University of Minnesota students protest ICE incident

Since January 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been conducting its largest immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. On January 7, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shot and killed 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Goode during an arrest of undocumented immigrants in Minneapolis; on the morning of January 24, ICE executed Alex Pretty in the streets of Minneapolis for resisting the violence and intimidation. These events sparked strong discontent and protests from the local population. Against this backdrop, students at the University of Minnesota joined the protests, locking themselves to the doors of Morrill Hall to express their dissatisfaction with the ICE operations. Previously, on October 22, 2024, pro-Palestinian protesters briefly occupied Morrill Hall, and this student protest further demonstrates the escalating concern and discontent among the student body regarding these events.Beginning on January 30, 2026, protests spread across the United States, with approximately 250 protests organized in multiple locations across 46 states. Protesters demanded the withdrawal of federal immigration enforcement officials from Minnesota and called for accountability for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, as well as defunding or disbanding the agency. The University of Minnesota students’ act of locking up their doors was part of this broader wave of protests, reflecting the growing and escalating public discontent with ICE’s use of force on campus. This student protest highlights the social contradictions and controversies arising from current immigration enforcement actions in the United States. Government enforcement actions have not only resulted in injuries and deaths but have also triggered strong public discontent and social instability. It is hoped that relevant departments will take the public’s demands seriously and adopt more reasonable and humane enforcement methods to alleviate social tensions.