Across the United States, protests against immigration enforcement are set to unfold this Saturday, ignited by two recent incidents where federal officers fired their weapons in Minneapolis and Portland. The demonstrations follow a disturbing trend as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security intensifies its immigration operations in the Twin Cities, which has been described by officials as one of the largest crackdowns to date.
Recent claims from the Trump administration assert that federal officers acted in self-defense during the shootings, which have raised significant outrage among various communities and human rights organizations. Indivisible, a group formed to counteract the Trump administration, is organizing multiple protests, formulated under the banner ICE Out for Good in various states, including Texas, Florida, and New Mexico.
The protests will culminate in a large rally in Minneapolis at Powderhorn Park, where advocates will commemorate the life of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was shot and killed by a federal officer during a recent operation. The rally seeks to call for justice and an end to what demonstrators are labeling as 'deadly terror on the streets.'
The recent protests in Minneapolis have so far been more peaceful compared to the tumultuous gatherings that followed the murder of George Floyd in 2020, although there have been reports of smaller skirmishes between protesters and law enforcement in the vicinity of federal buildings. Minneapolis police noted that during the protests on Friday, several people were cited for throwing debris at officers, but no serious injuries were reported.
As more than 2,000 federal agents have been deployed for this controversial crackdown, local communities are left to grapple with the volatile ramifications of aggressive immigration enforcement policies and the growing fear they instill.
