January 1, Activists Trail ICE Agents in Minneapolis Crackdown

Wyatt’s Take

• Out-of-town activists followed ICE agents in Minneapolis before dawn.
• A group used a large Signal chat to monitor federal agents’ moves.
• They urged more action against companies seen working with ICE.

Early in the morning, activists from outside Minneapolis set out to watch immigration agents, using a massive group chat to coordinate their efforts across the city.

These groups rely on “rapid response” networks, rebuilding their chats daily just to keep tabs on federal actions.

“We came to Minneapolis after the murder of Renee Good because we wanted to understand what was happening in the city and to support the people who were fighting back,” the activist post said, referring to a woman shot by an ICE agent in January after she drove at him.

The post described activists scanning license plates, identifying federal vehicles, and tracking their routes through online tools.

One exchange over the chat went, “This is Stump, I have a suspicious vehicle headed west on Main at the corner of 7th Avenue. Silver Dodge Ram, Texas plates Alpha Kilo Radio 3863, can I get a plate check?”

“Yep, that’s confirmed ICE,” a dispatcher replied.

Later, the post pressed activist networks to step up pressure on businesses linked to ICE and suggested blocking airport traffic to stop deportations. “Every day, deportation flights leave from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport to other airports across the country,” the group wrote. “Yet airport blockades have yet to emerge.”

If you want to stay up to speed with what’s happening on the ground in America’s heartland, keep reading and share with friends who care about our towns and families.

Wyatt Matters

People in Middle America value law, order, and the safety of their neighborhoods. Outside activists trying to disrupt immigration enforcement only make it harder for working folks and law enforcement to do their jobs and protect their communities.

Read more