💌 Good News from the Resistance, January 25-31, 2026
MN mutual aid networks, record civil disobedience actions, Maine kicks out ICE, student walkouts, and a national shutdown
Welcome to How to Resist, a compendium of resistance actions based on nonviolence, mutual aid, and community building.
Dear Readers,
This was the most active week of resistance since Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025. The variety of resistance actions, the level of civil disobedience, and the diversity of participants have been unlike anything I’ve seen thus far while writing this Substack. This week, we saw the full breadth and depth of the American resistance.
The stories below show how we are teaching one another to resist in a uniquely American way, in a uniquely American context. Minnesota is teaching us that community is resistance and the antidote to fascism. Labor unions and businesses are teaching us the power of direct economic action. Faith leaders are modeling moral courage, faith as resistance, and civil disobedience as a sacred obligation. Lawyers, judges, local officials, public servants, and whistleblowers are showing us how to fight from inside the system. And art, music, public rituals, vigils, and memorials are teaching us how to remain human through it all.
If you are still searching for your place in the resistance, let these stories be your guide. There is a role for everyone, and we need everyone in their role. ICE remains embedded in our cities. Local communities are fighting new detention facilities, while our representatives fight for access and oversight. Our communities are hurting; the most vulnerable among us are suffering due to a lack of social services and exorbitant healthcare costs. Our allies are excluding the United States from trade agreements, and we are losing foreign investment. Trump is growing more erratic and frail as his administration continues to defy court orders and, more ominously, appears to be laying the groundwork to challenge the legitimacy of the 2026 elections.
This week was a high‑water mark for the resistance, but it will get worse before it gets better, and we will need everyone at their battle stations for the months ahead.
Ready to get involved? Check out these two posts on how to resist:
📌 45 Acts of Non-Compliance for Ordinary People
📌 35+ Ways America is Resisting ICE (that go beyond protest)
Scroll down for this week’s stories of resistance. Please take care of yourselves and each other, and we’ll talk again soon!
M-.
Nationwide Shutdown
Nationwide Shutdown Mobilizes Cities Against ICE Enforcement
Thousands of people joined coordinated anti-ICE protests across the United States during a nationwide day of action on Saturday, with large demonstrations in Minneapolis and actions in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC. Organized as the National Shutdown, the protests called for “no work, no school, no shopping” to demand an end to ICE funding and accountability following the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minnesota. Protesters used marches, symbolic actions, and mass participation to pressure political leaders and challenge Operation Metro Surge, while governors and mayors in Minnesota publicly urged federal agents to withdraw.1 2 3
Boston, Massachusetts
New York City, NY
Los Angeles, California
Portland, Maine
San Francisco, Calidornia
Austin, Texas
Minnesota Resists
Minneapolis Mutual Aid Groups Expand Food Support Amid ICE Escalation
Grassroots organizations, churches, nonprofits, and small businesses across Minneapolis stepped up food distribution efforts as intensified ICE activity under the Trump administration made many residents afraid to leave their homes. Groups including Community Aid Network MN, Casa Maria, Calvary Food Shelf, Twin City Food Justice, La Guadalupana Supermercado, Dios Habla Hoy, La Viña Community Church, and Intercongregation Communities Association (ICA) expanded grocery deliveries, emergency food distributions, and volunteer mobilization to meet surging demand from immigrant families and other vulnerable neighbors. By coordinating mutual aid, fundraising, and donation drives, these locally rooted groups are responding directly to federal enforcement fallout by ensuring people remain fed, supported, and connected despite fear and disruption.4
Indigenous-led Mutual Aid Networks Counter ICE Operations
Across Minneapolis, residents and grassroots groups are organizing mutual aid efforts to support neighbors affected by intensified ICE activity under the Trump administration. Community spaces like Pow Wow Grounds and All My Relations Gallery have become donation hubs, coordinated by the Indigenous Protector Movement, providing food, supplies, and support for legal observers documenting immigration enforcement. Local volunteers organized large-scale coat, food, and supply drives for people being released from federal buildings into freezing weather, with donations routed through neighborhood restaurants and shared via new online resource hubs.5
Minneapolis Residents Defy ICE to Warn Neighbors of Immigration Raids
Across Minneapolis and St. Paul, thousands of residents have organized decentralized rapid-response networks to track ICE activity and warn immigrant communities during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge. Volunteers from all walks of life follow federal convoys, share locations through encrypted apps, sound warnings with whistles and car horns, film encounters, and provide legal information when arrests occur. Groups such as Defend the 612 have helped coordinate food deliveries, rides to work, and school watch efforts for families too afraid to leave their homes. Despite arrests, tear gas, and warnings from federal officials, participants say the goal is simple: alert neighbors, reduce harm, and make immigration enforcement visible through collective, community-based resistance.6
