Feb 5 – On January 23rd, more than 75,000 people joined an economic blackout (similar to a general strike) and took to the streets of Minneapolis in -10 F weather to demand ICE get OUT of the twin cities. Thousands of allies in hundreds of locations all over the country took action in solidarity too.
But the fight isn’t over. The surge continues with at least 2,000 federal agents still in the area, despite Tom Homan’s announcement that 700 agents would leave Minnesota. That’s still the biggest immigration enforcement action in US history.
Minnesota leaders are asking us all to take action in solidarity with them next week: Specifically they are asking for actions at Target stores starting on February 11th. There are lots of ideas and ways to take action in this host toolkit, and you can join a training call with our allies at SURJ on Thursday or Monday night.
Why Target? Target is Minnesota’s leading corporate citizen. It is the 4th largest employer in the state. Minnesota’s sports teams play in stadiums and jerseys with Target’s logo on them. But Target is not acting like a good corporate citizen. Target donated $1,000,000 to Trump’s inauguration, rolled back DEI initiatives, and witnesses have report Target regularly allows ICE to stage operations in its parking lots. In addition. On January 8th Customs and Border Protection assaulted and seized two US citizens while they were working a shift at the Richfield, MN Target store. They’ve let ICE use their parking lots to prepare for raids, and to surveil and terrorize communities.
Why now? As we’ve told you, Congress passed a two-week extension in DHS funding, which means they run out of money again on February 13. Plus, Target has a new CEO and is desperate not to piss off customers. If we can get Target to break up with ICE now, it will make things safer for people in Minneapolis and around the country. It will also be a huge crack in the pillars of corporate support for the fossil fueled fascist regime.
Our demands at all levels are:
- ICE must leave Minnesota now.
- Any officer who kills a civilian must be held legally accountable. That starts with legitimate investigations and charges by local officials.
- Shut down Trump’s ICE. No additional federal funding for ICE in the upcoming Congressional budget and ICE should be investigated for human and Constitutional violations of Americans and our neighbors.
- We call upon all corporations to become 4th Amendment businesses, cease economic relations with ICE and refuse ICE entry or using their property for staging grounds, and lobby congress to freeze funding for ICE/DHS.
The call now is still urgent. This regime has demonstrated that the executions will continue until we make them stop. We must keep the pressure on.
Sign up to host or join an action at a Target store starting on February 11th. If you need help check out the host toolkit, or come to office hours Sunday and Monday. Drop in anytime during the hour to talk through action ideas, training content, what materials to bring, or any questions you have about making your action happen.
- Office hours:
- Sunday, Feb 8 at 3 PT/ 5 CT/ 6 ET: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/bNbKtBRtRweGGoLJWODgOA
- Monday, Feb 9 at 6 PT/ 8 CT/ 9 ET: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/k2JuqJ_eQdWtiZzlN5xUtw
More info on all the anti-corporate campaigns below – If you haven’t already Sign and send a letter to the CEOs of these corporations to hold them accountable for Trump and ICE’s fossil fueled fascism.
Feb 3 – All this month we’ve been telling you about how the Trump regime’s ICE enforcement has become increasingly violent and lawless. Communities across the country have witnessed raids, surveillance, and deaths in custody. In Minneapolis, two people were killed during ICE operations by fossil fueled fascists. Nationwide, deaths in ICE custody reached levels not seen in decades.
Behind this violence stands a network of powerful corporations. Americans for Tax Fairness has uncovered how Amazon, AT&T, Home Depot, Microsoft, and Palantir are profiting from ICE enforcement while enjoying massive tax breaks.
Enough is enough – Click here to sign and send a letter to the CEOs of these corporations to hold them accountable for Trump and ICE’s fossil fueled fascism.
The regime has already given these corporations about $19 billion annually. Their CEOs personally pocketed as much as $124 million in individual tax giveaways. Instead of using those windfalls to strengthen communities, they funneled billions into stock buybacks, executive pay, and ICE-linked contracts.
Target has come under special attention because they donated $1,000,000 to Trump’s inauguration, rolled back DEI initiatives, and witnesses have report Target regularly allows ICE to stage operations in its parking lots. In addition, Target is Minnesota’s leading corporate citizen. It is the 4th largest employer in the state. Minnesota’s sports teams play in stadiums and jerseys with Target’s logo on them. Where Target leads, others follow. We need Target to stand with Minnesotans against the public executions in our community and the continued attacks on our neighbors. And on a call last week with the May day Strong network, we told you about how people are already rising up and taking action at Target stores (and also AT&T, Hilton Hotels, Enerprise rent a car and other corporate supporters of ICE’s terror) and how this connects to us building towards a general strike.
Cloud computing, surveillance software, communications infrastructure, and logistical cooperation are central to how ICE functions today. Corporate collaboration makes large-scale fossil fueled fascism possible.
At the same time, politicians claim there is no money for climate action, healthcare, education, or other basic services. This is a choice. Corporate tax breaks drain public revenue while ICE funding continues to grow. We can stop this. Corporations must be held accountable for the harm their contracts enable. CEOs must choose communities over cruelty.
Demand that corporations stop profiting from ICE violence and end their collaboration. Click here to send a message to the CEOs of Amazon, AT&T, Home Depot, Microsoft, and Palantir now.
And if you want to take action at Target or other corporate targets, here are some toolkits and resources to get you started – we’ll have more soon.
General toolkit from our friends at May Day Strong and others: bit.ly/hostanaction
TARGET: https://unidos-mn.org/thefourth
HOME DEPOT TOOLKIT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PTtAR0vllL5Ayz8K-wcZukD-_R13Yz9PNeMXIZLLeTI/edit?usp=drivesdk
PALANTIR: purgepalantir.com
TESLA: teslatakedown.org
HILTON: Smvmt.org/fuckhilton
Pingback:Fossil Fueled Fascism runs on corporate support - 198 methods
Corporate funding is subversive. Funding ICE is funding FASCISM.
This is the FREEWAY to AUTHORITARIANISM, TO FASCISM.
CLOSE AND LOCK THE DOORS ON PRIVILEGES FOR THE CORPORATES! THEY ARE DESTROYING DEMOCRACY!
Americans for Tax Fairness has uncovered how Amazon, AT&T, Home Depot, Microsoft, and Palantir are profiting from ICE enforcement while enjoying massive tax breaks. Eliminate the corporate support for ICE and its trampling on individual and family rights.