š Good News from the Resistance, January 11-17, 2026
Minnesota resists, Trump cracks, and the Administration is in deep water
Welcome to How to Resist, a compendium of resistance actions based on nonviolence, mutual aid, and community building.
Dear Resisters,
This week, Minnesota has endured what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has called its ālargest immigration operation ever.ā1 The surge of over 2,000-3,000 federal immigration agents, to the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, which last week cost 37-year-old mother Renee Good her life, has continued to terrorize residents who describe living under constant fear as heavily armed officers patrol neighborhoods, conduct traffic stops, stage in parking lots, and carry out arrests ā sometimes breaking car windows, dragging people out of vehicles, or ramming vehicles before demanding proof of citizenship. Families have altered routines to avoid public spaces, and community members report widespread anxiety, especially in immigrant neighborhoods where agents have approached people without warrants and concentrated enforcement efforts. Tear gas and pepper spray used during protests have affected bystanders, including two children who were hospitalized after a canister hit a vehicle they were in. Employees have been seized outside workplaces, and some shops have temporarily locked doors.2
With families afraid to send students to class, major districts in Minneapolis and St. Paul have shifted to temporary online learning. Absences have surged ā in some schools, as many as a quarter to half of students in certain immigrant communities stayed home ā and districts reported detentions of parents at bus stops and clashes between agents and protesters outside school buildings.3
Midweek, Governor Walz took to social media to address Minnesotans and to underscore the harm this action is causing.
For many residents, the combined stress of visible federal patrols and aggressive enforcement tactics has compounded the lingering trauma of past police violence and has left a shaken Twin Cities with a renewed sense of being under siege. Adding insult to injury, itās quite clear that this most recent surge is nothing more than a tantrum thrown in response to Trump and his administrationās failure to get what they want and imminent threats to the remaining fragments of their legitimacy.
On December 23rd, the Supreme Court, by a vote of 6-3, held that Trump likely lacks the authority to federalize National Guard troops in response to protests against ICE activities in Chicago, which has forced Trump to withdraw remaining federalized National Guard troops from Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago, and will likely prevent him from using troops this way again in the future.
Without the National Guard or the military, all that Trump has isā¦ ICE, and any other federal agents the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can commandeer to do its bidding. This explains why this particular tantrum has resulted in āthe largest immigration operation ever,ā but itās also a warning for us. It is extremely important at this juncture that we not do anything which would give the administration cause to invoke the Insurrection Act, which Trump would most certainly use as an argument to declare martial law.
This is a scary idea, so perhaps I should remind you here that the DHS ultimately failed to subdue Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago, all large American cities with prepared, active, noncompliant residents and strong democratic leadership. ICE, which falls under DHS, has only ~22,000 agents*, not nearly enough personnel to impose dominance on a country as large and populous as the United States.
We outnumber ICE, and part of the resistance's success has been in mobilizing and training our own numbers to track, record, and document ICE activity. The reason we know what happened to Renee Good was because ordinary people, armed with whistles and cell phones, showed up and, stubbornly, courageously, looked the power of the state in their masked faces and said, you may have the upper hand today, but weāve got the receipts, and we will not stop fighting for justice.
That may seem insufficient in light of the horrors weāve witnessed these past months, but itās not. That is what fighting American fascism looks like. We arenāt doing it the same way that grandparents and great-grandparents did in Europe. This is something new, and we are deciding for ourselves, now, in this very moment, how we will respond in a way that aligns with our democratic principles, our values of nonviolence, and our commitment to a multicultural, multiethnic society.
Iād also like to say a word about Minnesota, a place Iāve called home, and Minneapolis and St Paul in particular. Minnesota is known for its people's kindness and generosity; the way they genuinely care for their neighbors, take care of one another, and codify these values in their local and state laws. I think itās easy to underestimate Minnesota because of that well-earned, well-deserved reputation. But 2020 was not that long ago, and this is not the first time that Minnesota has had to deal with an armed federal presence, widespread fear, confusion, disruption, and outside agitators. Folks in Minneapolis and St Paul are organized, prepared, and experienced (see Minnesota Resists below for more). Right now, they are holding the line as only they can, and tomorrow they will be teaching the rest of us what to do when ICE comes to our communities.
A reckoning is coming for Trump, and he knows it.