Minnesota Small Businesses Turn Economic Blackout Into Mutual Aid
Local businesses in Minneapolis transformed a statewide economic blackout into an act of community care and resistance by opening their doors for free food, warmth, and supplies as ICE activity intensified under the Trump administration. Worker‑owned May Day Cafe and neighborhood hub Pilllar Forum suspended normal operations but welcomed neighbors with meals, coffee, and space to gather, while residents organized street‑level watch groups to look out for one another. Business owners and volunteers described their actions as mutual aid in response to fear and economic disruption, offering safe, visible support to immigrant communities and demonstrating how local institutions can resist enforcement-driven harm by prioritizing solidarity over commerce.7
Minneapolis Neighbors Create Public ICE Out Vigil on Frozen Lake
Residents in Minneapolis organized a large, public “ICE OUT” vigil at Lake Nokomis, assembling 100‑foot‑long letters made of snow by day and candle‑lit paper bags by night to make their opposition to ICE visible from the air. A gathering of more than 100 people, including parents and children working side by side, despite concerns about surveillance or retaliation. Participants described the action as a collective refusal to be intimidated, using art, presence, and mutual support to express solidarity with their neighbors and affirm that community care and courage can outweigh fear during Trump‑era immigration crackdowns.8
S.O.S
Protesters spelled out S.O.S on frozen Lake Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis, MN.
Faith Leaders Practice “Theology of Showing Up” to Resist ICE in Minneapolis
Multifaith leaders and local residents in Minneapolis are resisting intensified ICE operations under Donald Trump by committing to nonviolent presence, mutual aid, and collective action rooted in religious solidarity. Organized in part by the coalition MARCH (Multifaith Antiracism, Change and Healing), clergy from across the country joined local faith leaders for training, marches, a citywide strike, and acts of civil disobedience, including mass arrests at the Minneapolis–St. Paul airport and prayer actions at the federal building housing ICE offices. Beyond public protest, faith participants and neighbors have joined daily street patrols to document ICE activity, support community‑run rapid‑response networks, and expand mutual aid efforts that share money, food, housing, and care, framing resistance as both a moral obligation and a sustained practice of showing up for vulnerable neighbors.9
Music Workers Organize ‘ICE Out’ Benefit to Support Immigrant Families
Twin Cities United Performers is organizing an “ICE Out!” mutual aid benefit concert at famed concert hall First Avenue to raise money for immigrant families affected by intensified federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. The worker‑led effort brings together Minnesota artists and independent venues to provide direct financial support through donation‑based ticket sales and an auction backed by local businesses and artists. Promoters, musicians, and venue operators framed the concert as a collective stand against ICE violence in Minnesota, urging the music industry to publicly support immigrant communities and channel cultural influence into material aid and solidarity rather than silence.10
Local Minneapolis Shops Build Mutual Aid Network Amid ICE Crackdown
Wrecktangle Pizza in Minneapolis shifted its operations to provide free food and supplies to vulnerable residents in response to heightened ICE activity and the killing of Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer. Co‑owners Breanna Evans and Jeff Rogers organized large‑scale meal production, fundraising, and distribution efforts, delivering frozen pizzas, family meals, and donated goods to neighbors and restaurant workers afraid to leave their homes. Working with local businesses including Smitten Kitten, Lito’s Burritos, and Twin Cities Leather, the restaurant helped build a grassroots mutual aid network that has raised significant funds and fed hundreds, demonstrating community‑led resistance through care, solidarity, and collective action rather than compliance or silence.11
Volunteers Meet ICE Detainees With Rides Home, Phones, and Care in Minneapolis
A grassroots volunteer group called Haven Watch formed in Minneapolis to support people released from ICE detention at the Whipple Federal Building during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. After witnessing detainees being released at all hours without phones, transportation, or winter clothing, volunteers began providing burner phones to contact loved ones, rides home, warm spaces to sit, and basic supplies. Organized by local residents who wanted to respond directly to the harm they were seeing, Haven Watch has also begun collecting donations for food, car seats, and rental assistance, turning daily protests into a sustained mutual aid effort that centers dignity, safety, and community care for people targeted by federal enforcement.12
Indigenous Cultural Group Holds Ceremony to Honor Alex Pretti
Members of Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli gathered with the community at 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis to honor and mourn Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse killed by federal agents, using ceremony as a form of collective resistance and healing. The traditional Mexica–Nahua cultural group, based at Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center, led prayers and reflections that framed Danza and cultural tradition as tools to confront state violence and affirm community resilience. Co-founders Sergio and Mary Anne Quiroz, along with members Samuel Xochikoyotl Torres and Isavela Lopez, emphasized remembrance, solidarity, and the ongoing struggle for justice.
