One year into Donald Trump’s second term, his administration’s immigration enforcers have somehow proven to be more sinister than ever. 

Rapes, child hostages, record number of deaths in custody, and unprompted beatings are just some of the atrocities that federal agents have committed against American citizens under the pretense of “enforcement.” As the president rhetorically and legally green lights human rights violations, the extent of the Department of Homeland Security’s criminality cannot be ignored — and its actions beget a response. Minnesota and the bravery of its civilians against Immigration and Customs Enforcement provide a blueprint.

In Minnesota, the brazen nature of ICE’s numerous atrocities contrast with the peaceful actions of protestors. As thousands of Minnesotan volunteers mobilized to monitor their communities, deliver food for vulnerable neighbors, and show solidarity in the freezing cold, the violent reactions of federal agents exposed the incompetence entrenched in the organization to the American public. 

Prior to recent ICE operations in Minnesota, the Trump administration demonstrated its disregard for constitutional rights by deporting or detaining non-citizen writers, professors, and activists who led pro-Palestine protests. Yet, mass turnout of protestors during operations in Los Angeles failed to gain much sympathy from the general public, as few instances of violence overshadowed the criminal actions of the administration.

So, why was Minnesota different? In early January, when the Trump administration sent ICE into Minneapolis, its agents murdered Renee Good. In response, thousands of people volunteered to patrol their communities with whistles, resources, and their cell phone cameras, further empowering others to resist. Protestors and activists’ stalwart commitment to peaceful demonstrations garnered mass attention, and now, reports of ICE’s violence against American citizens flood the news cycle. 

None of this exposure would have been possible without the efforts of activists who have long been working to expose the brutality of Trump’s secret police. Minnesotans’ peaceful, firm, and strategic resistance to ICE is the best way to combat this administration.

As Minnesota shows us, this resistance can take many different forms. Take the case of a DoorDash driver who ran into the private residence of a stranger after ICE stopped her in her car. Federal agents threatened the homeowners with arrest if they did not open the door to apprehend the worker. They were nearly successful in coercing compliance, until community members gathered around the household, blowing their whistles to give the homeowners the confidence to refuse entry. 

The murder of Good became a rallying cry because so many other protesters were at the scene recording the shooting, creating an undeniable narrative that correctly positions the ICE-stapo as state oppressors. The Trump administration was forced to divert resources away from conducting deportations to controlling peaceful crowds — a surge in agents did not dissuade protestors from protecting their people

Around 15,000 Minnesotans showed up in the freezing cold to nonviolently express their anger, while thousands participated in a general strike. 

Then, one day later, ICE agents executed 37-year-old Alex Pretti while he attempted to protect another protester from an agent’s attack. Filmed from multiple angles, the footage shows even fewer potential arguments for self-defense than Good’s murder. 

Organizations at UC San Diego, such as the Students’ Civil Liberties Union, are taking proactive steps to support the community in case a similar operation occurs in our city. Whistles, community patrols, and canvassing small businesses are just some of the strategies from Minneapolis that student organizations are adopting into their activism here. 

Hopefully, none of these tactics are ever needed here in San Diego. However, given the state of the country and the violence inherent to ICE and Customs and Border Protection, this seems to be an overly optimistic sentiment. If what happened in Minneapolis ever unfolds in San Diego, we must bear in mind the lessons Minnesotans have taught the nation.