MINNEAPOLIS – Two Heathen organizations have issued statements in response to the federal operation in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, officially known as “Operation Metro Surge.”
Minneapolis skyline, 2012 [AlexiusHoratius, Wikimedia Commons, CC 3.0]
As The Wild Hunt has reported previously, Operation Metro Surge has had a profound impact on the Twin Cities, as thousands of federal agents, primarily from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), flooded into Minnesota with the goal of mass arrest and deportation of immigrants. The operation caught the national attention as many Minnesotans organized to support their immigrant neighbors and argue against the operation, including mass protests and a one-day general strike.
Following the video-recorded deaths of two white American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, at the hands of federal agents, the Trump administration’s border czar, Tom Homan, declared that Operation Metro Surge would be conclude on February 12. The federal government claims that there are now around 500 ICE agents still in the Twin Cities, down from 3,000, but activists claim that the ICE operation remains ongoing, with activity moving to the suburbs and rural regions.
The Twin Cities have a long-standing and vibrant Pagan community, and TWH has been following the responses of Pagans and Pagan organizations to the operation.
On February 19th, Heathens Against Hate (HAH) issued a statement, “In Solidarity with ICE’s Victims.”
Heathens Against Hate stands in solidarity with Renee Nicole Good, Marimar Martinez, Alex Pretti, Keith Porter, and everyone else affected by ICE’s violence. We know that at least 34 people died due to ICE last year (seven of them in December alone) and at least seven so far in 2026. There were never any concrete updates on the 1,000+ people who disappeared from “Alligator Alcatraz.” As of right now, there are at least 68,000 people in “detention centers” (a concentration camp by any other name…), where there have been consistent reports of overcrowding, filthy water, moldy food with bugs and rocks in it, access denied to medical care and legal assistance, and other human rights violations.
Human rights are human rights regardless of someone’s citizenship status. That said, it’s also very clear that citizenship status doesn’t actually matter, with hundreds of documented instances of American citizens (including indigenous folks) and legal residents being illegally detained, assaulted, moved from one facility to another against judge’s orders, and sometimes fully deported. In Minneapolis, they are detaining people at hospitals, at gas stations, at schools, off the road. They are assaulting students, grabbing people without checking identification, harassing clergy and observers, breaking down doors without warrants, and taking observers left and right. It is abundantly clear that ICE is a white supremacist organization that needs to be abolished.
If you have ever wondered what you would be doing during any other contentious time in history, it’s whatever you’re doing right now. Even if you can’t protest or attend vigils, you can drop off supplies for people who are sheltering in place, help organize response or mutual aid efforts, listen to police scanners for your friends who are on the streets, and advocate for stronger legal protections and actions from your city/county/state.
The statement goes on to list the names of people who have died in ICE custody in 2025 and 2026, stating “We hail the fallen and pledge not to forget you, your names, or your stories.” The statement also provides a list of resources and actions that HAH supports.
“It’s easy to fall into spiraling despair, but remember that action is the antidote to despair,” the statement concludes. “We are not helpless. Other people have fought this fight before us, often with significantly less resources and significantly less support from people around them. It is our job to pick up that torch and carry it as long as we can.”
On the same day that Homan claimed that Operation Metro Surge was ending, The Troth issued a statement of its own, “The Troth Public Statement of Support for the People of Minnesota.”
In recent weeks, many people in Minnesota have been living through fearful and destabilizing circumstances resulting from Operation Metro Surge.
In spite of it, we have seen neighbors respond with courage, resolve, and kindness: sharing food, checking in, offering rides, helping people stay safe, building mutual aid networks, sharing verified information and connecting one another with supportive resources. That care represents the best of community. It reflects the values that The Troth is founded on: integrity, hospitality, courage, and reverence for all life. It is a testament to Heathen virtue lived in the face of adversity.
The Troth stands ready to help in all ways that fit our role as a religious organization. Our clergy are available for pastoral care: to listen, to support, and to help people find steady ground, regardless of a person’s background. If you are feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or afraid to leave home, you do not have to carry that alone.
Though there have been recent reports that Operation Metro Surge is ending, people are still under severe financial, emotional, and mental strain. We encourage our members and Kindreds, especially those in Minnesota, to continue practicing practical hospitality, as so many of you already have:
Check in on friends, elders, and vulnerable neighbors.
Offer errand support (groceries, prescriptions) when someone is afraid to go out.
Share verified information along with reliable resources and avoid spreading rumors.
If you can, support the groups providing food, rent assistance, transportation, and emergency support.
May we meet this moment with clear eyes and steady hands; choosing courage over cruelty, and hospitality and reverence over indifference.
The Troth statement also includes a list of resources to support of the Twin Cities community.
TWH will continue to report on any further developments in the Twin Cities that affect the Pagan community there.
The Wild Hunt is not responsible for links to external content.
To join a conversation on this post:
Visit our The Wild Hunt subreddit! Point your favorite browser to https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Wild_Hunt_News/, then click “JOIN”. Make sure to click the bell, too, to be notified of new articles posted to our subreddit.