Despite paralyzing snowstorms, public anger is at a boiling point. Mass protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continue to surge, ignited by the fatal shootings this month of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis: Renee Good, a mother of three, and Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse.  

Immigration enforcement operations have scaled up significantly since the beginning of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term, driven by the stated goal of achieving one million deportations per year. A study on U.S. immigration policies published by the Migration Policy Institute described these intensified anti-immigration actions as "unprecedented in their breadth and reach." 

The 2025 funding law granted ICE a surge in resources, allocating a $75 billion budget over four years – nearly triple its previous annual budget. 

Public backlash against ICE

Against this backdrop of ever-expanding enforcement, the recent fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents have ignited public dissatisfaction. 

A New York Times/Siena poll conducted after the death of Renee Good reported that 63 percent of registered voters have negative attitudes towards ICE, and among the respondents, 55 percent expressed strong disapproval. Another poll, published by CNN, shows that 51 percent of Americans think "ICE enforcement actions are making cities less safe rather than safer." 

This snapshot in public sentiment underscores a deep partisan divide on the issue. Over 80 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents view the shootings as an inappropriate use of force that points to broader systemic issues, whereas 67 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning individuals believe ICE is making cities safer.

Public outcry is translating in a wave of protests, driving demonstrators into the streets. The movement is gaining momentum, with community organizers and labor groups planning a second National Day of Action this Saturday to demand the withdrawal of federal immigration agents from Minnesota.

Bipartisan rupture

Battle lines on immigration enforcement in the U.S. political system are now drawn.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders released a statement on Monday condemning ICE as "out of control, ignoring the law and our Constitution." In a recent X post, Sanders directly called ICE "Trump's domestic army," and the deployment of ICE officers in Minneapolis an "authoritarian power grab – an open attempt to suppress dissent and heighten conflict." New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherill also slammed ICE as Trump's own "militia" that is now turned against U.S. citizens.

The current administration also openly faulted the Democratic leadership of Minnesota. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the fatal shootings "occurred as a result of a deliberate and hostile resistance by Democrat leaders in Minnesota," Leavitt said, specifically naming Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Diao Daming, deputy director of the National Academy of Development and Strategy at Renmin University of China, said that the conflict reflects the federal government's expansion of powers, which has triggered a backlash from some state and local governments. While the Republican Party is pushing for tighter, even extreme, immigration control policies, the Democratic camp has expressed strong opposition, indicating fierce political infighting between federal-level politicians and those in Minnesota.

According to Diao, the ongoing protests in Minneapolis are an extreme manifestation of partisan strife. Given the divergent understandings of public policies, including immigration, it is difficult to form any effective consensus between the two parties. He warned that the confrontation will become even more intractable, inevitably further tearing apart American society and leading to more long-term, even irreversible, negative impacts.

Senate Democrats are now threatening to vote down a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, a step that could lead to a partial government shutdown on January 30, when current federal funding for approximately half of the U.S. government operations end. The move aims to force Republicans and the White House to agree to limits on anti-immigration measures.