It should be quite clear to anyone watching that Trump is no longer tethered to reality in any meaningful way. This makes him erratic and dangerous, but also vulnerable. He is not mentally or physically fit to absorb or respond to the pressures placed on his crumbling administration, and it shows. He seems no longer able to mask his frustration and displeasure with those who challenge him, even in small ways. This week, Trump responded to a heckler with the middle finger and, āF*ck you. F*ck you.ā This is after he snapped, āQuiet piggy,ā while pointing a finger in the face of a female reporter who asked about the Epstein files in the fall. 4 5
In November, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law that mandated that the Department of Justice (DOJ) release all of the Epstein files by December 19th. As of today, the DOJ has only released an estimated 1% of the files in a flagrant violation of the law. In the House, the Act's leading sponsors have asked a U.S. District Judge to appoint āa Special Master and an Independent Monitor to compelā the DOJ to produce the Epstein files as the law requires.6 7
Trumpās Department of Defense is facing allegations of war crimes for using a disguised military aircraft to kill 11 people in a boat off the coast of Venezuela in an attack in September.8
Former special counsel Jack Smith will testify publicly before the House Judiciary Committee next week after months of seeking an open forum to defend his investigations into President Trumpās efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents. Smith has repeatedly stated in sworn testimonies that he has evidence to prove Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the election and obstruct justice, and is eager to answer public inquiry.9
More people disapprove than approve of every single one of Trumpās domestic policy issues, from jobs to healthcare to immigration to trade to cost of living, and new polls show that the increase in ICE activity has drastically decreased support for ICE and increased the number of people wanting to abolish ICE.10
Europe is not having any talk of a US takeover of Greenland and has mobilized troops to the Arctic island, and residents in Denmark are holding demonstrations stating quite clearly that Greenland is not for sale. 11 12
There will be an AFTER
I know, especially for folks in Minnesota right now, itās really hard to think of a time after this. But this will end. There will be an after. And in that after, we will have the opportunity to build the future that we want, with the lessons weāve learned from today. We will bring justice to those whose rights, liberty, and lives have been stolen, and we will demand law, policy, and safeguards to ensure that this never happens again.
But for now, itās time to keep the pressure on. If you are struggling to find your place in the resistance, below are links to concrete actionsā not of things we could do, but of things we are doing, as we teach each other to resist in a uniquely American way in a uniquely American context.
š 45 Acts of Non-Compliance for Ordinary People
š 35+ Ways America is Resisting ICE (that go beyond protest)
You can read about more stories of resistance from this week below. Until next time, please take extra good care of yourselves and each other, and donāt give up the fight.
Yours,
M-.
P.S. This is the first time in this Substack that I have used the phrase American fascism. I do so because the actions of the Trump administration fit the definition of fascism as described by leading historian on fascism, Robert Paxton in his book The Anatomy of Fascism (2005), āA form of political behaviour marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion."
Minnesota Resists
Judge Blocks ICE From Targeting Peaceful Minneapolis Protesters
A federal judge issued an order sharply restricting how ICE agents can respond to peaceful demonstrators in Minneapolis, barring arrests, pepper spray, and vehicle stops without reasonable suspicion, following widespread protests over the killing of Renee Good. The ruling, prompted by a lawsuit filed by protesters, aims to protect community observers and those monitoring immigration agents ahead of another weekend of antiāICE demonstrations. Even as federal officials criticized the decision, Minnesota leaders denounced the administrationās tactics and warned against weaponizing law enforcement.13
Minnesota High School Students Walk Out to Challenge Trumpās Immigration Crackdown
Hundreds of students across Rochester high schools walked out of class to protest the Trump administrationās sweeping immigration crackdown and the ICE killing of Renee Good, marching to a pedestrian bridge with handmade signs and chants demanding justice. Students described the action as a stand against fear and racial profiling, noting that the surge of federal agents has created anxiety not only for undocumented students but also for U.S. citizens targeted in recent enforcement actions. Many said they joined the walkout to protect their families and communities and to shape a future where young people of color do not have to fear for their safety under Trumpās policies.14
Diners Confront ICE Agents and Force Them Out of St. Paul Restaurant
Patrons at Cancun Mexican Grill & Cantina in St. Paul drove out ICE agents after spotting them inside, shouting at them to leave as part of the growing public resistance to Trumpās immigration crackdown. Diners quickly unified in their response, refusing to allow the agents to remain in the restaurant and making clear that their community rejects the intimidation and fear that federal enforcement has brought to Minnesota.15
Minnesota and Illinois sue Trump administration to block surge of ICE