Minnesota DOC launches website to correct ‘DHS misinformation’
The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) launched a public website to challenge what it says are false and misleading claims by the Department of Homeland Security that have been used to justify expanded ICE operations under the Trump administration. DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell has repeatedly appeared at press conferences to dispute DHS statements about Minnesota’s cooperation with ICE, including inflated claims about the number of undocumented people held on ICE detainers and assertions that ICE “arrested” people who were actually transferred from state custody at the end of their sentences. By publishing data, videos, and official statements correcting the record, state officials are actively resisting federal misinformation and pushing back against narratives being used to defend aggressive immigration enforcement in Minnesota.13
Minnesota CEOs Urge De‑Escalation After ICE-Related Shootings
More than 60 CEOs of major Minnesota-based companies publicly called on state, local, and federal officials to de‑escalate tensions following fatal shootings by federal agents during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation under the Trump administration. In a joint open letter, business leaders from companies including Target, Best Buy, General Mills, UnitedHealth Group, and 3M urged cooperation to restore stability as protests spread across the state and economic disruption grew. The statement marked a rare public intervention by corporate leaders, who acknowledged the harm being done to families, workers, and communities and pressed government officials to change course amid ongoing resistance to aggressive ICE actions in Minnesota.14
Republican Candidate Quits Minnesota Governor’s Race Over ICE Crackdown
Republican attorney Chris Madel ended his bid for Minnesota governor, publicly breaking with Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and calling ICE’s Operation Metro Surge unconstitutional and harmful to civilians. In a video announcement, Madel said the expanded federal enforcement in Minnesota has gone far beyond targeting serious crimes, describing widespread fear, racial profiling, and the detention of U.S. citizens as “federal retribution on the citizens of our state.” His withdrawal marked a rare act of resistance from within the Republican Party, as he rejected his party’s direction and cited mass protests, community harm, and constitutional concerns as reasons he could no longer continue his campaign.15
DHS Watchdog Review Undercuts Trump Officials’ Claims About Alex Pretti Shooting
A preliminary internal review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection contradicted Trump administration officials’ claims that Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti had brandished a gun before being fatally shot by federal officers during an ICE enforcement operation. The review, sent to Congress, states that Pretti resisted arrest but does not indicate he pointed a weapon, despite public accusations from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Former CBP watchdog officials criticized the administration’s rushed narrative and called for independent civil‑rights investigations, as demands grow for transparency and accountability.16
Minnesota Residents Stop Proposed ICE Detention Center
Community members and local leaders in Shakopee, MN successfully halted plans for a proposed 1,500‑bed ICE detention center after mobilizing quickly against it. State Rep. Brad Tabke said the real estate developer considering leasing a vacant commercial building to ICE abandoned the plan following what he described as swift and decisive action from residents who made clear that an immigration detention facility was not welcome in their community. 17
Plane Spotter Builds Public Record of ICE Deportation Flights in Minnesota
A Minneapolis-based plane spotter, Nick Benson, has turned his hobby into a form of grassroots accountability by tracking and documenting ICE detention and deportation flights leaving Minnesota during the Trump administration’s immigration surge. Stationed near Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Benson logs each charter flight transporting detained migrants, compiling real-time data that he shares with the 50501 Movement to make enforcement activity visible to the public. His records show a dramatic increase in flights compared to the previous year, offering rare insight into a system largely shielded from public view as federal agencies withhold flight information. By documenting who is being removed and how often, Benson’s work supports community organizers and faith leaders protesting ICE operations and challenges efforts to carry out large-scale deportations without scrutiny.18
67 Student Protesters Arrested After Hotel Protest Targeting ICE Presence on Campus
University of Minnesota police arrested 67 protesters during a demonstration at the Graduate hotel on campus, where protesters say federal immigration agents have been staying amid expanded ICE operations. The protest was part of a broader wave of actions targeting hotels believed to be housing ICE agents, with students challenging the university’s response to immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. According to U of M Students for a Democratic Society, all 67 protesters were cited for unlawful assembly and released by the following morning, with no injuries reported. Student organizers announced plans for a follow-up rally near the hotel, continuing to use campus-based protests to pressure institutions that enable federal immigration enforcement.19 20
