South Minneapolis rally targets ICE, sanctuary push
A protest was held Thursday in south Minneapolis near the memorial for Alex Pretti, with organizers demanding Minnesota adopt sanctuary policies and calling for ICE to leave the state.[1]
Organizers PACAT and MIRAC listed demands including bans on immigration enforcement near schools, hospitals and places of worship, visible ID for officers and limits on using state property for immigration operations.[1] Protesters renewed calls for charges in the federal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renée Good and were urged to patronize immigrant-owned restaurants on Nicollet Avenue's Eat Street.[1]
Operation Metro Surge began in December 2025 when the Department of Homeland Security deployed thousands of ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents to the Twin Cities for large-scale immigration enforcement. On Jan. 7, 2026, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renée Good during an enforcement action in Minneapolis. On Jan. 24, 2026, two federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti near Nicollet Avenue while he observed operations, and investigations into both deaths have faced delays and disputes over evidence sharing with state authorities.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations arrested about 4,000 immigrants in Minnesota between Dec. 1, 2025, and Feb. 28, 2026, when federal officials deployed as many as 2,000 agents to the area. Activists and neighbors have set up roadblocks and checkpoints during some actions, and journalists reported confrontations as organizers pressed for visible ID and restricted access.
The mainstream summary does not mention the broader context of the economic impacts of intensified ICE enforcement, which has been documented to cause significant losses for immigrant-owned businesses. A working paper from UC Irvine highlighted that similar enforcement actions in other regions led to nearly $59 million in lost economic output over just eight weeks due to reduced customer traffic and business disruptions, a concern that resonates deeply within the Minneapolis community as activists push for sanctuary policies to protect local economies. This economic dimension underscores the stakes involved in the protests, which go beyond immediate calls for policy change to encompass the livelihoods of many residents.
Additionally, while the summary briefly touches on the operational details of ICE's presence, it lacks a historical perspective on grassroots mobilization against such enforcement actions. A 2023 article traces contemporary protests back to earlier sanctuary movements, suggesting that the current actions in Minneapolis are part of a larger, ongoing struggle against federal immigration policies perceived as unjust. This historical framing adds depth to the current protests, highlighting their roots in decades of community resistance and the evolving nature of local-federal relations regarding immigration enforcement.[2]
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📊 Relevant Data
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations arrested approximately 4,000 immigrants in Minnesota between December 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026, as part of Operation Metro Surge, which deployed up to 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis area.
A Manufactured Crisis: Minnesota Communities Terrorized by the Federal Government — Human Rights Watch
📌 Key Facts
- A protest was held Thursday in south Minneapolis near the memorial for Alex Pretti, killed by a federal agent in January.
- Organizers PACAT and MIRAC demanded that Minnesota adopt sanctuary policies limiting ICE activity and law-enforcement cooperation.
- Specific demands included banning immigration enforcement near schools, hospitals and places of worship, requiring visible ID for officers, and limiting use of state property for immigration operations.
- Demonstrators renewed calls for charges against federal agents involved in the shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
- Attendees were encouraged to patronize immigrant-owned restaurants on Nicollet Avenue’s Eat Street following recent immigration enforcement actions in the Twin Cities.
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