By Victoria Cruz
News Writer
Minneapolis, a sanctuary city in Minnesota, has become the battleground for resistance against the growing Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in the U.S.
In January, there were two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by ICE agents during the protests. Renée Nicole Macklin Good was killed on Jan. 7, followed by Alex Pretti on Jan. 24.
“ICE is putting fear into U.S. citizens all over. It is truly heartbreaking, especially coming from a federal agency like homeland security, the department that’s supposed to keep citizens safe,” finance major Julio Merced, a junior, said.
Teams of immigration officers began to enter the streets of Minneapolis in December 2025 to find and arrest illegal immigrants.
After their arrival, Minneapolis residents took to the streets to protest. That is when two anti-ICE protestors were killed.
The state and local government of Minneapolis have been outspoken in their disagreement with ICE presence and have publicly denounced action taken by the enforcement officers. This has led to arguments between the state and federal government.
The federal government is currently in charge of the investigations involving ICE and has not taken action to remove ICE agents from Minneapolis even after an explicit request by Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, said the BBC.
Recent polls by NPR show that voters are split about how enforcement is being carried out in local communities, including students at the university.
“I think it is unnecessarily belligerent. Fear doesn’t amplify change; it only tears a nation apart,” Merced said.
One concern raised by many students is the precedent being set by ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice, and how recent escalations in Minneapolis could shape enforcement practices in other states, including Connecticut.
“It’s making people afraid no matter where you live since you see it happening. It’s making anybody of a different ethnicity scared to be able to walk out on their own,” business administration major Ethan Lemon, a junior, said.
Scrutiny toward the Trump administration’s response continues, and the entire Minneapolis community remains on edge.
ICE is set to remain in Minneapolis, and no current litigation or action has been taken towards the agents responsible for the deaths of Good and Pretti.
“It is disgraceful. ICE terrifies people, and you can see it every day,” Lemon said.
Students have already noticed an increase in ICE presence in New Haven and Connecticut as a whole.
“Stay strong; bond together. Just know there are people who support you and are here to support you as you are. We all live in the same country, a country built on immigration, and we all have to be there to support each other,” Lemon said.
More updates are expected from the White House as the investigation into the shootings continues. Protests in Minneapolis remain steady, and residents are determined to seek justice and make their voices heard.