Minneapolis Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for Nonviolent Resistance
The editors of The Nation announced they are formally nominating the city of Minneapolis and its residents for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing their sustained, nonviolent resistance to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement. The nomination describes how residents, elected officials, clergy, labor leaders, students, and grassroots organizers responded to ICE raids and the killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti with mass peaceful protests, mutual aid networks, and community patrols rather than retaliation. By organizing large demonstrations, supporting neighbors afraid to leave their homes, and publicly affirming immigrants' dignity and human rights, Minneapolis residents are said to be modeling collective courage and solidarity, using nonviolence and care to challenge authoritarian policies and inspire resistance beyond their city.21
Spotlight on Maine
Lewiston Residents Rally to Push ICE Out of Maine
Hundreds of residents gathered in Lewiston, Maine for the “ICE Them Out” rally to protest Trump‑era immigration enforcement they say is terrorizing immigrant communities and eroding constitutional rights. Organized by local community leaders, the three‑hour event brought together immigrants, faith leaders, elected officials, and grassroots groups to demand that ICE end raids in Maine and Minnesota and that state leaders intervene to protect residents. Speakers condemned mass arrests carried out under federal operations, spoke of the fear and trauma facing families, and emphasized mutual aid efforts already underway, with neighbors organizing to provide rides, groceries, and other support as a direct response to federal crackdowns.22
Maine Residents and Faith Leaders Form Human Wall to Shield Immigrant Workers from ICE
Community members and faith leaders in Westbrook, Maine, have organized daily volunteer shifts to physically shield immigrant workers at the apparel company American Roots from Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. In response to stepped-up ICE operations under the Trump administration, volunteers line up outside the factory at shift changes, forming a visible barrier while workers arrive and leave in small groups coordinated by company staff. The effort was supported by leaders from multiple faith traditions, including Rabbi Rachel Simmons and Reverend Jane Field of the Maine Council of Churches, who described the action as a moral stand against policies that place legally employed immigrants in fear. Company leadership backed the effort, coordinating safety measures and bringing in legal support, while community members joined despite harsh weather to show solidarity and protect workers contributing to the local economy.23
Public Protests and Legal Pressure Force ICE to End Enforcement Surge in Maine
Sustained public opposition and legal advocacy helped prompt federal authorities to end a large-scale ICE enforcement surge in Maine, after days of protests, community disruption, and intensified legal response. The operation, which led to more than 200 detentions, drew criticism from immigration attorneys, grassroots advocates, and elected officials as fear spread across immigrant communities and daily life ground to a halt. Legal groups including the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project and Haven Immigration Law reported overwhelming demand for assistance and warned that the enforcement push had devastating effects despite being labeled temporary.24
Spotlight on Texas
Detained Families Stage Protest Inside Texas Immigration Facility
Immigrant families held an organized protest inside the facilityat the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley. Parents and children gathered behind fences, held signs calling for freedom for detained children, and chanted for their release, with participants saying the protest was a collective act of resistance by families exhausted by prolonged confinement and poor conditions. Aerial photos taken by The Associated Press showed children and parents at the facility clad in jackets and sweaters, holding signs that read, “Libertad para los niños,” or “Liberty for the kids.” Families could also be heard outside chanting “Libertad!” or “Let us go.” Advocates and attorneys reported that the demonstration was organized by detainees to challenge their treatment and demand dignity, legal due process, and an end to the detention of children.25 26
Texas Protesters and Lawmakers Demand Release of Detained Child and Father
