In a powerful show of resistance, community members gathered at the Hennepin County Government Center today for a peaceful sit-in protest, demanding action to stop ICE arrests at local courthouses and civic centers.
“ICE’s presence infringes on the ability of our neighbors and community members to engage in their everyday life. Simply put, they are afraid to leave their homes, much less come to court or engage in civic activities within the Hennepin County Government Center,” said James Miller, an organizer with the Legal Rights Center.
Since January 20, 2025, ICE agents have been targeting residents in these spaces, leading to arrests, family separations, and the threat of deportation. Protesters are calling on county officials to take immediate action to protect the rights and safety of Black and Brown community members.
“Our community, society, neighbors, and families are threatened by the immediate arrest, separation, and detention without protection because our leaders are silent in the face of unjust ICE arrests,” Miller said. “These arrests target our most vulnerable community members in a place that is hallowed ground for ordered civic society. We demand more from the stewards of this place to keep the people who enter safe.”
The protest centered on three core demands aimed at halting ICE's harmful practices in Hennepin County:
Immediate signage prohibiting ICE from entering the Hennepin County Government Center
No Collaboration Between Government Center Staff and ICE Agents
Access to Know-Your-Rights resources in multiple languages
Protesters also called on Hennepin County leadership, from the County Board to the Judicial Branch, to take immediate action to protect the most vulnerable members of the community.
Miller said, “We cannot continue to allow ICE to destabilize this pillar of stability, safety, community and family. We demand value-aligned leadership from all stakeholders to affirm family, community, society, and reject ICE.”
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