Protesters Demand Target Take a Stand Against ICE

Protesters gathered outside Target’s downtown Minneapolis headquarters calling on the retailer to publicly oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Minnesota. The demonstration follows coordinated actions at Target stores across the Twin Cities and growing outrage over federal raids, deadly encounters, and corporate silence amid an escalating immigration crackdown.

Activists rallied outside Target’s downtown Minneapolis headquarters Credit: Clint Combs / MSR

Protesters opposed to President Donald Trump’s military-style immigration crackdown turned their attention to corporate power Monday, calling on Target to publicly cut ties with federal immigration enforcement.

Activists rallied outside Target’s downtown Minneapolis headquarters, urging newly appointed CEO Michael Fiddelke to push back against Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Minnesota. The demonstration followed coordinated protests Saturday at 23 Target stores across the Twin Cities.

“There are things that are bad for them, and there are things that are good for them,” said Ulla Nilsen of Unidos MN. “They’re afraid of retribution. Trump has shown that he is willing to attack anyone who stands against him.”

Target has stated that it does not maintain cooperative agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other immigration enforcement agencies. Protesters, however, argue that the company’s silence amid ongoing enforcement activity amounts to complicity.

“We’re asking Target to speak out against ICE and call for ICE to leave Minnesota,” Nilsen said.

Federal Activity Linked to Target Properties

Observers have documented federal immigration agents staging operations in Target parking lots along Lake Street in Minneapolis and in Richfield since December. On Jan. 8, witnesses filmed former U.S. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino leading a raid inside the Richfield Target, where two workers, Jonathan Aguilar Garcia and Christian Miranda Roman, were detained. Target has not publicly addressed the incident.

Protesters opposed to federal immigration crackdowns in the Twin Cities held a rally outside Target HQ on Monday and staged a sit-in inside the downtown Target in Minneapolis Credit: Clint Combs / MSR

“Our demands have been clear,” said Veronica Mendez Moore. “Publicly call for an immediate end to the ICE surge into Minnesota. Second, Target should exercise its Fourth Amendment rights by posting signage denying entry to immigration agents without a signed judicial warrant and properly training staff on how to respond when agents arrive.”

Violence and Escalating Stakes

The protests come amid growing outrage over deadly encounters involving federal agents. On Jan. 7, border agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good. Three weeks later, immigration agents Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez shot and killed Alex Pretti on Jan. 25.

CAIRMN Executive Director said that the boycott movement has led to declining sales and foot traffic after announcing an end to its DEI initiates Credit: Clint Combs / MSR

“This is a crisis that requires all of us to come together,” said Heather Hecker, a medical worker at Hennepin County Medical Center. “Just as it is not sustainable for our communities to live under terror, it is not sustainable for Target either. Corporations cannot survive the moral injury of staying silent.”

Jaylani Hussein, executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota, criticized Target’s rollback of diversity commitments and described the company’s response as a betrayal of the communities that supported its growth.

“People woke up to the reality that Target is involved,” Hussein said. “Before Trump even made his announcement, they turned their backs on their neighbors and on George Floyd.”

Impact on Faith Communities and Media

Pastor Doug Mork described immigration enforcement activity disrupting worship services and destabilizing families within his congregation.

“We are seeing ICE activity during services, within blocks of our church,” Mork said. “Families are being torn apart. Corporations like Target have accumulated power in our communities, and with that power comes responsibility.”

Independent journalist Georgia Fort, who was arrested by federal agents last week while covering protests, said Target abruptly ended a contract with her company, BLCK Press, following the retailer’s decision to roll back its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies.

“We met all deadlines and overdelivered on every metric,” Fort said. “Then all communication stopped abruptly.”

Political Response and Expanding Protests

On Jan. 25, Fiddelke co-signed a letter with 60 Minnesota CEOs calling for the “de-escalation of tensions” between local and federal officials. Minneapolis leaders criticized the statement as insufficient.

“If they wanted this to end, they could leverage their capital to do so,” said Minneapolis City Council Member Aurin Chowdhury.

Protests targeting Target show no signs of slowing, with actions now reported in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, and Seattle, signaling growing national resistance to the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy.

Clint Combs is a contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

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