In the heart of Minneapolis, a powerful movement is unfolding, with businesses and residents standing united against a chilling backdrop. The city is preparing for a day of protest, a day to send a strong message.
Despite the bitter cold forecast, the spirit of resistance burns bright. Organizers are calling for a complete shutdown: no work, no school, and no shopping. Several businesses have pledged to close their doors, joining a civil action that is more than just a protest.
Larry Weiss, a retired resident, patrols his block alongside his wife, determined to show that the community will not be broken. "This is about more than the weather," he asserts. "They're trying to divide us, but we won't let them."
Posters calling for statewide action and promoting the protest march and rally adorn the windows near the University of Minnesota. In the LynLake area, businesses have taken a bold stand, posting signs that clearly state: Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs, as well as Border Patrol, are not welcome without a valid judicial warrant.
"Everyone is welcome here, except I.C.E.," reads a sign on the door of Wrecktangle Pizza, a sentiment that resonates throughout the city.
The catalyst for this movement was the tragic shooting of 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer, an event that has left the city reeling. Three weeks on, the defiance of Minneapolis' residents remains unwavering.
Jeff Rogers, one of the owners of Wrecktangle Pizza, explains that the restaurant industry is suffocating under ICE's presence. "It's tearing our community apart. We've seen the evidence, and it's horrific. We cannot stand for this."
Beckett's, a nearby sports bar, has also decided to close its doors in support of the protest. Frank, one of the managers, expresses concern for his immigrant co-workers, many of whom are living in fear.
"We have cooks who haven't come in for a month because they're afraid. We're doing our best to support them, but they still need to pay their bills," he says.
Craig, a local businessman, has canceled all his Friday appointments to show his support. He shares that one of his co-workers, of Hmong descent, has experienced a high level of ICE activity in his neighborhood. "I may not know how fearful he is, but I am fearful for him."
Craig has taken it upon himself to offer a safe haven for international students from the University of Minnesota, locking his business' door to provide a sense of security.
In response to the planned protest, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, issued a statement via email: "The fact that these groups want to shut down Minnesota's economy, which provides an honest living for law-abiding American citizens, to fight for illegal alien murderers, rapists, gang members, pedophiles, drug dealers, and terrorists speaks volumes."
However, Greg Bovino, Border Patrol's commander-at-large, and Marcos Charles, ICE's executive director of enforcement and removal operations, defended their actions, boasting about the arrests of over 3,000 people in the Minneapolis region since last month, including some of the most dangerous offenders, they claim.
In the neighborhood where Renee Nicole Good was shot, the streets are blanketed in snow. On Wednesday, a group of drivers and pedestrians broke the icy silence with a burst of whistles and car horns, following a group of vehicles they believed belonged to federal agents. The commotion eventually subsided.
Despite the harsh winter weather, residents have been vigilant, monitoring ICE and Border Patrol agents' actions throughout the week.
A massive network of volunteers has emerged, with thousands stepping up to act as rapid responders and provide support akin to natural disaster relief efforts.
Jeff Rogers' business, for example, has been providing free frozen pizzas to immigrant families for every pizza purchased. This donation drive began after a confrontation with federal agents who were refused entry to the restaurant.
The restaurant has even shortened its hours to accommodate the increased demand for donations and meal kits.
On Wednesday, Rogers announced on social media that the restaurant had raised $200,000, which will be used to support other nonprofits while continuing to provide frozen pizzas and meal kits to families in need.
At Dios Habla Hoy church in south Minneapolis, volunteers are busy stacking small bags of flour and other staples, a scene reminiscent of post-disaster relief operations.
Sergio Amezcua, the church's pastor, has a network of 4,000 volunteers who help distribute food to families in need, many of whom are immigrants afraid to leave their homes due to the threat of arrest by federal officers.
On Wednesday, the church delivered boxes to 1,500 families in just six hours, with the help of about 300 volunteers.
"This is a humanitarian crisis in Minnesota," Amezcua says. "Our response honors Renee Good. Her life will not be forgotten. She will be a hero for our community."
Aside from donation drives, other residents are showing their support for the immigrant community in unique ways. A community singing group has been performing at the site where Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot, bringing a sense of beauty and solace to a difficult place.
"It's a sacred and challenging spot," says Timothy Frantzich of the Perfection-Free Community Singing Circle. "But if we can bring something beautiful, perhaps we can bring a touch of beauty to this difficult place."
One of the singers, Z. Brown, shares her feelings of helplessness and the desire to do something in the wake of Good's death and the recent enforcement actions impacting her immigrant neighbors.
"There's an uncomfortable truth here. Those who don't look like me, a white woman, can't come out and support the community for fear of being aggressively targeted by ICE. It's important that we, as white people, can be here and occupy this space. We feel we must do this because so many are hiding right now."
The movement in Minneapolis is a powerful statement, a call for change, and a reminder that communities can come together to fight for what they believe in, even in the face of adversity.