Community organizers, unions, and faith leaders gathered outside the Dilley immigration detention facility in Texas to demand the release of five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who were taken into ICE custody in Minnesota and transferred to Texas under Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement push. Protesters marched to the facility after holding a vigil, calling attention to the detention of children and families and clashing with state troopers who moved to block the demonstration. Texas Representatives Joaquin Castro, Jasmine Crockett, and Greg Casar visited the pair inside the facility and publicly urged the Trump administration to free them, with Casar condemning the imprisonment of a young child and lawmakers pledging to hold officials accountable for a cruel and unjust detention. 2728
Student Walk Outs
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Atlanta, Georgia
San Antonio
Chandler, Arizona
UCLA
San Lorenzo, California
Las Vegas, Nevada
Wichita, Kansas
Ohio Student Association
San Francisco, California
America Resists
66 Protesters Arrested During Hilton Protest to Challenge ICE Operations in NY
Dozens of protesters were arrested after occupying the lobby of a Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan to oppose the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and disrupt what they believed was lodging for ICE agents. More than 100 people gathered at the TriBeCa hotel, wearing anti-ICE shirts, chanting, and calling on Hilton to stop cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. The action followed similar hotel protests in Minneapolis and was part of a broader wave of resistance sparked by recent killings by federal agents. Faith leaders, including members of Judson Memorial Church, joined the demonstration, with police ultimately arresting 66 people on trespassing and related charges.29 30
Doctors and Nurses Push Back Against Immigration Enforcement in Hospitals
Doctors, nurses, and major medical organizations are publicly challenging the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement practices in healthcare settings, warning that ICE activity in and around hospitals is endangering patients and undermining care. Following the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minnesota, groups including the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, the American College of Emergency Physicians, and several national physician associations issued statements calling for investigations, an end to enforcement actions that interfere with care, and recognition of hospitals as safe spaces. Healthcare unions such as SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania and state nursing associations also spoke out, reporting that fear of ICE is driving some patients to avoid critical treatment, and urging Congress to block further expansion of immigration enforcement until stronger oversight and protections are in place.31
Nurses Launch Nationwide Week of Action Demanding ICE Defunding
National Nurses United, the country’s largest union of registered nurses, announced a nationwide week of candlelight vigils and actions to honor Alex Pretti and others killed by ICE and to demand that Congress stop funding immigration enforcement agencies under the Trump administration. Led by rank‑and‑file nurses and union leadership, the campaign calls on lawmakers to vote against any spending package that includes ICE funding, linking federal enforcement violence to broader harm to patients, communities, and public health.32
6 Protesters Arrested During City Hall Sit-In in San Diego
Activists in San Diego held a hours-long sit-in at Mayor Todd Gloria’s office to demand clearer limits and transparency around how the San Diego Police Department responds to ICE activity, as national protests against immigration enforcement intensified under the Trump administration. The group sought explicit commitments that local police would either protect civilians during ICE operations or refuse to participate at enforcement scenes, pressing city leadership to clarify policy beyond existing written prohibitions. After repeated attempts to secure a meeting failed, protesters escalated with chants and banners declaring the office “the people’s,” before police cleared City Hall and arrested six people on trespassing charges.33 34
Scientists and Nonprofits Move to Protect Climate Data from Trump Administration
Climate scientists and nonprofit organizations are working to preserve and restore critical climate data after the Trump administration dismantled federal climate science programs, removed datasets from government websites, and cut funding to key agencies. Groups including Climate Central, the Data Rescue Lab, Harvard Library Innovation Lab, and the American Geophysical Union have stepped in to mirror endangered data, revive major projects like NOAA’s Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters dataset, and continue climate reporting outside federal control. These efforts rely on philanthropy and independent infrastructure to keep information accessible to the public, insurers, researchers, and communities, leveraging data preservation itself as a form of resistance to policies aimed at obscuring the impacts of climate change.35
Pro-Gun Groups Break With Trump Administration Over Alex Pretti Killing
