Faith communities in Minnesota have organized to resist intensified immigration operations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Twin Cities area.
Over 1,500 individuals have been arrested during these operations. In response, groups have initiated public witness, mutual aid, and political actions.
At Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Pastor Martha Bardwell and congregants placed a sign marking a site where an individual was detained by ICE. These fluorescent signs, created by church member Aneesa Parks and a group of friends, are designed to prominently indicate locations of detentions on residential streets, bus stops, and clinics. The concept draws inspiration from "stumble stones" used in Germany to mark sites of abductions during the Holocaust.
Resistance efforts also include practical support measures. Some volunteers monitor ICE agent movements in neighborhoods, using whistles and horns to alert residents. Other volunteers provide transportation for immigrants to work, aiming to help them avoid public transportation where enforcement actions have taken place.
Faith leaders report an increased determination to counter the ICE operations, particularly following the death of Renee Macklin Good, who was described by her wife Becca Good as a Christian motivated by faith to assist others, after being killed by a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis.
JaNaé Bates Imari, co-executive director of Isaiah, a multifaith political and social justice organization, stated that people of faith have a moral responsibility to respond to current events. Isaiah is mobilizing congregations, utilizing existing networks previously engaged in efforts such as organizing after George Floyd's murder and advocating for progressive legislation like paid family and medical leave.
A singing vigil recently took place in south Minneapolis, near the location where Macklin Good was killed. Several hundred participants, some carrying signs and homemade crosses, processed through the streets. The vigil commenced at San Pablo Church and included stops at sites where federal agents had recently detained individuals. Organizers indicated that the vigil aimed to provide comfort to the community. Observers from vehicles and residential porches showed support along the route.
San Pablo Church, a predominantly immigrant congregation that is also welcoming of LGBTQ+ individuals, holds bilingual services. Pastor Hierald Osorto emphasized that the community's purpose extends beyond responding to crises, focusing on supporting neighbors, sharing burdens, celebrating joys, and affirming the dignity of all people. The church remained active with worship and community gatherings even as ICE agents were present in the neighborhood.