Residents far outside Minneapolis are mobilizing to help their immigrant neighbors
“Metro Surge,” the Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation unleashed on Minnesotans in early December, is the largest single deployment of immigration agents in the history of the country.
In Minnesota, ICE agents are responsible for the murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Good; hundreds of illegal detentions and arrests of United States citizens, children and constitutional observers, and widespread disruption of schools, businesses and constitutional protections.
While the chaos inflicted by ICE agents upon the residents of Minneapolis, St. Paul and surrounding suburbs continues to make national headlines, ICE agents are having a devastating impact in other parts of Minnesota as well. The following dispatches from engaged citizens in five Minnesota towns, document what they have seen and how people in their communities are responding.
Willmar (pop. 21,015) is county seat of Kandiyohi County, 95 miles west of Minneapolis, an agricultural and food production area that is 88% white. It is the home of the Wilmar 8.
“People are scared in Willmar. Entire families are staying home from work and school because they’re afraid of being taken away. It doesn’t even matter if they’re here legally or not; ICE is just randomly targeting Somali and Hispanic people.
“Last week, a 19-year-old honor student at the high school—a Somali girl, Suban Noor, who’s here legally—was pulled out of her car by masked ICE agents and forced into an unmarked vehicle. Her family didn’t hear from her for five days. They had no idea where she was, and only knew she’d been taken because of a video posted online by a bystander. (That video is shared below with the permission of its creator, Jai Villarreal.)
“Two days later, ICE agents ate lunch at a popular Mexican restaurant, then came back after it closed and arrested three employees. Others have been taken during shift changes at Jennie-O, or have been targeted at rural farm sites. It’s been devastating to our agricultural industry.”
Worthington (pop. 13,947) is the county seat of Nobles County in southwestern Minnesota, 224 miles southwest of Minneapolis. The town’s vibrant economy is driven by immigrants from around the world and is 35% white.
“The unwanted entrance of multiple ICE agents in Las Americas, a store in St. James [pop. 4,793, in Watonwan County, Minnesota], blew a strong whistle, loud enough to be heard down south into Worthington and surrounding communities.
“Local ethnic stores in Worthington immediately made a game plan to deliver groceries to vulnerable families, and to secure their front doors for safety. Community organizers came together to establish immediate needs for our immigrant neighbors; they’ve been mobilizing volunteers for various services and informing people of their rights.
“In large, fear is very real. Students are staying home. Families are making plans of ‘what-if’ situations. We’d rather be resting alongside winter but instead we are with eyes wide open.”
Mankato (pop. 44,488), 75 miles southwest of Minneapolis, is the county seat of Blue Earth County, home of Minnesota State University, and 77% white.
“We have a large Latino population because of the meat packing plants around here. I’ve heard about roofing crews trapped on roofs, afraid to come down. People are being pulled over for traffic stops and detained. Observers are out watching for ICE activity. Last week agents sprayed a woman with bear spray because she was asking them questions.
“Last week’s city council got really heated. There was a massive turnout, and it lasted over three hours. People wanted the city to take more robust action, but city officials said their hands are tied.”
Duluth (pop. 88,000) is home to the international Port of Duluth-Superior, the largest freshwater port in North America and the world’s farthest inland port accessible to oceangoing ships, 154 miles from Minneapolis and 84% white.
“Duluth hasn’t seen much of the presence of ICE hunting immigrants, but that doesn’t mean that people are not worried. Are they going to come up here? If so, what will happen? A lot of people are mobilizing, doing Rapid Response training, or Constitutional Observer training.
“Our last city council meeting was very emotionally charged. People don’t want the police to cooperate with ICE, but we’re a major port, and are near the border, and therefore our police work with federal agents to fight violent crime related to drugs, trafficking and more.
“The threats coming from Washington, D.C., to send ICE to all of Minnesota are designed to intimidate and oppress, and these violate many aspects of the law, and the U.S. Constitution.”
Hastings (pop. 22,154), the county seat of Dakota County, is 30 miles southeast of Minneapolis and 88% white.
“We don’t have many immigrants or people of color in Hastings, but ICE is here looking for them, detaining people based on race and economic profiling. They go to factories, mobile home parks, ethnic or fast-food restaurants.
“My son is white, but he has long hair and darker coloring, and I tell him he shouldn’t be out walking the dog alone. That’s the lunacy we’re living in today.
“We started doing weekly protests at a busy corner in April, and still meet every Saturday with homemade signs. We’ve had up to 100 people show up—mostly white, all ages from 20s to 80s.
“Our main impetus isn’t to change minds, but to show people who are most vulnerable that we’re here for you, we’ve got your back. Most passersby honk and give us a thumbs up, but last week a guy driving a snowplow came at us. He saw us while he was waiting at a stoplight, then dropped his plow and pushed a big pile of slush from the gutter right into people.
“No one was seriously hurt, but there were 70 people there. We’re pursuing an investigation into the driver.
“We had three protests this weekend. We had 50 come on Friday, 90 on Saturday and 180 today in Hastings. Several of the signs this weekend reflected the raw emotions felt by many following the murder of Alex Pretti.”
As state and local officials push back against the Trump administration’s political retaliation disguised as immigration enforcement, Minnesotans will continue to resist in myriad creative ways that reflect the flavors of their neighborhoods and communities.
From small towns and farmsteads to the heart of the Twin Cities, as ICE actions become more widespread and egregious, Minnesotans will continue to respond with action, care and solidarity.
For an insight into Minnesotan’s history of rebellion read Winona LaDuke’s essay, “Will Trump Meet His Russian Winter in Minnesota.”
Sherry Kempf is a writer and educator. Her work has appeared in Minnesota Poetry Calendar, ArtWord Quarterly, The Font, Minnesota Parent and River Teeth. She lives in Minneapolis with her family, and is currently seeking representation for her novel, June in Alaska.
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