Multiple Minneapolis schools closed by hoax threat

February 2, 2026

Columbia Heights schools near Minneapolis closed on Monday following a bomb threat, though no suspicious devices were found. The closures occurred amid ongoing protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minnesota, which have resulted in thousands of federal agents detaining both undocumented immigrants and some U.S. citizens. The situation intensified after five-year-old Liam Ramos was detained and two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration officials during protests in January.

Who is affected

Students and staff at Columbia Heights Public Schools district
Five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father (detained, then released)
U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti (shot and killed by federal immigration officials)
Ian Davis Austin and Jerome Deangelo Richardson (arrested in connection with church protest)
Don Lemon and eight other co-defendants (charged with conspiracy and other crimes)
Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents (placed on leave)
Undocumented immigrants and some U.S. citizens detained by ICE in Minnesota
Protesters across Minnesota and other U.S. cities

What action is being taken

More than 3,000 federal immigration officers are operating in Minnesota as part of an ongoing federal immigration surge
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into Alex Pretti's death
Protests against ICE are continuing in Minnesota and across the U.S.
Classes are resuming on Tuesday at Columbia Heights schools

Why it matters

This situation represents a significant escalation in immigration enforcement that is affecting entire communities, not just undocumented immigrants. The fact that U.S. citizens have been both detained and killed during these operations raises serious civil rights concerns and has sparked widespread public outcry. The bomb threat targeting schools in an area with high ICE activity demonstrates the climate of fear and tension, while the deaths of two U.S. citizen protesters and the detention of a five-year-old child have galvanized national attention and opposition to the administration's immigration tactics.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC