Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan Promotes Anti-ICE Activism as Enforcement Faces Escalating Danger

Minnesota’s lieutenant governor pushes donations and training tied to on-the-ground opposition to federal immigration agents.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is drawing scrutiny after urging Minnesotans to join “legal observer” trainings and donate to activist networks that monitor—and in some cases directly interfere with—Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, even as confrontations around ICE have turned deadly.

Flanagan’s public encouragement followed the death of Renee Good during an ICE operation in which she appeared to use her vehicle to obstruct agents. It also preceded an incident in which anti-ICE agitators disrupted a worship service at a St. Paul church and came before a U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and killed Alex Pretti, who—like Good—reportedly participated in an “ICE Watch” group. Law enforcement officials have warned that these confrontations put officers and the public at risk.

Flanagan’s Call to Action

In a Jan. 14 Instagram video posted to her personal account, Flanagan—who is also running for U.S. Senate—cast ICE’s presence as a public safety threat while promoting activism aimed at countering federal enforcement.

“Everyone is less safe because ICE is on our streets,” Flanagan, a Democrat, said.

She then urged viewers to take part in training programs framed as neighborhood protection. “On the local level, I’m asking you to sign up for a legal observer training, so that you can protect your neighbors when they need it,” she said. “Our phones and our ability to document unconstitutional behavior is one of the most powerful tools that we have in this fight.”

Flanagan named two groups offering the training and asked supporters to fund their work. “The Immigrant Defense Network and Monarca both offer trainings for folks to learn more about their rights and how to become legal observers,” she said. “I’ve taken the training and I hope that you’ll join me. And for folks that are watching outside of state, please contribute to these organizations who are doing the important work here in Minnesota.”

Training That Goes Beyond “Observing”

Activist groups often describe “legal observer” programs as passive documentation of ICE activity and neighborhood alerts. But reporting and public materials show some organizations also train participants to physically oppose arrests—using vehicles to block access or placing bodies between agents and suspects—tactics critics say invite chaos and danger.

One of the organizations Flanagan highlighted, Monarca, bills itself as a coalition that has “trained over 20,000 everyday Minnesotans as neighborhood observers.” The initiative runs a rapid-response line for reporting ICE sightings and provides instruction on First Amendment observation and Fourth Amendment protections related to warrants.

Monarca appears to operate as a project of Unidos MN, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has organized sit-ins at Target stores and demanded the retailer distance itself from ICE, post warnings to agents, and bar the use of parking lots as staging areas. Observers also noted that Flanagan’s necklace in the Instagram video resembles Monarca’s butterfly logo.

Immigrant Defense Network’s Rapid Response

Flanagan also endorsed the Immigrant Defense Network, which describes itself as a coalition of more than 90 organizations serving as an immigration policy watchdog and “engine for rapid response.” Its strategy includes maintaining helplines, deploying observers, and organizing public demonstrations—activities that critics argue can escalate tensions during enforcement actions.

The network operates as a project of COPAL Education Fund, also known as Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Accíon Latina, meaning donations flow through that entity. The Bush Foundation awarded COPAL a $995,000, 24-month grant last year to establish the network. COPAL also runs a hotline for reporting ICE sightings and has been described by The New York Times as being “on the front lines of anti-ICE operations.”

Calls for Accountability

As federal agents face increasing hostility on the ground, critics say Minnesota’s top Democrats are signaling support for activism that undermines lawful enforcement. Flanagan’s approach stands in contrast to calls from law enforcement and conservatives who argue that immigration laws should be enforced safely and without political interference.