Gun rights organizations typically aligned with Donald Trump publicly challenged his administration after federal immigration officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis nurse and legal gun owner, calling for a full and transparent investigation. The National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, and the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus rejected claims by Trump-appointed officials that officers were justified, emphasizing that lawful gun possession is constitutionally protected and does not justify deadly force. Their statements, along with criticism from Republican lawmakers and public pushback against the Justice Department’s rhetoric, were an unusual moment of resistance in which pro-gun groups defended civil liberties and demanded accountability for federal agents involved in the killing.36
Faith as Resistance
Dozens of Faith Leaders Arrested at Capitol Sit-In
Dozens of faith leaders were arrested on Capitol Hill after staging a sit-in protest against the Trump administration’s immigration policies and calling for restrictions on funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Organized by Faith in Action, the demonstration took place inside the Hart Senate Office Building, where clergy sat on the floor, sang, and held banners reading “Do Justice, Love Kindness, Abolish ICE.” U.S. Capitol Police arrested 54 demonstrators, including Faith in Action executive director Bishop Dwayne Royster, after they refused orders to leave. The protest was part of a growing national response by religious leaders demanding accountability for ICE following recent killings by federal agents and pushing lawmakers to curb the agency’s power.37
Catholic Bishops Urge Nationwide Prayer and Action for Peace After ICE Killings
In response to the fatal ICE shootings in Minneapolis, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called on priests across the country to hold a “Holy Hour for Peace,” urging millions of Catholics to confront fear and polarization through prayer, justice, and community care. Speaking out against a climate of enforcement-driven violence under the Trump administration, Coakley framed faith, peaceful assembly, and works of mercy as meaningful acts of resistance to policies that disregard human dignity. The call named the killings by immigration agents as moral failures and encouraged Catholics to engage collectively in healing, reconciliation, and public witness rooted in justice and solidarity. 38 39
9 Faith Leaders Arrested in Maine During Pray-In at Susan Collins’ Office
Clergy and faith leaders from multiple denominations held a prayer protest outside Senator Susan Collins’ office in Portland, Maine, urging her to reject a Homeland Security funding bill and call for an end to ICE operations in the state. At least 30 people gathered for the “pray-in,” with nine clergy arrested on trespassing charges after refusing to disperse, describing their action as a moral response to immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Organized by local faith communities including members of the Portland Friends Meeting and the Cumberland Congregational United Church of Christ, the demonstration used prayer, scripture, and civil disobedience to publicly stand with immigrant neighbors targeted by federal policy.40 41
Faith Leaders Organize Nationwide Network to Resist ICE Enforcement
Hundreds of clergy from multiple faith traditions gathered in Minneapolis for a training and organizing convening focused on resisting ICE enforcement and building coordinated responses in their home communities. Participants shared strategies for protest, mutual aid, and community protection, with many planning to take the organizing model back to congregations across the country. Faith leaders and congregations also described ongoing efforts to support immigrant families through food delivery, legal planning, interpretation, and community care, framing faith-based organizing as a sustained response to immigration policies under the Trump administration.42
Music & Art as Resistance
Bruce Springsteen - ‘Streets of Minneapolis’
Billy Bragg - ‘City of Heroes’
Seattle Street Art
Judicial & Legislative Resistance
The Trump Administration Has Been Sued 600 Times
Hundreds of lawsuits filed by states, civil rights groups, labor unions, immigrants, universities, and advocacy organizations have become a central form of resistance to sweeping Trump administration policies, with courts partially or fully blocking many of them. More than 600 cases challenge actions ranging from mass deportations and funding freezes to attacks on trans rights, environmental protections, press freedom, and the independence of federal agencies. In over 150 cases, judges have issued injunctions halting policies while litigation continues, reflecting sustained legal pressure that has slowed or stopped enforcement efforts nationwide. Organizations such as the ACLU, PFLAG, the New York Immigration Coalition, state attorneys general, labor unions, and professional associations have used the courts to defend civil rights, limit executive overreach, and protect vulnerable communities despite the administration’s aggressive agenda.43
Democrats Move to Impeach Homeland Security Secretary Over Minneapolis Killings
Top House Democrats—including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark, and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar—threw their support behind an effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. More than 150 Democratic lawmakers have now backed the impeachment resolution, accusing the Trump administration of overseeing a violent “killing spree” tied to its expanded ICE operations. Representative Jamie Raskin signaled that Democrats plan to launch a full oversight and impeachment inquiry regardless of Republican support.44
