Minnesota United player’s ICE fears: “People are scared, we are too”

The tense situation in Minneapolis continues to attract national attention with many residents in a state of constant fear. Professional athletes, like Minnesota United star Joaquín Pereyra, are not immune for those concerns.

Argentinian midfielder Pereyra arrived in Minnesota in August 2024 and has been a regular player for the team over the past 18 months. He came on a P-1A Athlete visa and has since earned a Green Card, making him a permanent resident in the United States.

Nevertheless, the recent shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti have created a climate of fear throughout Minnesota, leaving Pereyra uncertain about his and his wife’s safety.

In a recent interview, Pereyra told Pioneer Press: “People are scared. We are, too.”

“Fewer and fewer people want to be out on the streets because of what might happen to them,” he continued.

He added that he now keeps his Green Card and passport with him at all times: “Whether I’m walking around the neighborhood, at the supermarket, anywhere.”

"Obviously that doesn’t guarantee me anything because we’ve seen on the news that people who have their Green Card and passport in their car, or whatever, are still taken away or treated badly.”

Minnesota United players are now back in preseason training ahead of the start of the 2026 MLS season. In three weeks’ time Minnesota will begin the league campaign with a trip to Austin FC, before their home opener against FC Cincinnati on February 28.

Everyone around the Twin Cities will hope that ICE activity and the subsequent unrest will have eased by then. But even if those federal forces retreat from the city, it may take a while longer for local residents to truly feel safe again.

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