ICE Operations Disrupted Completely

A liberal activist’s “revolutionary” protest at Target—loading $400 worth of merchandise into a cart and abandoning it—epitomizes the absurdity of leftist resistance tactics that hurt working-class employees while accomplishing nothing.

Story Snapshot

Woman filled Target cart with $400 in merchandise and abandoned it as anti-Trump protest, calling it resistance to “fascism”
Incident occurred amid broader anti-ICE protests at Minnesota Target stores demanding corporate opposition to federal immigration enforcement
Protesters disrupted ICE operations targeting criminal illegal aliens, including child sex offenders, while occupying store premises
Target maintained neutral stance refusing activist demands, while low-wage employees bore burden of cleaning up protest disruptions

Symbolic Protest Backfires on Workers

A woman loaded approximately $400 worth of Target merchandise into a shopping cart on January 23, 2026, and deliberately abandoned it without purchasing as a protest against President Trump’s administration. The activist characterized her actions as resistance to “fascism,” yet the gesture achieved nothing beyond creating additional work for Target employees. Conservative commentators quickly pointed out the fundamental flaw in this protest strategy: exhausted retail workers, often teenagers or immigrant-minority employees earning low wages, must spend their time restocking abandoned merchandise rather than any corporate executive or politician feeling the impact.

Anti-ICE Activists Occupy Minnesota Stores

The cart incident occurred within a broader campaign of anti-ICE protests targeting Minnesota Target locations between January 20-23, 2026. Demonstrators occupied a St. Paul Target store, sitting on floors while holding “Abolish ICE” signs and singing protest songs. Activists claimed Target parking lots served as “staging grounds” for ICE operations, alleging that federal agents used Target facilities including restrooms. Protesters demanded Target publicly oppose ICE enforcement and stop allowing federal agents access to their properties, chanting “We’ll be back” to signal continued disruption plans. Target Corporation declined these demands, maintaining operational neutrality regarding federal law enforcement presence at their Twin Cities locations.

Protesters Obstruct Criminal Enforcement Operations

The Target protests coincided with heightened ICE enforcement activity under the Trump administration focusing on arresting criminal illegal aliens in the Twin Cities area. A viral video captured the absurdity of activist interference when protesters disrupted an ICE operation by honking car horns and blocking agents. An ICE agent stated on camera that protesters were “impeding our investigations while we’re trying to arrest a child sex offender.” This reveals the dangerous consequences of misguided activism—protesters positioned themselves as defenders of immigrant communities while actively protecting individuals who committed serious crimes against children. Federal agents were executing immigration law enforcement targeting individuals living illegally in the United States with criminal records, yet activists framed these legitimate operations as “ethnic cleansing.”

Misguided Activism Hurts Intended Beneficiaries

The protest tactics demonstrate a fundamental disconnect between activist intentions and actual outcomes. Target employees managing store operations faced increased labor demands from abandoned merchandise and facility disruptions, with many of these workers themselves being from immigrant-minority backgrounds or low-wage teenagers. The corporation maintained its neutral business stance rather than capitulating to political pressure from either side. Meanwhile, ICE agents continued executing federal immigration law despite interference, arresting individuals who entered the country illegally and committed additional crimes. Protesters demanded Target “protect our tiny children from losing their parents” while simultaneously defending those who victimized children through criminal behavior. This contradiction exposes the intellectual bankruptcy of activism that prioritizes symbolic gestures over practical considerations of public safety and lawful immigration enforcement.