‘It’s Not Because We Have Bigger Guns’: Minneapolis’ Poet Laureate Tells Why ICE Found Itself in Trouble

February 5, 2026

Minneapolis poet laureate Junauda Petrus's January 2025 inaugural poem has gained renewed attention following the fatal shooting of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents during the Trump administration's immigration enforcement campaign. Petrus, who had met Good at a poetry workshop months earlier, reflects on how Minneapolis's response to ICE raids reveals both the city's progressive values and its complex racial history. The city's resistance draws from decades of grassroots organizing and community work, particularly around policing issues that intensified after George Floyd's murder.

Who is affected

Renee Good and Alex Pretti (killed by federal agents)
Immigrant communities in Minneapolis facing ICE enforcement
Junauda Petrus (poet laureate and Minneapolis resident)
People of color in Minneapolis who have experienced police violence
Minneapolis residents organizing mutual aid efforts
Children in immigrant families requiring community support (transportation, groceries)
White Minneapolis residents engaged in solidarity work
The young boy with a blond mullet (Renee Good's son) and his family

What action is being taken

Minneapolis residents are organizing decentralized mutual aid networks providing groceries, housing, and transportation for immigrant families
Community members are delivering groceries to people staying home
Residents are driving children to school for families in hiding
People are offering their houses as temporary shelter
White friends and allies are providing direct support to keep people of color safe
Communities are building local resources of care in each neighborhood

Why it matters

This situation demonstrates how grassroots organizing and mutual aid can serve as effective resistance against federal enforcement actions, showing that community care—what Petrus calls "soft power"—can be more powerful than institutional force. The Minneapolis response reflects decades of political organizing legacy, particularly around policing and racial justice issues following George Floyd's murder, forcing residents to move beyond performative allyship (lawn signs saying "Immigrants welcome" or "Black lives matter") into actual practice. The events reveal both the progress made through years of community dialogue and organizing, particularly by communities of color, and the ongoing limitations of political leadership that may express support but fail to challenge systemic violence. This moment represents a test of whether Minneapolis can live up to its progressive reputation and signals a shift toward sustained, decentralized community care networks that could model resistance for other cities.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint