TO: All Minnesota-Based Civic Organizations, Government Officials, and Business Leaders

FROM: The People of Minnesota

DATE: January 24, 2026

RE: Immediate Action Required to End Federal Immigration Enforcement Overreach in Minnesota

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

We, the undersigned residents, workers, business owners, faith leaders, educators, and concerned citizens of Minnesota, call upon all civic, government, and business leaders to take immediate and decisive action to demand that the federal government, the Trump administration, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents cease operations and leave Minnesota immediately.

Since December 2025, Minnesota has been subjected to what the Department of Homeland Security has called "the largest immigration enforcement operation ever carried out"—Operation Metro Surge. This unprecedented deployment of thousands of armed, masked federal agents has resulted in the death of an innocent citizen, widespread civil rights violations, economic devastation, and the terrorization of our communities.

This petition demands:

1. Immediate withdrawal of all ICE agents from Minnesota
2. Criminal prosecution of ICE agent Jonathan Ross for the killing of Renee Good
3. Congressional investigation into ICE's constitutional violations
4. Withholding of additional ICE funding in the federal budget
5. Protection of workers and residents by Minnesota businesses and institutions
6. State and local law enforcement to cease all cooperation with federal immigration enforcement

__________________________________-

LETTER TO MINNESOTA LEADERS

Dear Minnesota Civic, Government, and Business Leaders:

We write to you at a moment of profound crisis for our state. Minnesota is under occupation by federal forces that have brought violence, chaos, economic devastation, and terror to our communities. The time for silence, equivocation, or incrementalism is over. We call upon you to take bold, immediate action to protect the people of Minnesota.

The Moral Imperative

On January 7, 2026, Renee Nicole Good—a mother, a writer, a U.S. citizen, and by all accounts an extraordinary human being—was shot and killed by a federal agent mere blocks from her home. Her death was not an accident or a tragedy. It was the predictable result of deploying thousands of armed, poorly-trained, and aggressive agents into our communities with a mandate to instill fear.

Renee's killing is the most visible symbol of federal overreach, but she is not the only victim. Thousands have been terrorized. Children have been traumatized. U.S. citizens have been unlawfully detained. Families have been torn apart. Businesses have been destroyed. And the social fabric of our communities has been shredded.

This is not happening in Minnesota because we have a uniquely severe immigration problem—more than half of U.S. states have larger undocumented populations. This is happening because Minnesota has been targeted for political retribution by a vindictive administration that sees our progressive values and diverse communities as threats.

The Legal Imperative

The actions of ICE and other federal agents in Minnesota are not just morally reprehensible—they are illegal and unconstitutional. The State of Minnesota and the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have filed lawsuits documenting systematic violations of the First, Fourth, and Tenth Amendments, as well as the Administrative Procedure Act.

Federal agents are:

• Commandeering state and local police resources in violation of the Tenth Amendment
• Conducting warrantless arrests and entries in violation of the Fourth Amendment
• Using excessive force against peaceful protesters in violation of the First Amendment
• Targeting schools and hospitals without proper legal process

These are not minor procedural violations. These are fundamental assaults on the constitutional order and the sovereignty of our state.

The Economic Imperative

The economic damage to Minnesota has been swift and severe. In just weeks:

• 80% of immigrant-owned businesses along key corridors have closed
• Customer-facing businesses report 50-80% revenue declines
• Taxpayers are bearing millions in overtime costs for police responses
• Schools and daycare disruptions are affecting worker productivity across all sectors
• Consumer confidence has collapsed in affected areas

This is not sustainable. If allowed to continue, Operation Metro Surge will cause long-term, potentially irreversible damage to Minnesota's economy. Small businesses—the backbone of our communities—are being destroyed. Workers are unable to earn a living. And the ripple effects are touching every sector.

But beyond the immediate economic harm, there is a deeper cost: Minnesota's reputation as a welcoming, vibrant, and dynamic place to live and do business is being destroyed. Talented workers, entrepreneurs, and families are reconsidering whether Minnesota is a place they want to be. The long-term economic consequences of this reputational damage will far exceed the immediate losses.

The Practical Imperative

Perhaps most importantly, Operation Metro Surge is not making Minnesota safer; it is, by all accounts, making us less safe. By commandeering local police resources, creating chaos in our communities, and destroying trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities, federal agents are undermining public safety.

When immigrants are afraid to call police, report crimes, or cooperate with investigations, everyone is less safe. When police resources are diverted to responding to federal agent excesses, everyone is less safe. When communities are traumatized and destabilized, everyone is less safe.

