Organizations across the Twin Cities continue their fight against Operation Metro Surge as Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations wind down. They are focusing on local and state public relief efforts, hoping to pass several ICE-related bills this legislative session.
Unidos MN, a grassroots organization based out of the Twin Cities, sat in on an Education Policy Committee meeting at the 2026 Minnesota legislative session Feb. 18. Public testimony was provided by a high school student pulled over with friends in her car by ICE agents.
“There still is a remnant that continues to move in,” Unidos MN Communications Director Luis Argueta said. “I think my fear is that they’re moving now just even a little bit more effectively.”
Unidos MN provided a primary hotline for reports of ICE presence in the Twin Cities. Argueta said that while ICE presence in the metro area may be decreasing, continued call presence is being reported in the wider suburbs of Minneapolis. They continued talks with the Minneapolis and St. Paul city councils for stronger separation ordinances.
Indivisible Twin Cities with Common Cause Minnesota helped pass a resolution with the St. Paul City Council stating the council and Mayor Kaohly Her would stand up for the principles of the Constitution and democracy. Indivisible co-leader Rebecca Larson remarked on the importance of these symbolic resolutions.
“We have to fight for it [democracy],” Larson said. “We have to do that at all levels, every elected official, every person, every engaged citizen, every resident has to find ways to stand up for our neighbors and for our democracy, because it’s not going to save itself.”
Indivisible is a local chapter of the nationwide organization. Their focus is to “encourage civic engagement by organizing informative actions and events to spotlight issues and candidates who support our values of strengthening our democracy and defeating the MAGA authoritarian agenda,” according to their website.
As the state legislature continues, Indivisible encourages residents to track legislation and attend committee meetings. In their most recent call to action, they asked people to call on U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith to vote no on the SAVE Act, an act putting stronger regulations on voting requirements.
Several pieces of the state legislature have been brought to the table for discussion. A Minnesota House Bill discussed on Feb. 18 would require federal officers to obtain a warrant and approval from school administrators before entering schools. The bill is now stalled at a tie. For Indivisible and Unidos, action going forward is about repair and preparation if ICE were to occupy the city again.
“ICE is still here,” Larson said. “What we’re hearing and seeing is that they’ve moved into the suburbs. They’ve changed some of their tactics. Regardless, the task now is to really figure out how to repair the harm that was done, and to demand some accountability and justice.”
Larson said the community coming together in recent months is very important, but it needs to continue. She said she hopes people consider how they spend their money, noting the ongoing Target protests.
The University of Minnesota Students for Democratic Society chapter fought against ICE on campus and noted their noise demonstrations at the Graduate Hotel in January. They continue to call on the Board of Regents to meet their demands and declare that ICE is not allowed on campus.
“We’re still going to keep fighting and trying to protect one another, our neighbors and our fellow students,” SDS member Naomi Breeden said.
The organization forged a list of demands for University President Rebecca Cunningham and the Board of Regents. In their demands, they asked the University of Minnesota Police Department not to comply with immigration enforcement, suspend contracts with hotels that housed ICE agents and issue a public statement condemning ICE.
Organizations are working with state and local representatives in their continued fight against ICE, focused on passing laws that would prevent a reenactment of Operation Metro Surge across the state.
“We just don’t want to wait for the next time,” Argueta said.