Senate Democrats Demand Accountability Limits on ICE Funding
Senate Democrats moved to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless new restrictions are placed on ICE operations following the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good during Trump’s immigration crackdown. Led by Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrats are demanding that federal agents be unmasked, wear body cameras and identification, stop warrantless searches and arrests, and end roving patrols in communities, tying these requirements directly to whether DHS receives funding. The push signals an effort by Democratic lawmakers to use budget leverage to force accountability and rein in aggressive enforcement tactics.45
Judge Blocks Trump’s Halt of Vineyard Wind, Allowing Clean‑Energy Project to Resume
A federal judge issued an injunction allowing Vineyard Wind — a nearly completed offshore wind farm off Martha’s Vineyard — to resume construction after the Trump administration ordered work stopped despite the project being 95% finished. The ruling pushes back on the administration’s attempt to block multiple East Coast wind projects and rejects its national‑security justification as inadequately supported. Offshore‑wind advocates and state officials welcomed the decision as a victory for clean‑energy jobs and climate progress, signaling that courts can serve as an important check on the administration’s efforts to undermine renewable‑energy development
Federal Judge Orders Release of Refugees Swept Up in Minnesota ICE Crackdown
A federal judge ordered the immediate release of refugees in Minnesota who were lawfully admitted to the U.S. after they were detained during the Trump administration’s expanded ICE enforcement operation. Judge John Tunheim issued a temporary restraining order blocking federal agents from continuing arrests, detention, or deportation of refugees, stating that the operation unlawfully subjected people with legal status to fear, warrantless arrests, and removal attempts. The ruling came in response to a class‑action lawsuit brought by refugee advocates and civil‑rights attorneys, including the International Refugee Assistance Project and the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, who challenged the targeting of refugees for re‑interrogation and transfer to detention centers in Texas.46
Judge Orders Release of Child After Public Outcry Over ICE Family Detention
A federal judge ordered the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, from ICE detention in Texas following widespread public pressure over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The pair were detained after a Minneapolis-area arrest that sparked protests outside the South Texas Family Residential Center and drew visits from elected officials, as images of the child in ICE custody circulated widely. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sharply criticized the government’s use of aggressive deportation targets, ruling that the father and son could not be removed and condemning the trauma inflicted on children.47
International Support
Italian Leaders Push Back on ICE Presence at 2026 Olympics
Italian officials, including Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala and former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, voiced strong opposition to the Trump administration’s plan to deploy U.S. ICE personnel to assist with security at the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. They cited the agency’s violent actions in Minneapolis and argued that ICE agents are not welcome on Italian soil.48
British Activists Rally in Solidarity With U.S. Communities Resisting ICE
Hundreds of anti‑racist organizers and trade unionists across Britain held emergency demonstrations to support people resisting Trump‑era ICE violence in the United States. Rallies in London, Glasgow, Bristol, Edinburgh, and other cities condemned the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good and drew connections between U.S. immigration raids and the rise of far‑right politics in Britain. Speakers from groups like Stand Up To Racism emphasized the need for grassroots, working‑class organizing and celebrated the mass protests in Minneapolis as a model of resistance.4950
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 week’s news round-up features the following grassroots organizations that are turning dissent into strategic collective action. Check out these great organizations and businesses supporting mutual aid efforts or find one near you!
Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center
MARCH (Multifaith Antiracism, Change and Healing)
Intercongregation Communities Association (ICA)
American College of Emergency Physicians
Stand Up To Racism (UK)
International Refugee Assistance Project
Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law
Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project
New York Immigration Coalition
Harvard Library Innovation Lab
Cumberland Congregational United Church of Christ
Want more from How to Resist?
