Faith took center stage at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when about 100 clergy members were handcuffed by local police during an anti-ICE blockade. Faith in Minnesota, the coalition behind the protest, revealed the arrests occurred after demonstrators sat down in Terminal 1, blocking departures to pressure airlines against aiding deportations.
Clergy led joint prayers and recounted personal tales of ICE detainees, emphasizing the human cost. The group noted this airport has facilitated nearly 2,000 deportations, while unions claim ICE arrested 12 staffers, heightening workplace fears. This action formed part of the larger ‘ICE Out of Minnesota: A Day of Truth and Freedom,’ which prompted over 700 businesses to close and called for a statewide boycott of work, schools, and shopping.
The spark? A January 7 shooting by ICE agent Jonathan Ross that killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old American mother, amid an immigration raid. Protests have since become a daily fixture in Minneapolis, with Friday’s escalation including a roadblock to the federal building housing ICE offices. Demonstrators hurled ice at cars, breaking windshields, before Hennepin County deputies cleared the scene after prolonged standoffs.
Airlines faced direct appeals to halt cooperation with ICE, particularly Delta and Signature Aviation. Organizers portray the clergy’s arrests not as defeat, but as a clarion call for justice. With charges pending, the event highlights escalating resistance to federal immigration tactics, blending spiritual conviction with civil disobedience in Minnesota’s ongoing battle.