Minnesota and Illinois filed lawsuits to block the Trump administrationās largeāscale deployment of federal immigration agents, arguing the surge is unconstitutional, unlawfully violent, and politically targeted at Democraticāleaning states. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is seeking an immediate restraining order and new requirements for officer transparency, while Illinois aims to halt aggressive DHS tactics such as tear gas use and masked operations. Their legal challengesāspurred by the fatal shooting of Renee Good and escalating confrontations between ICE and residentsārepresent a coordinated stateālevel effort to curb federal overreach and protect communities from abusive enforcement practices.16 17
āNo Sleepā for ICE in Minneapolis
AntiāICE demonstrators gathered outside the Graduate Hotel in Minneapolis, where federal immigration agents were believed to be staying, to protest the Trump administrationās escalating immigration enforcement. Protesters used noisemakers, music, and chanting to prevent ICE agents from sleeping, to call attention to growing fear in the community, and to publicly challenge the increased deployment of federal agents. 18
6 Minnesota Prosecutors Resign in Opposition to Trumpās ICE Crackdown
Six federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned after the Justice Department pushed to investigate the widow of Renee Goodāwho was killed by an ICE agentāwhile declining to scrutinize the shooting itself, a move they saw as politicized and unjust. The resignations, led by acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson, underscored growing internal resistance to Trumpās escalating immigration crackdown, which has brought thousands of federal agents into Minnesota and sparked widespread community outrage. Local leaders and immigrantārights advocates warned that refusing to examine the agentās actions undermines public trust and enables abuses, and several officials condemned the administration for sidelining career professionals in favor of politically driven investigations.19
Minnesota AG Moves to Block SNAP Funding Freeze Targeting Minnesota
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced he will sue the Trump administration after it moved to freeze $129 million in SNAP funding for Minnesota and Minneapolis, a decision federal officials justified by pointing to unrelated fraud cases in other social programs. Ellison said he would not allow the administration to strip food assistance from the 440,000 Minnesotans who rely on SNAP and vowed to challenge the freeze in court. State and local officials called the action politically motivated, noting the administration provided no specifics about the freeze and has recently escalated other punitive measures against Minnesota.20
Nationwide Protests Mobilize Against ICE in Solidarity with Minnesota
Outrage over the ICE killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis sparked nationwide demonstrations as the āIce Out for Goodā campaign and groups like the 50501 movement organized rallies across cities and small towns to challenge Trumpās escalating massādeportation agenda. Protesters denounced what they described as ICEās growing violence under Trump, linking the Minneapolis shooting and another Border Patrol shooting in Portland to a broader pattern of abuses. Demonstrators flooded streets with cameras, whistles, and signs calling for accountability, even as authorities used tear gas in Minneapolis and Trump deployed additional federal agents.21 22
Washington, D.C.
Kansans Rally at the Statehouse to Resist Trumpās ICE Crackdown
Hundreds of Kansans filled the Statehouse in Topeka to protest the ICE killing of Renee Nicole Good and to challenge Trumpās broader immigration enforcement agenda, joining a rally organized by fourteen groups including Kansas Interfaith Action, the ACLU, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Planned Parenthood Great Plains, El Centro, and the Sierra Club. Demonstrators chanted, held handmade signs demanding justice and human rights, and heard speakers connect Goodās killing to wider issues of racism, inequality, and state violence. Organizers emphasized people power, urging Kansans to keep pressuring lawmakers and continue building a movement to counter harmful federal policies.23
Seattle, Washington
Wisconsin High School Students March to the Capitol to Protest ICE Killing
Students from several Madison, WI, high schools walked out of class and marched more than two miles to the Wisconsin State Capitol to protest the ICE killing of Renee Good and to speak out against Trumpās immigration policies. Organizing largely among themselves, they carried signs, chanted āno justice, no peace,ā and used the Capitol rotunda to call for accountability and humane treatment of immigrants. Parents joined in support, emphasizing the importance of youth civic engagement as students highlighted how the crackdown affects families across their community.24
Ohio Communities Mobilize Against ICE Violence and Prepare for Future Raids
Thousands across Ohio protested the ICE killing of Renee Nicole Good, with large crowds gathering in Columbus, Cleveland, Akron, and Youngstown to condemn Trumpās expanding immigration crackdown and escalating federal violence. Local grassroots groups, including the Ohio Immigrant Alliance and the Columbus Education and Justice Coalition, organized responses and shared resources to help communities monitor ICE actions, assist targeted families, and stay safe amid rising raids.25
North Carolina Community Gathers to Protest ICE Killing and Build Local Resistance
Community members in Boone gathered on the Jones House lawn to protest the ICE killing of Renee Good, making signs, chanting, and sharing reflections on the growing national movement challenging Trumpās immigration crackdown. Speakers emphasized collective power and the need to honor Good and others who died in ICE detention, while local groups ā including High Country Peace and Justice, the Immigrant Justice Coalition, and Indivisible High Country ā organized the event and encouraged participants to keep momentum strong. Demonstrators ended by chanting āNo ICE, No KKK, No fascist USA,ā with many staying afterward to build connections and plan future protests aimed at sustaining resistance as Trumpās policies intensify.