The data backs this up: only 5% of people arrested in Operation Metro Surge had violent criminal records. The vast majority were working people, parents, and community members who posed no threat to anyone. Meanwhile, the operation has directly caused violence, including two killings.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO DO

We call upon Minnesota's civic, government, and business leaders to take the following actions immediately:

For Government Officials at All Levels:

Publicly demand that ICE leave Minnesota with clear, unequivocal statements

• Refuse all cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, including:
• Denying ICE access to state and local facilities
• Refusing to honor unlawful ICE detainer requests
• Refusing to share information or databases with federal agents
• Instructing state and local law enforcement not to assist ICE operations
• Pursue all available legal remedies, including:
  • Supporting existing lawsuits
  • Filing additional legal challenges
  • Seeking emergency restraining orders
  • Exploring criminal charges against federal agents for civil rights violations
• Protect state sovereignty by:
  • Asserting Tenth Amendment authority
  • Deploying state resources to monitor and document federal agent actions
  • Providing legal support to residents whose rights are violated
  • Demand congressional action, including:
  • Investigation of ICE's constitutional violations
  • Withholding additional ICE funding
  • Prosecution of agent Jonathan Ross for killing Renee Good

For Business Leaders:

Refuse to allow ICE agents to use your facilities for staging, coordination, or operations

Protect your workers by:
- Providing legal resources and know-your-rights training
- Offering paid leave for workers affected by immigration enforcement
- Creating safe reporting mechanisms for ICE activity

Use your economic power to demand change:
- Join coordinated economic actions and strikes
- Publicly call for ICE to leave Minnesota
- Pressure elected officials to take action
- Support workers participating in protests and organizing

Support affected businesses and communities through:
- Direct financial assistance
- Mutual aid networks
- Advocacy for economic relief
- Partnership with community organizations

For Civic and Faith Leaders:

• Speak out boldly against federal overreach and violence
• Provide sanctuary and support to affected community members
• Organize and mobilize continued resistance

For All Minnesotans and US Citizens:

• Inform: Talk to your neighbors, coworkers, and family members about what is happening
• Document everything: Record federal agent actions, collect evidence, preserve testimony
• Support each other: Continue to build mutual aid networks, check on vulnerable community members, share resources
• Take direct action: Continue to participate in protests, strikes, and economic actions
• Hold leaders accountable: Demand that elected officials, business leaders, and civic organizations take meaningful action

This Is Not Normal. This Is Not Acceptable.

We have reached a moment where normal political processes and polite advocacy are insufficient. Minnesota is under occupation by a federal government that has shown contempt for our laws, our values, and our lives.

History will judge how we responded to this moment. Will we be remembered as people who stood by while our neighbors were terrorized? Who allowed a mother to be killed in the street without demanding justice? Who watched our communities be destroyed without fighting back?

Or will we be remembered as Minnesotans who stood together—across lines of race, religion, citizenship status, and political party—to say "enough" and to defend our state, our values, and our humanity?

Renee Nicole Good's life mattered. The lives of the thousands being terrorized matter. Minnesota's future matters.

We demand that you act now.

ICE Out of Minnesota.
Protect our communities.
Defend our state.
The people of Minnesota are watching. History is watching. The time to act is now.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned People of Minnesota and Beyond

 
PETITION SIGN-ON

I, the undersigned, support this call to action and demand that Minnesota's civic, government, and business leaders take immediate action to:

Demand ICE leave Minnesota
Prosecute ICE agent Jonathan Ross for killing Renee Good
Stop the persecution of those lawfully cooperating with federal immigration enforcement
Protect workers and residents
Defend Minnesota's sovereignty and constitutional rights
Support affected communities and businesses
Name: ___________________________________

City/Town: ___________________________________

Organization (if applicable): ___________________________________

Email: ___________________________________

Signature: ___________________________________

Date: ___________________________________

 

ADDENDUM:

THE FACTS: WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE ICE OCCUPIED MINNESOTA

Timeline of Operation Metro Surge

December 2025: The Trump administration launched Operation Metro Surge, deploying approximately 2,000-3,000 armed federal agents to the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area and later expanding operations across all of Minnesota.

January 7, 2026: ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, writer, and mother of three, near her home in Minneapolis. Despite claims by federal officials that Good posed a threat, video evidence and witness accounts contradict the government's narrative. Governor Tim Walz stated: "I've seen the video. Don't believe this propaganda machine."

January 9, 2026: U.S. Representatives sent an open letter citing this was not the first time ICE agents used "unnecessary force on civilians without provocation."

January 12, 2026: The State of Minnesota, City of Minneapolis, and City of St. Paul filed federal lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and senior federal officials.

January 14, 2026: Another person was shot by federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis, suffering non-life-threatening injuries.

January 23, 2026: Thousands participated in the "ICE Out of Minnesota: Day of Truth and Freedom" economic blackout, with more than 700 businesses closing and a massive march to Target Center.

