BEMIDJI, Minn. — A northern Minnesota roofing contractor says his company lost the majority of its workforce after a federal immigration enforcement operation at a Bemidji townhouse development resulted in the detention of numerous workers.
The operation took place June 11 at the Vista North townhouse community, where crews were repairing roofs damaged by the powerful 2025 derecho that swept through the region. According to witnesses and company representatives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents entered the neighborhood and detained workers at multiple locations throughout Bemidji, including the roofing jobsite.
Ryan Lamusga, owner of Rhino Roofing and Siding of Nisswa, said his company had approximately 30 workers on site before the operation. After the arrests, he estimated only seven members of his workforce remained available to continue work.
“It was chaotic,” Lamusga told local media, describing agents moving throughout the neighborhood and around active job sites.
Witnesses reported that some workers jumped from roofs and ran into nearby wooded areas after seeing federal agents arrive. Residents described a scene involving multiple law enforcement vehicles and agents moving quickly through the development.
According to Lamusga, more than 20 workers connected to his company were detained during the operation. He said he has struggled to determine where some workers were taken and has been attempting to locate them and understand their legal status. Reports indicate some detainees were transferred to county jails that contract with ICE to house immigration detainees.
Federal officials have not publicly released a total number of arrests connected to the Bemidji operation.
State Rep. Bidal Duran, whose district includes Bemidji, said ICE informed him the enforcement action was a targeted operation focused on individuals with prior removal orders or other immigration violations. Duran stated that federal officials indicated the individuals they were seeking had been taken into custody and that no additional operations were planned in the area at this time.
Local officials emphasized that neither the City of Bemidji nor local law enforcement agencies participated in the arrests. Mayor Jorge Prince stated that city officials received only limited advance notice of the operation, while Beltrami County officials said local deputies did not assist with enforcement actions.
The arrests have generated concern among area residents. Several homeowners in the Vista North development reported witnessing the detentions and expressed sympathy for workers who had been repairing roofs in the neighborhood. Some residents organized fundraising efforts to assist affected families and workers following the operation.
The incident has also highlighted the roofing industry’s ongoing workforce challenges. Like many contractors across the country, roofing companies frequently rely on immigrant labor to address labor shortages and meet seasonal demand, particularly following major storm events. The sudden loss of a large portion of a workforce can significantly impact project schedules, customer service, and storm recovery efforts.
For Rhino Roofing and Siding, the immediate impact was substantial. Lamusga said the company’s workforce was reduced by more than 75%, forcing the contractor to seek additional workers while attempting to continue roofing projects already underway.
The Bemidji operation comes amid increased immigration enforcement activity at construction and roofing job sites nationwide. Earlier enforcement actions in other states have similarly disrupted roofing projects and raised questions about workforce availability within the construction industry.
As of publication, ICE had not released detailed information regarding the identities of those detained or the specific outcomes of the Bemidji enforcement operation.
