Historic ICE Sweep in Minnesota: 2,000 Agents Deploy in Record Immigration Crackdown

Ice cover on North America’s inland seas is thickening fast, and the scramble to keep people and commerce moving has officially begun. The U.S. Coast Guard launched its annual Operation Coal Shovel on 2 January, deploying icebreakers from southern Lake Huron through the St. Clair–Detroit River system and into Lakes Erie and Ontario in concert with Canadian counterparts. Crews are cutting early-season ice “to keep food, heating fuel and medical supplies flowing to lakeshore communities,” the service said, while also protecting traditional ice bridges used by island residents for winter travel. Why the hurry? According to NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Lake Erie is already 18 percent ice-covered, and Lake St. Clair has surged to 62 percent—levels typical of mid-January, not the first week, signaling an average-to-above-average freeze season for 2025-26. Ice growth is accelerating on Superior, Michigan, Huron and Ontario as a deep Arctic air mass sinks southward. Canada is feeling the pinch as well. Environment Canada issued a special weather statement on 5 January warning of “significant ice accretion” from freezing rain across southern Ontario, with elevated risk of power-line failure and tree damage. The agency cautioned motorists about black-ice-slick highways and urged homeowners to clear drains before rain freezes solid. What heavier ice means this winter 1. Supply-chain pressure: The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway moves more than US$12 billion in grain, ore and manufactured goods each January–March. If ice buildup outpaces breaking capacity, vessels can face multi-day delays or rerouting through costlier rail corridors. 2. Flood mitigation: When river mouths freeze, water backs up and can inundate low-lying neighborhoods. Icebreakers carve channels to relieve that pressure and safeguard shoreline property. 3. Search-and-rescue: Thicker, wind-shattered “brash ice” strands anglers and sledders farther from shore. Ice-choked conditions complicate rescues, so the Coast Guard is urging anyone venturing onto the lakes to carry flotation suits, a GPS-enabled phone and flares. What to expect next • Peak ice arrives in February–March. Historical NOAA “spaghetti plots” suggest total coverage could crest near 60 percent basin-wide if current cold persists. • A mid-January thaw is possible but unlikely to erase existing ice; refreeze often produces deceptively thin layers atop old sheets—hazardous for snowmobiles. • Shipping companies are staggering departures to form convoys behind Coast Guard cutters, reducing individual wait times but tightening delivery windows. Safety checklist for residents and winter-sports enthusiasts ✓ Check real-time ice charts before heading out (NOAA’s GLERL site updates daily). ✓ Avoid marked navigation channels—icebreakers may appear without warning. ✓ Wear layers of moisture-wicking wool and pack a throwable rescue line. ✓ Never assume river ice is safe; current undercutting can make it 30 percent weaker than lake ice at the same thickness. Climate context Great Lakes ice is notoriously volatile: the 2023-24 season peaked at just 16 percent, while 2014 topped 92 percent. Scientists attribute the swings to a warming but highly variable atmosphere that can still deliver brutal Arctic plunges. This winter’s early ice surge follows record-warm Great Lakes water temperatures last August; rapid radiative cooling of that stored heat is now fueling extensive vapor, lake-effect snow and accelerated freeze-up. Bottom line From ferry captains to backyard rink builders, everyone who lives near North America’s freshwater coastlines is watching the ice meter rise. With supply chains at stake and a busy winter-sports calendar underway, the success of Operation Coal Shovel and its Canadian counterparts will determine whether 2026’s deep-freeze is remembered for smooth sailing—or for frigid gridlock locked in ice.