving her home. She has struggled to eat and speak since her release. They worry about the impact of the detention on her health, especially given her seizure condition.
“This should never happen to anyone, especially a U.S. citizen,” Hussein said. “We need answers.”
Hussein and others are calling for a full explanation from federal authorities. They want to know why ICE agents detained Ahmed, why she appeared on a roster with pending felony charges, and why officials released her without charges days later.
As of Saturday, ICE officials had not publicly commented on the case. The incident comes amid heightened tension around immigration enforcement nationwide. Lawmakers and advocates say the Ahmed case highlights the risk of overreach and the need for stronger safeguards. For Ahmed and her family, the focus remains on healing.
“She’s home now,” Hussein said. “But the damage is real. This is something she will carry with her for a long time.”
The case continues to draw attention across Minnesota as residents and officials ask how a young U.S. citizen could end up in federal immigration detention — and what steps will prevent it from happening again.
