The political climate in the United States is more tumultuous than it’s been since the 1960s—if not the 1860s. Many Americans are dissatisfied with the Trump administration, which, in turn, has responded with escalating violence, locking both sides into a vicious cycle of hostility. Most recently, of course, Trump sent 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents to Minneapolis. As thousands of protesters gathered on the streets, federal agents used increasingly aggressive tactics that culminated in the murders of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Soon after Pretti was killed, Governor Tim Walz deployed the Minnesota National Guard to Minneapolis. They were stationed around the city, armed and outfitted in full camo gear. The streets were eerily empty, and many shops shuttered for weeks. Tens of thousands of immigrant families locked themselves in their homes, too afraid to venture out in case ICE abducted them. Instead of the regular flow of shoppers and diners on the sidewalks, legal observers—volunteers who trail ICE agents—patrolled streets by foot and by bike, often masked. The two groups often clashed directly, resulting in heated confrontations, with ICE and other federal forces beating and arresting observers. The Trump administration finally gave in and announced it was ending the crackdown, but it set a dangerous precedent.
