Target Confronted by Minneapolis Activists Over ICE Store Arrests
As thousands marched through downtown Minneapolis demanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents leave the city, a focused group of activists targeted the national retailer Target's headquarters. Dozens of clergy members and supporters occupied the store's atrium, chanting "Say it loud and say it clear, immigrants are welcome here" and "Something 'bout this isn't right – why does Target work for ICE?" This action forms part of a renewed movement to boycott Target over immigration enforcement occurring on its premises.
Growing Calls for Corporate Accountability
Grant Stevensen, a Lutheran pastor in Minneapolis who organised the protest with immigrant-led group Unidos, emphasised Target's community positioning. "You can't walk into a Target store here without seeing how they position themselves as being for the health and wellbeing of the community," he stated. "So we need Target to stand up where it really matters right now." The boycott calls intensified after an incident on 8 January, when masked ICE agents forcefully detained two workers at Target's Richfield, Minnesota store, following the shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good by an ICE agent.
Video footage shows agents piling on the workers, pinning them to the ground, with one agent jamming his knee into a worker's head. Although ICE did not charge the workers, Minnesota state representative Michael Howard, who spoke to the detained workers, revealed they were dumped in a parking lot. Howard criticised Target's silence, saying, "Target has been light on actual action steps, especially on anything that would be public-facing, and it's a fallacy to say Target doesn't have actions it can take to safeguard employees and customers against ICE."
Target's Silence Viewed as Complicity
Local advocates, including Unidos, are demanding Target publicly oppose immigration enforcement on its grounds. The corporation has not issued a statement about ICE's violent detainment of employees, leading faith groups and immigrant rights supporters to view this silence as cooperation with authorities. This backlash compounds existing challenges for Target, which reported declining first-quarter sales in early 2025 after consumer boycotts over rollbacks to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Andi Otto, executive director of Twin Cities Pride, noted, "Target has an opportunity to step up and be the leader that we know that they can be, but are choosing not to be. What is happening right now is absolutely appalling, and Target's silence shows us that they will likely keep moving in the direction they've been going in the past year." Despite outgoing CEO Brian Cornell meeting with clergy, details on remedial steps remain unclear.
Diverse Protest Tactics Emerge
Activist actions against Target have diversified since Good's killing. Over 100 clergy members from Minnesota held a press conference outside Target's downtown Minneapolis store on 15 January, urging corporate leaders to demand DHS "end its surge terrorizing families, neighborhoods and businesses." They later sang This Little Light of Mine in the headquarters lobby, livestreaming to thousands.
Organisations like SURJ-TC have called for Target to post signs stating ICE agents cannot enter without warrants and train employees on handling illegal entries. On Martin Luther King Day, SURJ-TC gathered 70 people at a Minnesota Target to "interrupt business as usual" by repeatedly purchasing and returning salt to hold up lines, symbolising a desire to "melt ICE." This tactic is planned at five Twin Cities stores until Target speaks out.
Historical Context of Target Boycotts
Target has faced boycotts from various sides in recent years. In 2016, conservatives boycotted over transgender bathroom policies, leading to investments in single-occupancy restrooms. In 2023, Pride Month merchandise sparked outrage, resulting in reduced sales the following year. Current organisers are inspired by past DEI boycotts, including a "Target fast" launched by Rev Jamal Bryant.
Ulla Nilsen, a lead organiser with Unidos, expressed confidence, stating, "We know that from a historical perspective, nonviolent activism and civic pressure always wins. We have an administration that's making everyone afraid. So we are calling on the CEO of Target and other businesses in Minnesota to stop being afraid because when we stand together, we will get through this." The ongoing protests highlight growing pressure on corporations to take public stands on contentious social issues.
