To say that we are under siege feels like an understatement.

I live along Lake Street. To say that we are under siege feels like an understatement.

I am quite used to the sounds of cop cars, fire trucks, and ambulances at all hours of the day and night—not because Minneapolis is “dangerous” like right wing media and the presidential administration would have you believe, but because we are a major city and things happen in major cities around the clock. Normally, this is a mere annoyance as the noise might wake you from a nap or make you turn up the volume on your TV, but this week has been something new entirely: The sound of whistles and honking break periods of relative normalcy and sirens wail at increasing intervals. Any sudden sound or imagined whistle blow in your mind causes you to tense up and turn your head to see if masked men are about to descend upon you. 

While we have been under occupation by federal forces here in the Twin Cities metro for over a month, this past week has very much felt like a war zone. You may take a brisk walk or bike ride (as Minnesotans do in January) and see your own neighbors with whistles wearing bright neon safety vests standing guard outside a local school to make sure it ty even more students, parents, and faculty are not tear gassed and kidnapped by men outfitted with military gear and guns. You may be taking the bus or lightrail train and notice the Powderhorn crustpunks (complimentary) in seasoned battle jackets with their chemical respirator mask around their necks as they head to protest hotels housing ICE, fully expecting a violent response from the state and local police once the noise levels get “too disruptive”. You might be driving and find a car in traffic, windows shattered, left abandoned in the street after someone is dragged from their vehicle after trying to get to a doctor’s appointment or almost whisked away to an unknown detention center without checking for citizen or status based on the color of their skin. You may find your favorite immigrant-owned business closed out of fear… or because their entire staff may have possibly been stolen in broad daylight. You could even be in your own home, when ICE shows up at your door demanding to see proof of citizenship and breaks down your door or getting out of your car and are told to present ID for a “citizen check”.

There is an eerie quiet that lingers across neighborhoods that are usually full of chatter and laughter, even in the dead of Minnesota winter. A somber moment between community members in day to day life; whether that be a passing glance or a small conversation about “how crazy” this all is. You may connect on Signal or point to somewhere they can fit into the fight as Trump has declares we will face “a day of reckoning and retribution”. Often times we forget to acknowledge to ourselves and others that this is cruel and that what we are going through is purposeful, targeted, and inhumane. We have to remind ourselves to say “I’m sorry you are going through this. You do not deserve this”. 

This silence I have mentioned above is often quickly interrupted at any time as DHS, ICE, and other affiliated agencies and rightwing propagandists and streamers surge on individuals or businesses to brutalize and all but black bag people to detention sites like the Whipple Building at Fort Snelling or across state lines entirely. This activity, of course, is met with community members running toward the danger to protect their neighbors. Whistles and car horns blare, people yell, and many brave souls physically put themselves in between targeted individuals and a highly-funded military force with military grade weaponry to match. Many will document and follow ICE vehicles on foot, bike, and car with whistles and horns to alert others in neighboring areas that armed killers with apparent federal immunity are in their community (notably, legal observation was what Rene Good and her wife Becca were doing when ICE agent Jonathan Ross executed Renee and called her a “fucking bitch” in a residential neighborhood just blocks away from where George Floyd was murdered in 2020). Some have reported that while following DHS vehicles in cars as legal observers, officers will lead people to their own homes in intimidation, as it is suspected that DHS is accessing DMV records and using surveillance to gather intelligence on any resisting the occupation of our city and the terrorism being enacted on our at-risk neighbors.

Unlike the occupation in Chicago, where those who have lived there will describe whole neighborhoods as mini cities in themselves, the Twin Cities metro is a highly interconnected series of neighborhoods connected by artery roadways and streets that have allowed federal forces to consistently strike across neighborhoods and suburban towns with intense regularity, often with multiple raids or incidents occurring at the same time. The fact that Minneapolis (and St. Paul) is a much smaller area than Chicagoland means that many people on the ground (often times visibly queer, non-white, and disabled) are on the ground most days patrolling with little time for rest and scrambling to act on multiple reports a day. Unlike last year’s increased presence of Border Patrol with Operation Midway Blitz where activity was spread across many neighborhoods with higher populations and distances between, Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota is occurring across the Twin Cities is happening in a much smaller bubble.  

But life still does go on… in a way. You need to pay rent and get groceries. You still try your best to attend events with your friends to rest and recover from the PTSD and trauma you are all experiencing. Your Fortune 500 employer (based in Minnesota, of course) does not address the challenges you as an underpaid employee are facing, because at any moment… regardless of if you work from home, in an office, or at another some business… you may hear whistles and need to jump into action to record or show up to protect your neighbors from being injured, maced, tear gassed, or kidnapped. Instead, they may even seemingly condone the attacks of their own employees and allow ICE to stage in their parking lots, such as in the case of Target. 

