It is the largest Department of Homeland Security operation in history. And yet Minnesota’s Somali population (this operation’s primary target) is upwards of 90% naturalized American citizens. It’s even more of a manufactured crisis than most DHS operations. Genuinely living in Minnesota now feels like we’re a small country on the brink of invasion.

I saw two ICE trucks yesterday on my way to give my friends back their house keys from when I was looking after their cats. I got home today and I heard whistles and honking from people chasing ICE, but by the time I got Matilda in the house they were gone so I couldn't join in the chase. I know there was a major attempt to steal my neighbors from just a few blocks away this morning while I was at work.

It doesn't feel like we're on the brink of invasion. It feels like we're being newly occupied by an invading force. Except that the invading force doesn't just want our total submission; they also want to rip half our neighbors out of our arms. They came for Hmong Minnesotans next, and they are also more than 90% citizens. We have a lot of minority populations who settled here because Minnesota prides itself on welcoming refugees; both populations have been here for more than thirty years.

Fuck this shit. It is terrorism.

Not just feels like, is. Feels like because is.

And for all the rest of us US occupants not in Minnesota, it's coming to us, too. Ohio is getting door-to-door ICE today, for instance, and I've seen multiple friends in other states posting photos of big ol' trucks, beds packed with ICE vehicles, rolling in to town.

We're still not quite two weeks into 2026. Get ready to plant your feet.