Thousands Brave Subzero Cold in Minnesota to Protest ICE Crackdown

In bone-chilling temperatures dipping to –23°C, thousands of demonstrators converged on Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and downtown Minneapolis on Friday to protest the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement operations across Minnesota. About 100 clergy members were arrested at the airport for trespassing and failing to comply with police orders after they moved beyond their permitted protest area to disrupt deportation flights. The faith leaders, released with misdemeanor citations, aimed to pressure airlines to halt participation in what the Department of Homeland Security describes as its largest-ever immigration crackdown.

The rallies, organized by labor unions, progressive groups, and over 100 participating organizations, called for ICE to leave Minnesota entirely. Protesters have gathered daily in the Twin Cities since January 7, following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother of three Renee Good by an ICE officer. Her death, classified as a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, has fueled widespread outrage. An independent autopsy revealed multiple gunshot wounds, including one that pierced her head. An FBI supervisory agent reportedly resigned over perceived pressure to limit the investigation into the killing.

High-profile incidents involving children have intensified the anger. A 2-year-old girl, a U.S.-born citizen with pending asylum ties through her parents, was detained with her father outside their South Minneapolis home and flown to Texas despite a federal judge’s order barring out-of-state transfer. She was reunited with her mother the next day after legal intervention. Similarly, 5-year-old Liam Ramos was detained with his father in Columbia Heights, with conflicting accounts: DHS claimed the father abandoned the child during arrest, while the family’s attorney argued the mother feared detention and refused entry to agents.

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Organizers reported over 700 businesses statewide closed in solidarity, from small bookstores to the iconic Guthrie Theater. Rev. Mariah Furness Tollgaard of Hamline Church, arrested at the airport, vowed to return for a prayer vigil, declaring, “We cannot abide living under this federal occupation of Minnesota.” Protesters, including those traveling from out of state, braved the Arctic conditions to highlight what they called immoral federal actions.

The demonstrations reflect growing resistance to intensified enforcement, with community members tracking ICE movements and confronting agents. As rallies continue, faith leaders, families, and activists demand an end to operations they view as tearing apart communities in subzero winter.

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