Documented Human Rights Violations and Harm

The operation has been characterized by systematic violations of constitutional rights and humanity:

Violence and Excessive Force

• 2,400 people arrested as of early January 2026
• Two deaths: Renee Nicole Good, shot and killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross, and an unnamed man on January 24, 2026 (written as of 1.24.26 at 10:45 a.m.)
• Multiple shootings: At least two documented shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis alone
• Use of chemical weapons: Tear gas, pepper balls, and stun grenades deployed against peaceful protesters and bystanders
• Six children hospitalized after tear gas was deployed near their vehicle
• Armed confrontations: Federal agents pointing guns at citizens, including off-duty police officers

Unlawful Detentions and Arrests

• U.S. citizens detained: Multiple documented cases of American citizens handcuffed and held for hours
• Racial profiling: Citizens detained because of skin color or accent—one ICE agent stated: "I can hear you don't have the same accent as me"
• Warrantless home entries: Agents forcing entry into private residences without search warrants
• An elderly U.S. citizen taken from his home in freezing temperatures in his underwear and detained for two hours
• School staff member detained: A classroom assistant and U.S. citizen pulled from her vehicle outside the special needs school where she works
• A 17-year-old student and her mother forcibly detained from their apartment building

Targeting of Children and Families

• Liam Conejo Ramos, age 5: Masked ICE agents approached this kindergartener as he returned home from school with his father, then allegedly used the child "as bait" to get residents to open the door. The child is now detained in Texas.
• Children traumatized: School officials report verified incidents of children and parents being pulled into vehicles by masked agents
• Changed school procedures: Schools like Aquila Elementary forced to alter pick-up procedures due to persistent ICE presence
• Students missing school: Widespread absenteeism due to fear of ICE presence in neighborhoods

Violations at Sensitive Locations

Federal agents have targeted people at:

• Schools and daycare centers
• Medical facilities and hospitals
• Places of worship
• Funeral homes
• Public and school Bus stops and transportation hubs
• Grocery stores and restaurants
• Impact on Communities and Civil Society

Economic Devastation

The economic impact on Minnesota has been severe and immediate:

Small Business Collapse:

• 80% of immigrant-owned businesses along key corridors in Minneapolis and St. Paul closed in a single week
  50-100% drop in sales reported by businesses in affected areas
  Customer-facing businesses reporting 50-80% revenue decreases due to fear of immigration enforcement
  25% revenue drop for restaurants compared to the same period last year
  Over 700 businesses closed on January 23 alone for the economic blackout

Economic Ripple Effects:

• Minneapolis Federal Reserve January report noted that nearly 20% of businesses surveyed reported lower employment due to immigration enforcement concerns
  Disruption to schools and daycare causing employees to miss work, impacting white-collar and service industries alike
  Remote learning transitions disrupting productivity across sectors
  Hotels that housed federal agents faced protests and stopped accepting reservations
  Reduced foot traffic in downtown Minneapolis and commercial districts

Taxpayer Costs:

• Minneapolis Police officers worked more than 3,000 hours of overtime in just the first few days of January responding to ICE-related incidents
  Over $2 million in estimated overtime costs to Minneapolis taxpayers between January 8-11 alone
  State and local law enforcement resources strained responding to public safety incidents caused by aggressive federal agent actions

Public Safety Crisis

Rather than improving public safety, ICE's presence has created chaos:

• Local police forced to respond to incidents where citizens couldn't tell if ICE apprehensions were acts of kidnapping
  Abandoned vehicles left in roadways by ICE requiring police response
  Increased 911 calls due to federal agent activity
  Off-duty police officers stopped at gunpoint by ICE agents
  Community members afraid to call police for help due to fear of ICE presence

Mental Health and Social Harm

Healthcare workers report devastating impacts:

• Patients not showing up for medical appointments due to fear
  Prescriptions going unfilled
  Parents uncomfortable coming to hospitals to participate in children's therapeutic programming
  Mental health crisis among immigrant communities and citizens alike
  Widespread fear and trauma affecting children who witness aggressive enforcement

Disruption to Education

The impact on Minnesota's education system has been profound:

• Schools transitioning to remote learning
  Verified incidents of students and parents being detained
  School staff members pulled into vehicles
  Changed security and pick-up procedures
  Students too afraid to attend school
  Over 300 schools canceled classes on January 23 (though cold weather was also a factor)

Data Discrepancies and False Claims

The Trump administration has made numerous false and misleading claims:

Inflated Arrest Claims:

• Secretary Noem claimed on January 19 that ICE had "arrested over 10,000 criminal illegal aliens" in Minneapolis, including 3,000 in six weeks
  However, ICE's own January 2026 data showed that only 103 out of 2,000 arrestees (5%) had records of violent crimes
  A review of ICE's arrest list revealed several people listed had not actually been arrested in the operation but had been transferred from state custody before December 1, 2025—including one person transferred in 2003

