An eyewitness report
Once again, tens of thousands participated in a march through downtown Minneapolis on 30 January, as part of a ‘shutdown’ against ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and state repression. Over 300 actions were planned across the country.
This time, wrongly, there was less official labour union backing than for the 23 January protest. The initiative came from young people, the student unions in Minnesota universities, schools and colleges, including the Somali students’ organisation. Significantly this did not mean workers did not participate. Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI) reporters spoke to workers on the demonstration from education, construction, transit, nurses and retail who had either left work early to demonstrate or had made sure they had taken the day off.
A lot has taken place since the first day of action on 23 January. The capitalist press and the establishment in Minnesota have attempted to claim the situation is calming, especially since the brutal execution of union member and anti-ICE activist Alex Pretti, and the removal by Donald Trump of Border Patrol boss Gregory Bovino. 30 January shows there is still a furious mass mood in the city and the wider state to remove ICE completely and take the fight to Trump’s agenda. Big business CEOs waded in locally and nationally to urge ‘de-escalation’.
All week in Minnesota, protests continued. These included night-time demonstrations at hotels where ICE agents are accommodated. The morning of the 30 January saw hundreds demonstrate at the Whipple building detention centre, used by ICE, pushing past barriers put up by the National Guard who were sent in by Democrat state governor Tim Walz after Pretti’s killing. Students organised walkouts from campuses in the days leading up to the “shutdown”. A vigil for Pretti saw thousands of union nurses attending. Hundreds protested outside Democrat senator Amy Klobuchar’s office demanding she act against funding for ICE.
The politicisation and scale of organisation against ICE is also present if you go by transit across the city. Most independent businesses, and even a few chains, have “ICE not welcome here” posters, mainly giving advice on what to do during an ICE raid.
Although there has been talk of a different approach and even a “eventual drawdown plan” under Trump’s new henchman Tom Homan (who was responsible for deportations under Barack Obama), ICE raids are continuing, as is repression with the full cooperation of Democrat-controlled local police forces. There have been mass arrests of protesters and of the press. There is discussion that Homan will draw up a database of anti-ICE activists and groups.
Unions
The union leaders nationally and locally are missing an opportunity to take the lead of this radicalisation, despite the term ‘general strike’ being used by a wider layer. The unions were even less visible on the 30 January demonstration despite the enthusiasm of their members. On 23 January, there were workers’ organised shutdowns and walkouts of a small number of local workplaces like art centres but also some Starbucks outlets and part of the Target retail workforce. On 30 January, the CWI took part in pickets and sit-ins in a number of Target stores across the city; these were organised by union activists and left groups.
As well as ‘ICE out now’ and anti-racist slogans, the march saw a variety of ideas present. a section of the demonstration carried a ‘US Constitution’ signed by marchers, raising the issue of attacks on democratic rights. Banners were present that said a war was being waged on the “real values of America and Minnesota”.
The issue of how to organise self-defence is also being raised by activists. It was clear there was a turnout from outside the city. There were homemade signs saying rural and small town Minnesota also opposes ICE. The city’s suburbs and bigger Minnesota urban areas, including Rochester and Willmar, have also been scenes of conflict with ICE.
The labour movement still has an opportunity to take the lead and really take on ICE and the Trump regime behind them, the openness and enthusiasm among big layers if harnessed could strengthen the workers’ movement. This means organising and giving confidence to workers to overcome anti-strike laws and contracts, and really take action against the bosses and the state. City-wide and national general strike action is possible if prepared for and seriously discussed and the working class, youth and sections of the middle class have shown willingness to struggle since the ICE operation from December. This would include the formation of democratically elected committees, through emergency mass meetings, in every area and workplace of unions, union members, rapid response groups, students unions and all who want to collectively fight back.
Independent Socialist Group (ISG) and CWI activists got an enthusiastic response to our leaflets and the new issue of Socialism Today, the ISG’s newspaper. Our material clearly raises the need for a new party of the working class and youth rather than anger and energy being funnelled into the Democrats and Republicans and the need for workers, students and youth to link the fight against ICE to the crisis of the cost of living under capitalism, fighting for a socialist programme.
