PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE - Videos of ICE agents making arrests in Minnesota and elsewhere are fueling discussion about the fear being felt in immigrant communities and labor voices are speaking out about emerging solidarity for migrant workers and their families.
The Trump administration's continued push to boost deportations is playing out in cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul. In some cases, community leaders and activists have quickly responded to document what's happening and offer support to those targeted.
Illinois is also at the center of recent activity.
Jackson Potter, vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, said the organizing taking shape conveys to workers and their loved ones they will not be pushed into the shadows.
"People coming out of the woodwork, setting up rapid response, going to schools before and after dismissal to protect and defend," Potter outlined.
Potter added it is nice to see unions become more active on this front and stand with immigrant rights advocates. In past decades, major unions fought policies to boost citizenship pathways for migrant workers.
In Minnesota, labor groups have increasingly called attention to how migrant construction workers are exploited through wage theft. Some report anecdotally workers tell them their supervisors have threatened to call ICE as a form of intimidation.
The Department of Homeland Security has consistently defended ICE activity under a second Trump presidency, saying it targets violent criminals but activists pointed to data showing people arrested often do not have a criminal conviction.
Brandon Mancilla, Region 9A director for the United Auto Workers, said it adds to the list of attacks on collective bargaining rights. He noted recently, unions felt a sense of revival but now, things are different.
"It's not over. By no means does that mean that organizing is not possible under this new federal landscape," Mancilla emphasized. "But what has happened is a sense that we are a lot more on defense."
These thoughts were offered in a discussion hosted by Labor Notes and partner organizations, with panelists weighing the immediate future of organized labor under the current administration. One of the speakers laid out the history of the movement, mentioning the Minneapolis truckers' strike of 1934 as part of the turning point. It was suggested a renewed spirit could help overcome obstacles once again.
Mike Moen wrote this article.
