A Minnesota biotech entrepreneur is bankrolling illegal immigrant households with $29 million in rental assistance after federal agents swept the state and deported convicted criminals — including pedophiles, rapists, and murderers.
John Wilson and other donors stepped in after Operation Metro Surge removed criminals from Minnesota streets, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported Sunday.
Some immigrant families say they’re struggling to pay rent now that the people they depended on for income are gone — deported by ICE for serious felonies.
Wilson’s company, Wilson Wolf Manufacturing, is a leader in cell and gene therapy and is valued at nearly $1 billion. In 2023, Wilson sold nearly 20% of the company for $257 million and created the Wilson Foundation, which had about $80 million in cash as of earlier this year.
“He estimates his foundation has made about 20,000 rent payments, and is continuing to give away about $1 million per week.”
Wilson’s foundation is able to distribute money faster than government programs and with no restrictions, the outlet reported.
ICE officials have been clear about who Operation Metro Surge targeted: convicted pedophiles, rapists, and violent offenders allowed to roam Minnesota streets under the state’s sanctuary policies.
The operation also netted illegal aliens convicted of drunk driving, drug trafficking, burglary, murder, and domestic abuse.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recently offered a bizarre defense of the Trump administration deporting an illegal immigrant child molester he had tried to protect, asking if the deportation actually made the community safer and suggesting “we can’t all be judged by our worst day.”
In March, Democrat lawmakers in Minnesota introduced a bill for a $40 million emergency rental assistance fund to shield people from eviction, Fox 9 reported.
When sharing his concerns about the move, Minnesota state Sen. Steve Drazkowski said the bill would provide over $7,000 per household in Hennepin County — “some of which are very likely illegal aliens because I don’t think ICE was able to scoop up all the illegal aliens in our state.”
Businessman donates $29 million to help Minnesotans pay rent after ICE surge https://t.co/IOoN9RcIMF
— The Minnesota Star Tribune (@StarTribune) July 26, 2026
