ICE Activity Spills Into Retail

Enforcement actions are intersecting with stores, staff & shoppers, raising difficult questions about what authority — if any — businesses have in the moment.

Target Stores Become ICE Battleground
Target faces protests after ICE detains US citizen employees at Minnesota store
Target has come under pressure from protesters and pols in its home state of Minnesota after ICE agents detained two employees of the big box retailer who were US citizens.

Federal immigration agents detained the workers inside a Richfield, Minn., store on Jan. 8 after a confrontation that began in the parking lot and spilled into the vestibule, according to local officials and witness accounts.

One of the employees shouted, “I’m literally a US citizen!” as agents escorted him toward a vehicle, The Wall Street Journal noted.

Minnesota state Rep. Michael Howard said the agents entered the store without a warrant and physically detained the workers, while family members and witnesses alleged the incident amounted to racial profiling.

The Department of Homeland Security later said on social media that one individual had been arrested for “assaulting a federal law enforcement offers [sic],” which the defendants’ families and local officials denied.

Protests erupted outside the Richfield Target store days after the detentions, with demonstrators demanding the retailer take steps to protect workers and customers from federal immigration agents operating on its property.

Organizers said they asked Target to train employees on how to respond to immigration agents, including informing them that access to private areas of stores requires a signed warrant.

Protesters also urged the company to publicly oppose immigration enforcement actions at its locations, arguing that Target’s silence had fueled anger in a community already on edge. nypost.com


What ICE Can & Can't Do at a Private Business
What is ICE is allowed to do at private businesses?
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is making arrests in Minnesota right next to shoppers grabbing groceries. The tense encounters are happening at places like Target, Walmart and other private businesses.

Target appears to be a possible target for immigration enforcement in Minnesota. It's one of several businesses where ICE agents have arrested people, including staff, in both the parking lot and store itself.

What is ICE allowed to do at private businesses?

While Target and Walmart are private businesses, their parking lots and stores are open to the public, including ICE. Similar rules apply to the waiting room at a hospital or a reading area at a library.

"They can ask people questions, they can seize materials that happen to be available in those spaces, they don't need permission to be there," Medeiros said.

A private business can have a public space, but it can also have private spaces. One example is a back room that has a door labeled "employees only."

"The government does not have the authority to conduct investigations in those private spaces unless they have permission to do so," Medeiros said.

A manager could give ICE permission to enter a private area or deny them. If they aren't given permission to enter a private area, ICE agents would have to provide a judicial warrant.

Public and private spaces aside, can a business simply make ICE leave? The short answer is no, said Medeiros; however, staff can ask ICE agents to leave. The ICE agents could continue to stay in the public spaces of the business to conduct their investigation. cbsnews.com


Some Businesses Fight to Stay Open
Minnesota ICE raids leave immigrant workers home, businesses struggling

Several businesses across the Twin Cities metro are fighting to stay functioning as ICE raids fuel fears among workers and customers.

With the influx of federal agents flooding the Twin Cities’ streets, immigrant-owned and operated businesses across the metro are facing dire circumstances.

In December, thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents flooded the Twin Cities metro in a campaign dubbed “Operation Metro Surge.” Taking to the streets of Minnesota’s largest immigrant communities, agents have arrested more than 2,400 people over the last month and a half, according to KARE 11. The aggressive campaign has created terror within these communities.

His employees are among the many who don’t feel comfortable going outside, even for work. Several restaurants owned and operated by minorities, including The Donut Connection and Brasa St. Paul, have closed their doors altogether. Some say it is out of respect for staff and customer safety. Fast food locations across the city, such as the McDonald’s on Hiawatha Avenue, have sat closed for several days with no public explanation.

In many places across the Twin Cities, including in Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, businesses aren’t covering operating costs, even if they take the risk and stay open. The once-bustling sidewalks of the Somali and East African cultural hub now sit unnervingly calm. sahanjournal.com


Unrest Could Be Coming to Your City - Are You Prepared?
In an unpredictable environment, being ready is not just a precaution, but a necessity.

Preparing for Potential Unrest: What Urban Retailers Should Know

By the D&D Daily staff

As political and social tensions rise following recent ICE raids in major U.S. cities, retailers—especially those operating in urban centers—are reassessing their preparedness strategies for potential unrest. With public demonstrations and spontaneous protests becoming more common, retail businesses are increasingly focused on minimizing risk and protecting employees, customers and assets.

Recent enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in cities like Los Angeles have sparked backlash, including protests that, while often peaceful, carry the potential to escalate. For retailers, this presents a challenging environment where operational disruptions, property damage or safety concerns can emerge quickly and unpredictably.

Retailers can take several proactive steps to mitigate risk during periods of heightened tension. First and foremost is communication. Store managers should stay informed through local news and law enforcement updates to anticipate potential protest activity in their area. Establishing a clear internal communication protocol ensures that staff can respond swiftly to changing conditions and know when to shelter in place, close early or modify operations.

Physical security is another key area of focus. Retailers in areas more prone to demonstrations may benefit from reviewing security camera coverage, ensuring alarms and locks are functioning properly and confirming that emergency exits are accessible. Some businesses are also coordinating with local law enforcement or private security firms to enhance on-site protection during high-alert periods.

Employee training is critical. Staff should be briefed on how to handle crowd activity near or around the store, how to de-escalate tense situations when possible and when to prioritize evacuation over confrontation. Retailers may also want to revisit insurance coverage to ensure policies are current and adequately cover civil unrest scenarios.

   Click here to read more


Trump threatens to use Insurrection Act to deploy troops to Minnesota

How ICE Crackdowns Set Off a Resistance in American Cities