In late December 2025, President Donald Trump sent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) into the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Immediately following their arrival, community members throughout the cities and Northfield responded in numerous ways.

On campus, students have been using the anonymous social media app, Fizz, to post photos and warnings about where ICE vehicles have been spotted. Student organizations have been speaking up as well. The St. Olaf Student Government Association (SGA) sent out a Google Form to collect opinions on whether all buildings should now be locked and require an ID, inspired by Carleton and their soft lockdown. 

In greater Northfield, the Community Action Center (CAC) has been using their services to help residents. Although they still focus on providing basic needs such as food, housing, and recovery assistance, these services are being directed towards community members currently targeted by ICE agents. Their proxy system is a service that lets a particular person they are familiar with to shop for them, as well as directly deliver the groceries. This has been highly beneficial lately, as families are worried to leave their homes. Interim Executive Director of CAC Anika Rychner said that they also provide rent assistance. 

“Last week, we provided 162 families with rent support, and that’s from the generosity of the community coming together … and looking right now we have another, probably, 35 to 40 families who are requesting rent help this week, so the need just continues,” Rychner said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger.

The Mayor of Northfield, Erica Zweifel, has plans to distribute city funds to a trusted local partner, likely CAC, to further assist in covering these rental payments. Similarly, she is working with the Latino Economic Development Center to assist with small business loans. Local businesses have been impacted in a myriad of ways, for example, the city has noticed a trend of ICE stopping by businesses in December. In hopes of enlightening these businesses on their rights, the city held a legal training back in January for anyone who wanted to go. 

“[We] had 80 people show up,” Zweifel said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger. “We had it online, and all those materials are on the city website on our human rights commission page under immigration.” 

Zweifel also said she was impressed with members who made their way into the cities to help the unhoused population. Since resources have been focused on helping people of color who are being targeted by ICE and are sheltering in place, unhoused people may not be receiving the same food services as usual — however, Zweifel noticed Northfield stepping up to prevent that. Whether it is through volunteering or making creative pieces such as art and music, Zweifel encourages the community to continue speaking up in whatever way they can.

Local business Little Joy Coffee responded to the presence of ICE agents in Northfield by participating in the state and nationwide strikes. The statewide strike occurred on Jan. 23, during which Little Joy kept their doors closed. They left warm coffee out for free on the sidewalk in front of their door. Any of the many protesters could take a cup while standing in the freezing temperatures. 

The night before, Little Joy hosted a community get-together that helped raise money for the CAC. Originally expecting only a small number of people, the event brought 50 to 60 people into their shop that night, and $1,400 for the CAC was raised. The success of the initial actions in Minnesota inspired a nationwide strike against ICE on Jan. 30. Instead of closing their store, Little Joy remained open, selling five-dollar F*** ICE lattes and shirts with prints on them such as “Protect Thy Neighbor,” “Resist,” and “Minnesota Isn’t Afraid of a Little Ice.” 

“We were slammed all day,” Cody Larson, owner of Little Joy, said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger. “We sold 238 F*** ICE Lattes, printed probably 100 shirts, and ended up raising over $1,900 for the Northfield Community Action Center.” Larson also prints and gives “ICE OUT” signs for free from the store, which can be seen in multiple windows of businesses around Northfield’s downtown area. 

Recent news that enforcement is set to leave Minnesota in the coming weeks means the number of ICE vehicles has lessened since its peak activity in mid-January. Until they are gone, businesses and community members plan to continue their acts of resistance.