Keeping ICE In Check, How Memphis And Minneapolis Are Doing It

By Stories From The States, Liv Caputo and Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix

January 20, 2026

In the days since Jan. 7, when Renee Nicole Good was killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis, the public is getting a closer look at how many communities are resisting the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Volunteer rapid-response teams and loosely organized patrols in Minneapolis and other cities are tracking and following federal immigration agents to disrupt operations and alert neighbors.

The work has become increasingly risky as tensions soar and confrontations between federal agents and volunteers escalate. Yet even after Good’s death, volunteers continue to mobilize in targeted neighborhoods.

In Minneapolis, a Minnesota Reformer reporter rode along on a recent patrol and spoke with several volunteers determined to keep up their work.

In Episode 11, you’ll also meet Carlos Ochoa. He is a volunteer for Vecindarios 901, a rapid response network reporting on Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities.

They were established during the first Trump term. Now in Trump’s second term, Vecindarios 901 has kicked into high gear to document the activities of the Memphis Safe Task Force. The multi-agency law enforcement force launched September 15, 2025 by President Donald Trump.

The Florida Phoenix, a nonprofit news site that’s free of advertising and free to readers, covers state government and politics through a mix of in-depth stories, briefs, and social media updates on the latest events, editorial cartoons, and progressive commentary. The Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers.