Minnesota Shows Us That Resisting ICE Works

As we collectively mourn the recent deaths of innocent observers in Minnesota, our federal government has repeatedly told us that ICE’s brutal actions in the state are justified. Presumably, they want us to grieve quietly, feel helpless, and eventually give up. But we need to recognize that something else has happened in Minnesota. It’s a part of the story we cannot afford to lose: resistance against ICE is working. I’ve spent decades organizing across the country, and the current depth of community resistance is unlike anything I have ever witnessed. Minnesota is putting on a masterclass in peacefully defending a democracy against authoritarians. Now, the Trump Administration is expected to scale back ICE operations in the state. As the Trump Administration potentially targets other communities across the nation, Americans need to take a cue from Minnesota. The community solidarity shown in Minneapolis has been nothing short of astounding—and ICE has struggled to circumvent it. Neighbors are patrolling Minneapolis’ streets, watching for unmarked vehicles. At the sound of a whistle, people pour outside—filming, documenting, refusing to let agents operate in silence. Legal observers stand for hours in the bitter cold outside schools, childcare centers, and businesses. Troves of people are collecting food to deliver to families too afraid to leave their homes. Neighbors have planned economic shutdowns, mass protests, and sustained actions that clearly demonstrate we will not cooperate with the destruction of our communities. High school students have walked out of class, and elders have turned up to protests in the frigid cold. Thousands have demonstrated in below-zero temperatures—conditions that make it difficult to breathe, let alone protest. Meanwhile, interfaith networks—which have been built over decades—have come into full force. Pastors, priests, rabbis, and imams are in the streets, courthouses, and places of worship defending immigrant communities.  This resistance is not random. It is disciplined. It is effective.  And it is deeply rooted in diverse community relationships—between neighbors, faith leaders, unions, mutual aid networks, organizers, and more. Across race, culture, language, age, and religion, there is a deepening sense of shared community, resilient hope, and democratic renewal that will long endure. And that will have far more impact than the scourge of the federal government and its agents in our streets and neighborhoods. ICE agents may have hoped that their violence would weaken these community bonds and dissuade us from showing up. We won’t let that happen. History has shown us that when people mount a powerful, peaceful resistance, change is possible. And now, the Trump Administration is reconsidering ICE operations in Minnesota. They’ve reorganized ICE leadership and agreed to consider reducing the number of federal agents in the state.  But make no mistake: The danger remains high. As we have learned from the recent deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, ICE has a propensity for violence. We are in an incredibly precarious period in this country, and no one should pretend otherwise. If people do not step up now, the future will be even more dangerous. The Trump Administration has already shown it has no qualms about eroding due process protections. If we don’t push back now, the administration could feel free to ignore constitutional rights; masked agents will continue wreaking havoc on neighborhoods without fear of accountability; and we will risk losing more friends, neighbors, and beloved community members. It has long been said that the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice. But the universe does not bend towards justice on its own. It bends because people push together. And right now, across this country, people are pushing back against ICE with unprecedented energy and moral clarity.  It is working. We can’t let up.