Anti-ICE activists set up checkpoints and search vehicles on Minneapolis streets

MINNEAPOLIS – Anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activists established a temporary street blockade in Minneapolis to monitor federal agents, according to video footage of the incident.

The footage shows activists stopping vehicles and questioning drivers to determine if they were federal employees. The incident occurred on Cedar Avenue, located in a neighborhood with a large Somali-American population.

In one recorded exchange, an activist tells a driver that a tracking system identified his license plate as belonging to ICE. The activist later admitted the identification may have been a mistake and allowed the vehicle to proceed.

The activist group claims it is using a database to identify vehicles currently leased by ICE.

Journalist Jorge Ventura, who filmed the encounter, reported that no Minneapolis police officers were visible at the scene during the blockade.

The Minneapolis Police Department later confirmed that officers cleared the makeshift barriers to ensure public safety. It remains unclear if any arrests were made during the operation.

The incident follows a period of heightened tension in the city. Two recent fatal shootings involving federal law enforcement operations have fueled local unrest.

The recent unrest in Minneapolis represents more than a standard protest; it signals a significant appropriation of state authority by private citizens. By establishing checkpoints and screening passersby—powers traditionally reserved for law enforcement—activists have effectively bypassed institutional protocols, raising fundamental questions regarding the rule of law and public safety.

The reliance on a makeshift "database" to identify undercover federal agents introduces a dangerous layer of risk. Recent footage suggests a high probability of misidentification, a flaw that threatens to target innocent civilians and underscores the inherent hazards of vigilantism. The unverifiable nature of this data further complicates the legal landscape, as the lack of oversight invites potential for error and escalation.

Geopolitically and socially, the fact that these actions are centered within the Somali immigrant community highlights a profound breakdown in trust between local residents and federal law enforcement. It reflects the defensive posture of a community that views itself as being under siege. Furthermore, the delayed response from local police suggests a municipal administration paralyzed by the difficulty of balancing the constitutional right to protest against the imperative of maintaining public order in a hyper-sensitive political climate.

Ultimately, the events in Minneapolis serve as a stark barometer of American polarization. The incident illustrates how the friction surrounding immigration policy has moved beyond the halls of government, manifesting as a direct and organized challenge to the foundational social order.

While this development may not directly touch the Vietnamese-American community, it underscores a shared sense of unease and distrust toward immigration enforcement that is common across many immigrant groups. Whether navigating the complexities of F2B and H-1B visas or managing the daily operations of the nail salon industry and phở restaurants in Little Saigon, many share a collective wariness of federal intervention. The impulse to "self-protect" the community is a recurring theme that resonates deeply, even when the specific contexts and methods of advocacy differ.