Native-led prayer camp forms outside Whipple ICE lockup
Native activists and allies have set up an Indigenous-led prayer camp outside the Whipple Federal Building ICE detention center at Fort Snelling, turning the lawn into a round‑the‑clock site of ceremony and protest against Operation Metro Surge. Organizers describe the camp as a spiritual response to the federal surge and the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, saying they intend to remain, pray, and monitor who is taken into and released from the facility. The camp adds a visible, sustained presence at the metro’s main ICE lockup at the same time lawsuits, habeas petitions and school walkouts challenge federal tactics across Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Social media posts from the site show drums, banners and elders leading prayers, and emphasize the parallel between historic military occupation at Fort Snelling and today’s heavy federal enforcement presence. For Twin Cities residents, the camp signals that opposition to the surge is not just in courtrooms and at one‑off marches, but is now physically rooted at the place where detainees are cycled in and out of the system.
📌 Key Facts
- Native activists established a prayer camp on Feb. 10, 2026 on the grounds outside ICE’s Whipple detention center at Fort Snelling.
- Camp organizers frame it as an Indigenous ceremonial and political response to Operation Metro Surge and recent federal shootings in Minneapolis.
- The camp operates continuously, with participants praying, observing ICE movements and connecting with families of detainees as broader legal and political fights over the surge continue.
📊 Relevant Data
Fort Snelling was the site of a concentration camp for Dakota people in 1862-1863, where approximately 1,700 Dakota, mostly women, children, and elders, were interned, and hundreds died due to harsh conditions following the U.S.-Dakota War.
US-Dakota War of 1862 — University of Minnesota Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Operation Metro Surge, launched in 2026, has resulted in over 4,000 arrests of criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota, targeting members of gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, with a focus on removing dangerous individuals from communities.
New Milestone in Operation Metro Surge: 4,000+ Criminal Illegals Removed from Minnesota Streets — White House
Since the start of the second Trump administration in 2025, there have been at least 16 shooting incidents involving federal immigration agents, resulting in four deaths and at least seven injuries during enforcement operations.
US immigration agents shot at people 16 times under Trump's second administration – report — The Guardian
Somali immigrants in Minnesota have higher crime rates compared to natives, with specific overrepresentation in certain fraud and gang-related activities.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
Venezuelan migration to the US in the 2020s is driven by political instability, economic collapse, and violence under the Maduro regime, leading to over 7.9 million Venezuelans migrating abroad.
Venezuelan Migration: Past, Present, and Future — Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
Somali migration to the US in the 2020s is driven by ongoing violence, chaos, and tension in Somalia, including threats from groups like al-Shabaab.
US-Somalia deportations: He was an Uber driver in the US, then he was sent back to Mogadishu — BBC
Somali Minnesotans generate over $500 million in income annually and contribute about $67 million in state and local taxes, with an overall economic impact estimated at $8 billion.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
The Alex Pretti incident involved the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old American nurse by two CBP agents during a confrontation at an immigration enforcement protest in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026.
Killing of Alex Pretti — Wikipedia
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