St. Paul woman in turmoil after ICE detains husband unexpectedly

ICE protests continue in Minneapolis, agents swarmed near Karmel Mall

A chaotic situation between federal immigration enforcement officials and protesters erupted on Monday in Minneapolis, with one witness telling FOX 9 that a family member was taken into custody. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard spoke with one woman who says her husband had been detained.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A St. Paul woman is reeling after her husband was unexpectedly taken into ICE custody, despite his ongoing path to U.S. citizenship.

ICE arrest shocks family

What we know:

Hadarane Demba Ka, a 35-year-old Senegalese citizen, was detained by ICE agents while stopping for gas on his way to work at Norflex in Hudson. His wife, Nadia Ka, says he was on a path to citizenship and had no significant legal issues, only minor traffic infractions and parking tickets.

Nadia Ka expressed her disbelief, stating, "I packed him a lunch for work, and I said, ‘I'll see you later’. And you just never know that maybe that's going to be the last time you see that person."

Nadia recounted how she found his car still at the pump after employees informed her that ICE agents had taken him away. "This is really inhumane because they say on the news that they're going after criminals and bad people. And this is the opposite of that," she said.

The backstory:

Hadarane has lived in the United States for ten years and has been married to Nadia for three years, she said. He has an extensive work history, including working in St. Paul schools through Zen Educate, where a spokesperson said they check immigration status. He also works at Norflex, a metal fabricator.

Nadia is trying to remain positive despite the situation, saying, "I'm just really trying to be positive and trying to be strong with a little bit of strength I have left. But I hope that America gets back to normal."

What we don't know:

The specific reasons for Hadarane's detention remain unclear, as ICE has not provided detailed information about his arrest.