I’m writing to you from on the ground in Minneapolis. I have just spent the past week here with a few other SURJ organizers supporting local efforts on the ground and our chapter’s powerful work. I am in awe of the organizing happening here– it is rigorous, it is community-driven, and we all have so much to learn from them.
Now, they’re asking us to back them. TOMORROW, January 23, there are actions across the country aimed at corporations collaborating with ICE, demanding: ICE OUT of Minnesota! ICE out of EVERYWHERE!
On Thursday, I joined a sit-in at Target in St. Paul with our Twin Cities Chapter and their partners at UNIDOS to shine a light on corporate greed and demand Target end their collaboration with ICE. I was moved to tears as moms, parents, and allies occupied the store, sang, and spoke about the impact of ICE raids on their families. And I was encouraged to learn that this action was a part of a months-long campaign of escalation with other statewide partners like Isaiah– and leaders are meeting with the Target CEO today.
These are the kinds of actions we are asking you to hold on Friday.
Together, we can back Minnesota’s resistance to the ICE siege and prepare to take on ICE everywhere. Minneapolis is currently a testing ground for Trump’s strategies, and if they are successful there, they will continue to roll them out across the country.
Let’s do everything in our power to make sure they meet resistance no matter where they are.
This week, SURJ and SOI trained over 3,000 people on how to show up for Minneapolis against ICE and why this matters both now and for the future of our democracy. On the call, Laura from SOI really made it clear:
This fascist regime needs us to keep doing business as usual. But it can’t function without our labor and compliance– pillars of support propping up the regime. Each and every one of those pillars is people. And people can be persuaded, pressured, and compelled to make a different choice.
Join us to raise the alarm and demand people make different choices that will lead to ICE being toppled.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from organizers here, it’s that when we get ready in advance and organize each other, we can thwart their schemes.
In hope,
Grace, SURJ National staff member