Los Angeles, California
New Yorkers Flood the Streets to Protest ICE Killing and Reject Trumpās Crackdown
Thousands of New Yorkers marched from Central Park to Trump Tower to protest the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent and to denounce President Trumpās mass deportation agenda and recent military actions. Demonstrators, joined by local elected officials, blocked traffic, chanted against the administration, and carried signs condemning federal immigration policies and defending communities targeted by enforcement. The marchāone of several nationwideāshowcased a broad, energized public resistance, with participants emphasizing the need to confront what they view as escalating authoritarian tactics and reaffirming their commitment to sustained protest.26
Detroit Protesters Mobilize to Challenge Trumpās Agenda
Hundreds of Detroit residents, joined by grassroots organizations and leftist and progressive groups, mobilized in cold, rainy weather to confront President Trump during his visit downtown, rejecting his administrationās attacks on immigrants, Venezuela, and other rightāwing policies. Earlier the same day, many of the same groups held a rally and press conference demanding āICE out of Detroit,ā adding momentum to a week of growing local mobilizations. Protesters significantly outnumbered Trump supporters, and labor solidarity emerged as the UAW publicly defended a worker who spoke out against Trump during a factory tour. Despite police barriers preventing the march from reaching Trump directly, organizers emphasized building democratic spaces and assemblies to strengthen strategy, channel anger constructively, and sustain a selfāorganized movement beyond a single moment.27 28
SeattleāArea Activists Protest ICE Deportation Flights
Hundreds of protesters gathered at King County International Airport, a.k. Boeing Field, to oppose Trumpās immigration raids and the deportation flights operating there, in an action led by the grassroots group La Resistencia. Demonstrators, including many parents and grandparents, marched from the airport parking lot to a more visible stretch of Airport Way, chanting and holding signs while denouncing family separation and calling the federal crackdown āstate violence.ā Participants urged sustained resistance rather than occasional demonstrations, and organizers signaled that more protests against ICEās actions in the region are already being planned.29
Legal & Legislative Resistance
Judge blocks White House bid to revoke whistleblower lawyerās security clearance
A federal judge blocked the Trump administrationās attempt to strip national security attorney Mark Zaid of his security clearance, finding the revocation was improper political retaliation for his work representing whistleblowers. With the ruling, Zaidās access to classified material has been fully restored, allowing him to continue defending clients challenging government misconduct without fear of reprisal. The decision pushes back against efforts to sideline attorneys who represent critics of the administration and reinforces legal protections for those who hold the government accountable.30
Court Ruling Lets Offshore Wind Developers Push Back Against Trumpās Halt
A federal judge allowed Ćrsted to resume construction on its nearly completed Revolution Wind project after the Trump administration abruptly halted it, marking a significant legal win for developers resisting the presidentās broader effort to block offshore wind expansion. Ćrsted and other companies have challenged the administrationās suspension of multiple wind projects, arguing the pause lacked transparency and violated dueāprocess rules, and the court agreed that stopping work would cause irreparable harm. The ruling enables immediate work on the project to continue while lawsuits proceed, signaling that offshore wind developers are successfully using the courts to counter Trumpās attempts to stall renewableāenergy infrastructure.31
Judge Condemns Trump Officials for Violating First Amendment in Crackdown on Student Activists
A federal judge sharply rebuked President Trump and senior Cabinet officials for detaining and attempting to deport proāPalestinian student activists, ruling that they engaged in an unconstitutional effort to silence dissent and punish people for their political views. Judge William Young said the administration conspired to violate First Amendment rights by targeting noncitizen students across multiple universities, relying on politically motivated intelligence reports and detaining students for weeks despite no criminal charges.32
International Resistance
Copenhagen Protesters Reject Trumpās Push to Acquire Greenland
Thousands of demonstrators marched from Copenhagen City Hall to the U.S. embassy chanting āGreenland is not for sale,ā rallying against President Trumpās renewed calls to acquire Greenland and asserting solidarity with Greenlandic communities. Protesters carried Greenlandic flags, mocked Trump with satirical signs, and emphasized that Greenlandās people and land are not commodities, while Greenlanders in the crowd voiced fears about U.S. encroachment and stressed their desire for sovereignty and cultural respect.33 34
Featured Organizations
One of the most powerful things you can do as an individual in this moment is join an organization that is engaged in concrete actions to challenge, disrupt, and protect. This weekās news round-up features the following grassroots organizations that are turning dissent into strategic collective action. Check out these great organizations or find one near you and join today!
Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth
Planned Parenthood Great Plains
Columbus Education and Justice Coalition
Want more from How to Resist?
Check out these posts:
š 45 Acts of Non-Compliance for Ordinary People
š 35+ Ways America is Resisting ICE (that go beyond protest)
š Helping people leave MAGA
š Take Action: Bystander intervention
Good News from the Resistance is published every Sunday. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest!
*Correction: A previous version of this post contained a typo. The correct number of ICE officers and agents, according to the Dept. of Homeland Security, is ~22,000.
https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-ice-noem-minnesota-somali-db661df6de1131a034da2bda4bb3d817
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/ice-videos-minnesota-trump-immigration.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/us/minneapolis-schools-online-learning-ice.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/13/trump-ford-factory-heckler-detroit/
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c70j210g4e7o
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/06/epstein-files-release-justice-department
https://www.axios.com/2026/01/08/epstein-files-doj-special-master-khanna-massie
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/us/politics/us-boat-attacks-law.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/former-special-counsel-jack-smith-testify-publicly-trump-judiciary-com-rcna253740
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0ydjvxpejo
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/protesters-denmark-support-greenland-after-trumps-takeover-threat-2026-01-17/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgprwlplqwo
https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/students-across-rochester-walk-out-to-protest-federal-immigration-crackdown
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/diners-drive-ice-agents-out-of-mexican-restaurant-in-minn/2026/01/15/5ec21624-018f-4119-88d1-cdfe09ab7530_video.html?utm_campaign=wp_the7&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F467648f%2F696a25ee5088dd01586ab450%2F63a0c038f7d03470818a5ceb%2F16%2F97%2F696a25ee5088dd01586ab450
https://www.reuters.com/world/minnesota-sues-trump-administration-block-surge-federal-immigration-agents-2026-01-12/
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/us/minnesota-llinois-lawsuit-ice-trump-administration.html
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/gallery/2026/jan/15/minneapolis-ice-renee-good-protests-in-photos
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/prosecutors-doj-resignation-ice-shooting.html
https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/12/ellison-says-hell-sue-trump-administration-over-minnesota-specifc-snap-cut/
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/10/us/ice-shooting-protests-minnesota.html
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/10/nx-s1-5673229/ice-protests-minneapolis-portland-renee-good
https://lawrencekstimes.com/2026/01/15/kr-rally-condemns-ice/
https://www.wmtv15news.com/2026/01/15/madison-students-walk-out-protest-woman-killed-by-ice-agent/
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/01/14/in-the-wake-of-ice-shooting-protests-in-ohio-preparation-for-more-raids/
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/us/politics/ice-protest-nyc-trump.html
https://fightbacknews.org/articles/detroit-demands-out-of-our-city-during-trumps-visit
https://www.leftvoice.org/protesters-confront-trump-in-detroit/
https://mynorthwest.com/mynorthwest-politics/protest-ice-boeing-field/4188329
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/13/trump-mark-zaid-restore-clearance
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/us-judge-consider-orsteds-challenge-trump-offshore-wind-pause-2026-01-12/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/01/15/protesters-trump-administration-free-speech-violations/
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/17/g-s1-106401/not-for-sale-massive-protest-in-copenhagen-against-trumps-desire-to-acquire-greenland
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/protesters-denmark-support-greenland-after-trumps-takeover-threat-2026-01-17/
Thank you for this much needed encouragement!
Correction: A previous version of this post contained a typo. The correct number of ICE officers and agents according to the Dept of Homeland Security is ~22,000.