Vol. 71/No. 22      June 4, 2007

Many of the demonstrators were students from the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis Community and Technical College. They were joined by workers who were in the area. Many people driving by honked their horns in solidarity.

The protest took place at the corner of Bloomington Ave. and Lake St., the intersection in the heart of the Latino community here where the ICE raid took place. Many working people, mostly from Mexico, come here to shop on weekends.

At noon on Saturday, ICE agents, along with Bureau of Criminal Apprehension cops and Minneapolis police officers, raided a second-story apartment.

As soon as four sport-utility vehicles bearing the federal immigration cops appeared at Lake and Bloomington, dozens of people sprinted south on Bloomington and down nearby alleys screaming, “ICE! ICE!” to warn working people.

A crowd that quickly swelled to 100 gathered at the intersection where the cops showed up. Others held signs around the corner telling people a raid was in progress. Many brought camcorders and digital cameras to record the treatment of those arrested.

When the cops escorted one man from a building in handcuffs, protesters began chanting, “Fuera, ICE! Fuera, ICE!” or “Go away, ICE!” One protester holding a sign that read “Shame on You” was arrested by Minneapolis cops for refusing to leave the sidewalk.

“I want to know what’s going to happen to these families, what’s going to happen to the kids left behind,” Jesús Ramírez shouted in the face of an ICE agent who stood silent.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the raid began about 10:30 a.m., when half a dozen police vehicles appeared in the parking lot of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church while another six appeared outside the Powderhorn Park Baptist Church.

Rev. Patrick Cabello Hansel, pastor at St. Paul’s, asked the agents to leave, but they refused. “The church is supposed to be a sanctuary from raids like this,” Cabello said. “This is a violation of the separation of church and state.”

According to local television news, ICE officials alleged they arrested and indicted 23 people on charges related to running a prostitution ring. Police and city officials sought to defuse anger against the immigration raids that has become widespread since an April 14 sweep of homes and businesses in Willmar, Minnesota, where la migra grabbed about 50 undocumented workers. “No matter what people’s perspectives are on immigration issues, that is such a repugnant crime that I hope it would draw together everyone in the community to speak out,” police spokeswoman Amelia Huffman told the press.

On the evening of the May 19 raid, some 35 people met at a local community center to discuss what had happened that day and how to fight for immigrant rights. “We need to come back and protest against this,” said Rosie Cruz, a local community activist.
 
 
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