Don Moynihan shares this account from someone living and working in Minneapolis who wishes, for their safety, to remain anonymous:

I am writing as an ordinary citizen of Minneapolis/St Paul ─ one of America’s 20 largest metro areas. I have kids in the public schools, own a house, go to work every day, pay taxes, volunteer in my community (e.g., coaching youth sports, helping in the schools). I am certainly not a radical of any kind. I had never done any community organizing work before last month.

I am writing this to share with the outside world what is really going on ─ the terror being inflicted upon a U.S. city and state by our federal government. If you are so moved, see below to learn how you can help. Here is what is happening right now:

Public schools are being terrorized

Consider the following example incidents, all from the last ten days or so. I will not provide names, sources, etc. because many people are in active danger. But the general pattern has been well documented,

1. As a large, public Minneapolis high school was dismissing students for the day, two teachers parked in front of the school were violently extracted from their cars and abducted by ICE officers. No warrants were presented; no documents requested or checked. Both abducted teachers were US citizens.
   Students observing the abductions were assaulted with pepper spray by the federal officers, with some fleeing to shelter in the public library across the street. In response, Minneapolis public schools canceled classes for two days and subsequently went to a hybrid attendance option ─ because, as they told parents in an email, they did not feel they could keep their students safe. This is our federal government terrorizing its citizens.
2. During a subsequent hybrid class in the same school ─ with mostly White students in the classroom and mostly students of color online ─ an online student’s apartment building was raided by federal officers. The teacher had to stop class to support the affected student, who was rightfully terrified. Class was interrupted for the day as students texted or called their families for support.

   None of our students feel psychologically safe; learning has all but come to a halt. This is our federal government terrorizing its citizens.

3. A man walking his child to the school bus stop in the morning was abducted by federal officers. A child was left abandoned and terrified on the street. This is our federal government terrorizing its citizens.

These are just recent examples known to me. Beyond all of this, the biggest concern in many Twin Cities schools right now is access to food and keeping people housed. People at risk of abduction are now understandably unwilling to leave home ─ meaning they can’t go to their jobs, and they can’t shop for food and other necessities. Affected kids don’t get meals at school. Local communities are organizing to feed hundreds … thousands? … of terrified families who are hiding from our federal government. Nearly everyone in these families is a U.S. citizen or otherwise legally in the United States. [Continue reading…]