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A construction worker was removed from the south side of Lake Bemidji, Thursday, after jumping into the water to flee U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. 

The man swam approximately 100 yards from shore before being apprehended, according to a release from Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin.

Mastin said the federal agency informed the Bemidji Police Department beforehand that it planned to conduct “targeted enforcement efforts” in the Bemidji area looking for “specific individuals.” Bemidji Police officers responded to the south side of Lake Bemidji to a report of “numerous people running from the area with one individual in the water,” at approximately 11:30 a.m.  

According to the release, other “individuals of interest” were also taken into custody by ICE. However, it does not state how many people were detained in total.

Thursday’s immigration operation appears to have targeted a construction crew repairing the SouthShore Hotel. The hotel is being renovated following last June’s derecho storm, which caused millions of dollars in damages to buildings within the city and public infrastructure. It’s owned by David Hanson, who is also the Beltrami County Attorney. It’s operated by Lakeside Management, Inc. 

The management company released a statement following the incident, which said masked agents exited vehicles in the hotel parking lot and approached workers on their lunch break. As a result, some of the workers ran, including the individual who jumped into the lake. While that person was arrested after being pulled from the water, it is unknown “what the person was arrested for or if they will be charged with anything.”

According to the release, the arrest was not made on SouthShore Hotel property.

“Lakeside Management, Inc. is not aware of any other arrests that occurred from this incident,” the release said. “The person arrested was not an employee of [the] hotel or Lakeside Management, Inc.”

Stronghouse, formerly Options Exteriors, is the general contractor hired by Lakeside Management for the hotel project. The management company said because employment and immigration records are private, it is unable to “independently verify legal employment status of the employees of contractors and sub-contractors.” However, it said Stronghouse has ensured that all of the general contractor’s employees and subcontractors working at the site have full legal employment status.

Lakeside Management, Inc. said Stronghouse checked all of its workers and subcontractors as recently as last week. And it is actively in the process of “vetting all of their employees and subcontractors.” 

Chief Mastin said further information about the incident can be obtained through the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.

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Mathew Holding Eagle III

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A construction worker tried swimming away from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during a targeted operation at the SouthSide Hotel near Lake Bemidji on Thursday.

Construction worker arrested after swimming away from ICE agents on Lake Bemidji

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