St. Paul man arrested in ICE surge sent to Guantanamo Bay

Immigration authorities sent Adam Abdullah, who was living legally in the Twin Cities when federal agents pulled him over in December, to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This photo was taken on July 25, 2025, after he checked in with ICE. Courtesy photo

Immigration authorities have sent a Somali man arrested in St. Paul to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Adam Abdullah was living legally in the Twin Cities when federal agents pulled him over in December.

Abdullah has no criminal record, but the government is holding him at a military prison set up for terrorism suspects.

“When they come to me, and I ask them why you pulled me over, they say, ‘We are immigration, so give me your work permit,’” Abdullah said. “And I asked them, ‘Do you have a warrant, and what’s the reason to pull me over?’ And they say, ‘We don’t need a warrant; we are immigration, and we know you are Adam Abdullah.’”