Hundreds of community organizers in Chicago have taken to the streets to show solidarity with protesters in Minneapolis, urging an end to federal immigration enforcement and demanding a cut to the Department of Homeland Security's budget. The gathering at Casa Michoacan came as part of a nationwide effort to stand up against the Trump administration's aggressive deportation campaign.
Organizers say that the federal government's actions have resulted in the deaths of immigrants and U.S. citizens, as well as the arrests of dozens of protesters who have been vocal about their opposition to immigration enforcement operations. The group is calling for an end to what it describes as a "hunting ground" mentality used by federal agents in Minnesota and surrounding areas.
In Minneapolis, federal agents have been conducting raids that have resulted in clashes with residents and protesters demanding they leave their neighborhoods. Similar tactics were used during Operation Midway Blitz, the administration's deportation campaign in the Chicago area.
The House passed the Homeland Security appropriations bill on Thursday, despite concerns from Democrats that it fails to curb President Trump's mass deportation efforts. However, Republicans managed to push the bill through with a narrow 220-207 vote.
Organizers are urging residents to call their elected officials to demand an end to funding for immigration enforcement. The spending bill allocates $20 million for body-worn cameras for ICE and CBP officers interacting with the public during immigration enforcement operations.
As tensions continue to rise, businesses in Minnesota have organized an economic blackout, with owners shutting down their doors on Friday in protest. Residents were urged to avoid work, school, and shopping to show opposition to the presence of immigration agents and federal enforcement operations in the state.
The group is also demanding accountability after a controversial ICE enforcement operation that resulted in the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen who was killed by an ICE agent on January 7. The shooting death mirrored two similar incidents in the Chicago area during Operation Midway Blitz.
"We won't stand idly by as they separate families and we will exercise our rights every single day," said Veronica Castro, deputy director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "We demand ICE out of Minnesota, ICE out of Illinois, ICE out of everywhere."
Organizers say that the federal government's actions have resulted in the deaths of immigrants and U.S. citizens, as well as the arrests of dozens of protesters who have been vocal about their opposition to immigration enforcement operations. The group is calling for an end to what it describes as a "hunting ground" mentality used by federal agents in Minnesota and surrounding areas.
In Minneapolis, federal agents have been conducting raids that have resulted in clashes with residents and protesters demanding they leave their neighborhoods. Similar tactics were used during Operation Midway Blitz, the administration's deportation campaign in the Chicago area.
The House passed the Homeland Security appropriations bill on Thursday, despite concerns from Democrats that it fails to curb President Trump's mass deportation efforts. However, Republicans managed to push the bill through with a narrow 220-207 vote.
Organizers are urging residents to call their elected officials to demand an end to funding for immigration enforcement. The spending bill allocates $20 million for body-worn cameras for ICE and CBP officers interacting with the public during immigration enforcement operations.
As tensions continue to rise, businesses in Minnesota have organized an economic blackout, with owners shutting down their doors on Friday in protest. Residents were urged to avoid work, school, and shopping to show opposition to the presence of immigration agents and federal enforcement operations in the state.
The group is also demanding accountability after a controversial ICE enforcement operation that resulted in the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen who was killed by an ICE agent on January 7. The shooting death mirrored two similar incidents in the Chicago area during Operation Midway Blitz.
"We won't stand idly by as they separate families and we will exercise our rights every single day," said Veronica Castro, deputy director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "We demand ICE out of Minnesota, ICE out of Illinois, ICE out of everywhere."
. I mean, people are literally getting killed by these guys and we're still debating whether to fund their operations? It's like, come on, what's next? Are we gonna start sending in SWAT teams to protect our homes from "hunting grounds" ? 
The fact that they're trying to justify this as a "hunting ground" mentality is just ridiculous. We need to stand up for these people and demand change 
. And honestly, the economic blackout in Minneapolis sounds like a solid idea - let's show these agents who's boss 
. It's time for some real accountability from our government leaders 
.
i mean, who wants to live in fear of getting raided by the feds? it's not right that ppl are getting hurt or killed because of this "hunting ground" mentality. and what's up with the fact they're allocating 20 million dollars for body-worn cameras... sounds like a legit excuse to get more info on who's doing the raiding lol 
anyway, i think it's time we stand up for our rights as citizens and demand change from our elected officials 
. I mean, I get it, immigration enforcement is a huge issue and we gotta stand up for what's right, but violence isn't the answer 
. All this drama in Minneapolis and Chicago with arrests, shootings... it's just getting outta hand 
. What if someone gets hurt? 
I'm all about standing up for our rights, but let's do it peacefully, you know? 
.
. Like, isn't that just a band-aid solution? 
What are they really gonna do with all those cameras? Are they gonna start filming people when they're just minding their own biz? 
.
. Let's keep it peaceful, let's keep it calm, and let's show the world we won't be silenced 
.
This solidarity march in Chicago is a powerful statement against the Trump administration's aggressive deportation campaign 
, especially with Renee Nicole Good's tragic shooting death still fresh in our minds 
. It's clear that the administration's "hunting ground" mentality is having devastating consequences 
. I'm calling on everyone to listen to these organizers and demand accountability from their elected officials 
. We need systemic change, not just empty promises 
. The economic blackout in Minnesota is a smart move too - when we boycott businesses that support these practices, we're sending a powerful message 
. Let's keep the pressure on until our voices are heard and our demands are met 
OMG you guys, I just looked at some stats on the web and it's wild... like did you know that in 2022 alone, there were over 420,000 deportations under the Trump administration? 
It just doesn't add up.
Losing them would be a huge blow to our economy.
the whole thing is super messed up 
, and it's getting to a point where people are losing their lives 
, what even is the point of this whole deportation campaign? 
, and now businesses in Minnesota are having an economic blackout because they're fed up 
, it's time for some real change 
, we need to stand together with these community organizers and demand that our elected officials do something about this 
.
this is getting crazy! they're literally shutting down whole cities because of a few people with badges... what's next? everyone just walking off the job because some agent showed up with a clipboard? 
i get it, ppl are upset but shouldn't we be working towards a solution instead of all this drama?
and saw a really cool seagull doing some crazy acrobatics in the air 
. I swear, it was like it had a tiny jetpack or something! Anyway, back to this immigration thing... I mean, can you imagine if they had that kind of security at our local beaches? Like, no one could ever get close to the water again without getting swarmed by agents in vests and sunglasses 
. It's wild how much power a government agency can have over people's lives. And what's with all these body-worn cameras for ICE officers? Do they really need that kind of tech to keep an eye on us?
. I mean, it's crazy that they're being called "hunting ground" mentality by the feds - like, what kind of language is that? 
. I mean, think about it, if they're not enforcing immigration laws, who's gonna keep people in check? It's all about national security, you know? Those community organizers are just trying to create a mess and stir up trouble for no reason. The fact that some people got arrested during the protests is just a coincidence - they were probably just asking for it. And yeah, maybe some bad apples work at ICE, but that's not the agency's fault. They're just doing their job. I don't get why everyone's so worked up about this - can't we all just get along? 
AND IT'S HURTING GOOD PEOPLE LIKE RENEE NICOLE GOOD WHO WAS JUST MUMMERING AROUND WITH HER KIDS 
The gov'ts actions r beyond cruel & heartless. Those raids in Minneapolis are straight outta a horror movie 
. Like, how many lives have to get lost before ppl take action?! 
It's just not right! The fact that they're still fundin' this stuff is straight up crazyTalk 
We gotta stand together & fight 4 what's good, not just 4 ourselves but 4 our fams & communities too 
. This is like, the most important stuff rn... let's do this! 