Check out these posts:
📌 45 Acts of Non-Compliance for Ordinary People
📌 35+ Ways America is Resisting ICE (that go beyond protest)
📌 Take Action: Bystander intervention
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78vgnz3z6eo
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/30/us/minnesota-ice-protests-minneapolis
https://www.npr.org/sections/the-picture-show/2026/01/30/g-s1-108087/photos-thousands-once-again-protest-ice-in-minneapolis-and-across-the-u-s
https://civileats.com/2026/01/27/these-minneapolis-groups-offer-food-aid-as-ice-surges/
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/how-minnesotans-are-helping-their-neighbors/89-16be70b5-891d-489e-b759-f3c748bc0ca8
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/minneapolis-community-defies-ice-to-warn-immigrants-of-approaching-agents
https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/local-businesses-step-free-food-123000414.html?guccounter=1
https://cupofjo.com/2026/01/27/minneapolis-we-are-here-for-you/
https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/theology-showing-making-minneapolis-holy-place
https://mspmag.com/arts-and-culture/first-avenue-hosts-ice-out-mutual-aid-benefit-concert/
https://www.aol.com/news/minnesota-pizza-shop-delivering-free-214526182.html
https://www.fox9.com/news/ice-detainees-minnesota-help
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/minnesota-doc-launches-website-to-correct-dhs-misinformation
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/25/minnesota-ceos-issue-joint-letter-urging-deescalation-in-minnesota-after-shooting
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/26/republican-chris-madel-minnesota-governor-race-ice
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/us/politics/pretti-shooting-minneapolis-dhs-report.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/lawmaker-says-plan-for-ice-detention-center-in-shakopee-has-been-abandoned
https://kuwaittimes.com/article/39149/world/america/plane-spotter-turned-activist-tracking-ice-air-flights/
https://mndaily.com/top-story/dozens-detained-outside-of-graduate-hotel-wednesday-night-following-protest/01/29/2026/
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/u-of-m-police-arrests-67-protesters-at-graduate-hotel/89-b0cbd79e-afa3-47f0-b1dc-429f7f26ad6f
https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/the-nation-nominates-minneapolis-for-the-nobel-peace-prize/
https://www.mainepublic.org/immigration/2026-01-24/hundreds-gather-in-lewiston-for-ice-them-out-rally
https://www.mainepublic.org/maine/2026-01-26/how-a-westbrook-business-and-community-members-are-trying-to-keep-workers-safe-from-ice
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/29/ice-ends-surge-maine-minnesota-continues
https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-detention-7fa98244c1b0245deb4462e9dc25292f
https://www.thirteen.org/programs/pbs-newshour/family-detention-1769636564/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8jk5335vdo
https://www.tpr.org/border-immigration/2026-01-28/texas-dps-uses-tear-gas-as-protesters-clash-with-troopers-outside-dilley-ice-detention-facility
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/nyregion/ice-protest-hilton-manhattan.html
https://apnews.com/article/new-york-hilton-ice-protest-arrests-eae099c947774131d7560a05abd2e851
https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/doctors-nurses-speak-out-about-immigration-enforcement-in-hospitals
https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nnu-to-hold-week-of-action-to-honor-alex-pretti-rn-and-all-others-killed-by-ice
https://ucsdguardian.org/2026/01/26/activists-arrested-after-sit-in-at-mayors-office/
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/01/23/activists-arrested-after-barricading-in-office-of-san-diego-mayor-todd-gloria/
https://www.salon.com/2026/01/30/scientists-resist-trumps-war-on-climate-data/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/25/alex-pretti-killing-nra-pro-gun-groups
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/dozens-faith-leaders-arrested-washington-protest-against-trump-immigration-2026-01-30/
https://www.usccb.org/news/2026/archbishop-coakley-calls-holy-hour-moment-renewal-our-hearts-and-our-nation
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/28/us/minneapolis-shooting-ice-minnesota/ca19cab0-bfa4-5f56-93bc-455ac2e917b8?smid=url-share
https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-immigration/maine-faith-leaders-arrested-in-pray-in-urging-sen-collins-to-oppose-ice-funding-maine-immigration/97-3ffd9974-c3e4-4bf7-b101-823550c94eb5
https://www.mainepublic.org/immigration/2026-01-27/nine-faith-leaders-arrested-at-pray-in-at-susan-collins-portland-office
https://www.aol.com/news/clergy-abolish-ice-shirts-plot-224928058.html
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/trump-administration-lawsuits.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/us/kristi-noem-dhs-impeach-minneapolis.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/us/politics/ice-body-cam-masks-dhs-funding.html?smid=url-share
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/us/politics/minnesota-refugees-ice-crackdown.html?smid=url-share
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/31/g-s1-108168/5-year-old-liam-ramos-ice-order
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/27/nx-s1-5690100/winter-olympics-ice-agents-milan-italy
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts/anti-ice-protesters-gather-in-london-256658501606
https://socialistworker.co.uk/news/solidarity-in-britain-with-those-facing-the-terror-of-ice/
Thousands of middle and high school students in Washoe Co., NV also walked out in Reno and Carson City.
Lots of good news this week with strong resistance 💪. Just want to thank you and your fellow Librarians on Substack and across the country for doing so much heavy lifting to lift us all up! 💯