Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis teachers’ union chief says bosses and officials join anti-ICE Signal chats
Minneapolis Federation of Educators President Marcia Howard said that teachers along with their “bosses” and elected officials are present and active in anti-ICE group chats.
Howard, an outspoken leftist political activist since the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, shared in an interview with Al Jazeera that she and other teachers-turned activists are undeterred in participating in anti-ICE protests and watches because leadership stands behind them.
“The notion that people that are actively engaged in ICE watch, in being vigilant, in protecting our neighbors in signal chat groups, running plates on their [ICE] cars, doing patrols that somehow we’re ashamed of that activity, that somehow you can call our bosses or show our faces, and then we would be shunned by our community,” Howard said.
“Our bosses are in the signal chats with us. Our elected officials are in the chats with us.”
“Our nana’s, the hockey coaches, the soccer moms. Everybody that’s anybody is doing the work of protecting our neighbors, because that’s how we show up in Minneapolis and St Paul,” Howard continued.
Following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer six summers ago, Howard, an English teacher of 25 years, became a leading voice in the summer protests, which turned into riots. She played a prominent role in the creation of George Floyd Square, which marked where Floyd was killed.
Howard criticized the federal immigration agents which have overtaken Minneapolis over the past month, accusing the agents of being agitators.
“We’re armed with whistles and our phones making sure that students are safe going to class,” Howard said. “And then they escalated the brutality. Every single day they taunted us. From their rental trucks, they would do things like — the agents that they brought to the Twin Cities — these hapless, untrained, overly-militarized agents, were in hotel rooms where they did not detain the workers in those hotel rooms because they wanted to be served by immigrants.”
The growing involvement of members of teacher unions and the unions themselves in political movement has garnered greater scrutiny in the past few months. Last month, it was reported that the National Education Association, one of the largest teacher’s unions, funneled millions of dollars into left-leaning organizations.
WASHINGTON (TNND) — Yoga students in Minneapolis berated instructors for allegedly being complicit in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in recent video footage.
A video posted by a customer at the Yoga studio showed 13 women speaking sternly to two staffers in the lobby.
The students call on the instructors to condemn ICE.
“Give us answers, let’s go, let’s hear it – why are you being silent?” one person said.
“You’re not being berated – you’re being asked hard questions. Berating is what our neighbors are living through,” another person said.
Students ant the studio argued that the major corporation which owns the business had been staying silent on the ICE operations.
Eventually, the chain did put up anti-ICE signs in the studios, according to the New York Post.
Multiple anti-ICE protests have occurred across the country, especially at its epicenter in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Two demonstrators were killed while protesting ICE operations under the Trump administration. The FBI is investigating both instances.
Border czar Tom Homan announced this week that federal agents in Minnesota would be reduced by 700.
“While we had our differences, one thing was clear, we all committed to public safety for all who live in the Twin Cities,” Homan told reporters. “We have made significant progress under the direction of President Trump, working with state and local officials here in Minnesota, and I expect that to increase in the coming weeks.”
Operation Metro Surge leading to budget concerns for City of Minneapolis
There are concerns in the City of Minneapolis that Operation Metro Surge could lead to higher property taxes.
According to Budget Director Jayne Discenza, the city spent at least $5 million in just a couple of weeks in January in response to the federal immigration enforcement operations. She told City Council members that all of the 26 city departments are contributing to the response, from staffing to time.
“For just the police department, I think we’re at $4.3 million in overtime associated with this response,” said Discenza. “If you project that out, certainly over budget.”
After federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the department did an emergency recall of all sworn personnel back to duty. Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette has also shared the stress the federal operation is having on city emergency response overall.
MPLS safety commissioner: Current conditions aren’t ‘sustainable,’ stress and cost mounting
In December, the city approved a 2026 budget that eliminated critical staffing overtime. It was considered a $3.6 million cost savings at the time.
The city has a $2 billion budget overall with a $700 million general fund, according to Discenza. The city is required to have a contingency fund of 1% of the general fund balance. The 2026 budget lists the general fund contingency this year as $7.46 million.
“Previously, we have a small cushion between where our general fund balance is expected to sit at the end of 2026, assuming departments don’t overspend their budgets this year and, again, that might be difficult because of what they’re forced to do because of federal incursion,” said Discenza. “If we are to deplete our resources this year, we’ve been put on notice by bond agencies they are watching our use of fund balance. We have a AAA rating, and that matters to constituents because that allows us to borrow at a lower rate to do our capital work, so I think the concern long term would be without raising property taxes, we would be dipping below that minimum fund balance.”
Operation Metro Surge started Dec. 1, 2025. Homeland Security has not indicated when it will end.
Minneapolis City Council considers $1M in rental assistance for families facing eviction during ICE operations
Democrats Had a Very Messy Week in Texas. Here’s What That Means for the Rest of the Country.
The Mysterious Devices Speeding Mining Exploration in Utah
Boston College Men’s Hockey Falls to Vermont 6-1
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day – Virginia Department of Health
Pennsylvania American Water issues boil water notice for Allegheny and Washington counties
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Virginia Dems take tax hikes into overtime, target fantasy football leagues
Thousands mourn 32 victims of Islamabad Shia mosque bombing in Pakistan
Hate them or not, Patriots fans want the glory back in Super Bowl LX
Fox News Campus Radicals Newsletter: Top teachers’ union under fire, anti-ICE agitator network exposed
‘Regime change in Iran should come from within,’ former Israel PM says
-
Indiana5 days ago13-year-old rider dies following incident at northwest Indiana BMX park
-
Massachusetts6 days agoTV star fisherman, crew all presumed dead after boat sinks off Massachusetts coast
-
Tennessee1 week agoUPDATE: Ohio woman charged in shooting death of West TN deputy
-
Indiana5 days ago13-year-old boy dies in BMX accident, officials, Steel Wheels BMX says
-
Politics4 days agoTrump unveils new rendering of sprawling White House ballroom project
-
Politics1 week agoVirginia Democrats seek dozens of new tax hikes, including on dog walking and dry cleaning
-
Austin, TX1 week ago
TEA is on board with almost all of Austin ISD’s turnaround plans
-
Texas7 days agoLive results: Texas state Senate runoff
