Minnesota activist group ‘Monarca’ training civilians to follow ICE agents and is ramping up activities: ‘showing in force’

A recent tragic incident has sparked a surge in activism in Roseville, MN, as the left-leaning group Monarca intensifies its efforts to resist ICE enforcement. The group, which trains individuals to obstruct ICE officers, saw over 1,000 people attend a training seminar on Saturday following the fatal shooting of activist Renee Nicole Good.

Monarca is dedicated to monitoring and documenting the actions of Department of Homeland Security officers during ICE operations. Their “upstander legal observers” are trained to follow, track, report, and record ICE activities in an effort to resist the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.

The training session held at Roseville Lutheran Church was filled with speeches denouncing ICE operations as a “federal occupation” and “white supremacy.” Attendees were given a 12-page manual outlining how to use whistles to alert others to ICE activities and how to engage with the media to convey their message of keeping families and communities together.

The group’s expanding operations include a rapid response line where citizens can report ICE activity and receive instructions on how to observe and document agent actions. Monarca’s legal observers are trained to assist individuals detained by ICE, particularly targeting violent and sexual migrant criminals. Observers are instructed to collect personal information, make phone calls on behalf of detainees, and avoid livestreaming or posting interactions on social media.

In response to DHS’s Operation Midway Blitz in Minnesota, Monarca distributed a “weight station toolkit” to inform the public of locations where ICE operations were taking place. The group also provides guidance on narrative messaging to emphasize the impact of militarized government activities on communities.

Monarca operates under the non-profit organization Unidos Minnesota, which reported significant assets in 2023. While Monarca, Unidos Minnesota, the FBI, and DHS declined to comment on their activities, the group continues to train and mobilize individuals to resist ICE enforcement and advocate for immigrant rights.