Aside from a few council members and other officials on local level who are doing the work putting themselves on the line and are being physically attacked by ICE for doing so, we have been completely abandoned by the state. Anything that is getting done right now, whether it be food deliveries to people who are fearful to leave their homes, standing guard outside of daycares/schools/businesses, and rapid response to activity is being done by the community through mutual aid networks and established organizations. Mayor Jacob Frey is not coming to help us. He won’t even show up on the ground or utter more than a few blustery words to get national headlines to bolster his long-expected run for a seat in national politics. In fact, during a recent presser by the City of Minneapolis with AG Keith Ellison announcing the state’s plan to sue the federal government, Frey admitted that “we are not asking ICE to not do ICE things” and in a recent interview with Fox News, stated he is not calling for the abolition of ICE. Governor Tim Walz has all but left us to our own devices as the National Guard is not protecting citizens from ICE. Senator Amy Klobuchar has expectedly not met the moment and continues to vote to approve Trump appointees and Senator Tina Smith has disappointment many in her non-statements. While Representatives Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig, and Kelly Morrison were recently denied entry to the Whipple Building for a congressional oversight visit, there has otherwise been little action done to stop the invasion or to present articles of impeachment for Department of Homeland Security Secretary and Dog Killer Kristi Noem as of writing on 1/14/2026. 

I say this not to despair, but to point out the reality that the government is not stepping in to assist in any meaningful way to protect the people of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the greater metro and Minnesota region. 

At some point, the federal government will take its attention off us because this level of pressure is simply untenable… which means your city could be next. 

Minneapolis has a long history of social justice movements, resistance, and mutual aid. Many of these networks are a direct result of the George Floyd uprising and the last time the state had its gaze upon the metro. We were prepared for the possibility of federal deployment and are faring as best we can, but the systems of mutual aid, organizing, and the general sense community that has inspired so many across the country in solidarity are things that take time to build. 

You must be prepared for this possibility. 

Do not scoff when someone asks if you know how to contact your local rapid response network or if you carry a whistle when you leave the house, because whether you like it or not, the danger may come to you and it will arrive fast. Start building these support networks now while it is still possible to do so. Talk to your neighbors. Know who is with you… and importantly who you cannot trust. Work to get Signal chats or secured comm lines between for your community members and local businesses. Know who to call when things go down (and no, that is not the police, as the MPD once again proved its duty is not to the citizens of Minneapolis with the Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police supporting the actions of ICE operations)

One thing that has kept me emotionally regulated and confident that we see the sunlight during the largest operation in agency history is the sense of community and solidarity among neighbors. “Minnesota NoICE” is a particularly good way to describe the dichotomy of the justified rage over the murder of Renee Good (and many others who have died in custody) at the hands of DHS and ICE and the everyday kindness of those living here. People asking “Are you good? Do you need anything?” while going about their day or even while on ICE watch patrol. Neighbors you’ve never spoken to reaching out to get connected. People on the street giving a knowing smile and wave (they often will warn you of the “icy” sidewalks and roadways; a not so fun play on words for the cold weather we’ve been having as well as a grim reminder to our current predicament). Houses and cars with “FUCK ICE” signs and calls to abolish the agency are commonplace, even among some suburbanites. Many here are now familiar with the Monarca “All Welcome Except ICE” flyers that are on the doors of many businesses as well as the street art, wheatpasted posters, and notices and flyers on street posts made by local artists.

A recent national fundraiser hosted by Wrecktangle Pizza (whose breakfast pizza was awarded Best Pizza in the country by ABC’s Good Morning America in 2025) supported by neighboring “Lavender District” businesses saw retaliation Monday afternoon when ICE agents descended on the intersection of Lake St. and Lyndale Ave. Videos show community members rushing from around the block, pouring out of local restaurants and bars, to prevent the agents from breaking into Wrecktangle Pizza (which was closed at the time due to the overwhelming support and being sold out of ingredients) as well as someone kicking back chemical munitions tossed at the crowd as the agents drove away. Neighboring businesses Smitten Kitten (of No Glory hole fame) was hosting as a drop off site for groceries and essential goods that same night and dozens of community members stood watch afterwards into the evening to ensure people could safety drop off supplies for those in need. As of writing, ICE was just spotted once again at this same intersection on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 14th. The strength of the community to stand together protect on another is not something I will soon forget. 

People not in Minnesota are finding these stories hard to believe and think we are exaggerating because the reality we are facing is one that is just that unbelievable (if you are not already someone accustomed to the cruelties that state has historically imposed). How could all these atrocities *really* be happening?  I assure they are. And they are much worse than you are hearing about. Even in this piece, I know I am missing numerous points that I will probably regret not including later. National news outlets are having trouble framing exactly what is going on in a fair light. Most headlines and voices of articles make DHS seem like a passive entity while those who live here receive the blame for any backlash. These types of stories make it difficult to ignore our plight. 

I urge anyone looking to stand in solidarity with Minnesota to evaluate how stories are reported to listen to people on the ground and those who live here. There are countless stories of people witnessing horrors every day. There is a lot of work being done outside of the purview of mainstream media and instead confined to neighborhood chats and video evidence not being shared as to not doxx those standing against our oppressors.

Call your representatives. Tell them to abolish ICE, an agency younger than the internet itself. Tell them to not approve measures to fund these agencies. Tell them to stop collaborating with the Trump administration on all fronts. Show up to your local town hall meetings and demand separation ordinances between your city and federal agencies. Find out who your council member is and know where they stand. 

We only get through this together. There is never been a time where “bootstraps individualism” has brought any real justice progress in this country. If you stand for nothing, what will you fall for?