False Characterizations:

• DHS Secretary Noem claimed dozens of "murderers and rapists" were arrested
  Actual data shows the vast majority arrested had no violent criminal history
  Federal officials repeatedly mischaracterized peaceful protesters and bystanders as threats

Constitutional Violations

The lawsuits filed by the State of Minnesota and the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul allege multiple constitutional violations:

Tenth Amendment Violations

• Unconstitutional commandeering of state police resources
  Violation of state sovereign police powers
  Federal agents performing general policing duties reserved to states

First Amendment Violations

• Use of excessive force against peaceful protesters
  Harassment and threats against legal observers
  Deployment of chemical weapons against people exercising free speech rights

Fourth Amendment Violations

• Warrantless arrests without assessment of immigration status
  Racial profiling and unlawful stops
  Forced entry into private residences without warrants

Administrative Procedure Act Violations

• Sudden designation of schools and hospitals as enforcement zones without public notice
  "Arbitrary and capricious" policy changes
  Lack of required comment period

The Killing of Renee Nicole Good

Who She Was: Renee Nicole Good was a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, writer, poet, mother of three children (including a 6-year-old), and by all accounts an extraordinarily kind and compassionate person. She graduated with a degree in English from Old Dominion University and had recently moved to Minneapolis.

What Happened: On January 7, 2026, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot Good three times, killing her as she sat in her car near her home. Video evidence shows Ross drove around Good's vehicle, which was stopped sideways in the street, then walked back and around it. As other agents approached and one reached through her open window, Good's car began moving forward and to the right. Ross, standing at the front-left of her vehicle, fired three shots as the car passed him, turning away from him.

The Cover-Up:

• Federal officials claimed Good was "stalking and impeding" officers and tried to "weaponize her vehicle"
  Vice President JD Vance called characterizations of Good as "an innocent civilian" a "lie" and claimed the officer acted in self-defense
  However, Governor Tim Walz, who viewed the video, stated: "Don't believe this propaganda machine"
  The FBI revoked the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's access to evidence, effectively preventing state-level investigation
  The Department of Justice declined to investigate the shooting
  Her Legacy: Good's mother described her as "one of the kindest people I've ever known... extremely compassionate... loving, forgiving, and affectionate... an amazing human being." She dedicated her life to caring for others. Her killing has become a rallying point for resistance to federal overreach in Minnesota.

Community Response

Minnesotans have responded with unprecedented unity:

• Massive protests: Thousands marched in Minneapolis on January 23, filling Target Center
  Economic blackout: Over 700 businesses closed, workers walked out, schools stayed closed
  Solidarity across sectors: Labor unions, clergy, healthcare workers, educators, business owners united
  Legal action: Multiple lawsuits filed challenging the constitutionality of the operation
  National solidarity: Protests held in cities across the U.S. including New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Salt Lake City
   ____________________________________________

 

 
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ADVOCACY

Federal Officials

President Donald Trump: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500 | whitehouse.gov
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528
Your U.S. Senators: Contact via senate.gov
Your U.S. Representative: Contact via house.gov
Minnesota State Officials

Governor Tim Walz: 130 State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 | (651) 201-3400
Attorney General Keith Ellison: 445 Minnesota Street, Suite 1400, St. Paul, MN 55101 | (651) 296-3353
Your State Senator and Representative: Contact via leg.mn.gov
Local Officials

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey: 350 South 5th Street, Room 331, Minneapolis, MN 55415 | (612) 673-2100
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter: 390 City Hall, 15 West Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55102 | (651) 266-8510
Your City Council Members: Contact via city websites
Community Organizations Leading the Response

Faith in Action
SEIU Local 26
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
ACLU of Minnesota
Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC)
Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL)
 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Know Your Rights

If stopped by ICE: You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to open your door if agents do not have a warrant signed by a judge. You have the right to an attorney.
Legal Resources: Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota hotline and local legal aid organizations
Documentation: Record all encounters with federal agents safely and legally
Support Networks

Mutual Aid: Connect with local community organizations for food, shelter, and financial assistance
Mental Health: Free and low-cost counseling resources for trauma support
Business Support: Resources for affected businesses through local chambers of commerce and community development organizations
Stay Informed

Minnesota Reformer
MPR News
Bring Me The News
Unicorn Riot (on-the-ground reporting)
Community organization social media and email lists
 
This petition and letter may be reproduced, shared, and distributed freely. Our voices will not be silenced. Our communities will not be destroyed. Minnesota will resist.

#ICEOutOfMinnesota #JusticeForReneeGood