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It was last Tuesday that Drae Solberg found themself pursued by federal agents driving erratically through the northern suburbs of Minneapolis. At least four SUVs carrying agents were riding their bumper and brake-checking them on suburban streets and highways. 

During the pursuit, Solberg told another Immigration and Customs Enforcement observer on a Signal call, “I think they’re trying to run me off the road.”

On a four-lane highway, two federal SUVs got in front of Solberg and another observer, who had been recording agents outside a nearby mobile home park. The SUVs abruptly hit their brakes, stopping traffic in both lanes of the highway. 

Then, one of the federal SUVs turned their emergency lights on. 

Solberg’s first impulse was to comply. But when another observer in a car behind saw masked agents with tactical gear pouring out of an SUV, both observers thought of how Alex Pretti and Renee Good were killed by federal agents last month.  

When the emergency lights were turned off, Solberg said they were urged by other volunteers to leave. 

”We realized we could deal with a ticket, we could deal with going to jail at some point” Solberg said. “But we could not deal with the very real risk and high probability of us being injured, us being detained or us being killed.”

Video shared with MPR News confirms Solberg’s account. ICE did not respond to a request for comment on the incident.

Elizabeth, who asked to be identified by her first name to avoid retaliation, was in another observer car at the scene of the stop. 

After the ICE agents finally stopped chasing the observers more than 20 minutes later, Elizabeth said she and Solberg pulled over in a parking lot and got out of their cars. They had only known one another for a few weeks, but they hugged and cried. 

Footage of residents opposing federal agents while blowing whistles and honking car horns has become a common sight for Minnesotans. But most of the videos that have gone viral come from the state’s urban centers of Minneapolis and St. Paul, where people live closer together and can react more quickly. 

As federal agents have spread throughout the state, residents of the Twin Cities suburbs who oppose ICE have adapted these tactics to their sprawling and sometimes isolated communities. And through it, they say they’ve found purpose, connection and a resilience they didn’t expect.

Few signs of ‘draw down’ in Twin Cities suburbs

The apparent stop on the highway wasn’t these observers’ first brush with dangerous behavior from federal agents. 

Elizabeth had been volunteering as an observer in the suburbs since Good was killed. A little more than a week ago, she looked out the front window of her townhome to see an unfamiliar SUV on her husband’s side of the driveway. A white man was in the driver’s seat. 

The SUV peeled off when Elizabeth started recording. 

When she called the police, they took a report and told her the SUV’s South Dakota license plates belong to a different model car. 

Swapping license plates has become a signature of federal agents

 during the immigration enforcement surge, despite a warning from the state’s Driver and Vehicle Services to stop the illegal practice. Other observers have reported 

“It wasn’t even the fact that they knew who I was — this is my home,” Elizabeth said. “All I could think about was if they try to get into the house or if they do get into the house or if I need to leave — I didn’t know what was going to happen.” 

Border Czar Tom Homan talked about a “draw-down” of federal agents last week after he was sent to the state by President Donald Trump to replace U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who was reportedly demoted after presiding over weeks of federal actions in Minnesota that included the fatal shooting of two civilians, Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti.

Elizabeth and other suburban observers interviewed for this story said they haven’t seen federal agents de-escalate their activities since Homan’s arrival. In fact, they’ve noticed more federal agents on the roads, and the agents have moved from merely mocking observers to aggressively pursuing them or using dangerous tactics to try to box them in on suburban roads. 

“I think they’re getting angry that we’re winning and the country is rallying around us,” Elizabeth said. “We’re so organized and we act with such integrity. They don’t want to admit they feel threatened by us.” 

The observers said ICE watch is different in the suburbs than in the cities. There are fewer observers spread out over a much larger area. Many ride alone. And observers keep their distance from agents and stay in their cars, as opposed to the cities where observers are often seen on sidewalks or streets.  

It's more soccer moms than hardcore activists, they said. But the challenging conditions have brought them closer together. After knowing each other for just weeks, they feel like they’d give their lives to protect one another if necessary.

“I feel like that’s one of the things that’s unique about patrolling in the ‘burbs is it’s not like it is in the city, where there are dozens of observers immediately when ICE shows up,” Elizabeth said. “We are alone — it’s two petite women in our vehicles.” 

Michele, a mother of three who asked to be identified by her first name to protect her family, said she felt for months like she was drowning, like she couldn’t trust anyone. She said getting involved in the ICE observer community in the suburbs has been life changing. 

“I feel like our whole lives as Minnesotans — I’m not sure if America feels this way — but it’s always kind of like, ‘Don’t even start that kind of thing because you have to live around these people,’” Michele said. “I feel that’s gone in me personally — I don’t even care if I ruffle feathers.” 

Michele resolved this year to be more active on causes she cares about. Part of that is in honor of her brother, a 20-year military veteran who died unexpectedly last year. 

“He was convinced that Mexicans and trans people would be targeted. I was more on the side of, ‘Hey, we have to be calm-headed, and it’s only going to be four years,’” Michele said. “Now I have to eat my words because we’re just seeing all this stuff unfold, and everything he was always ranting about has happened.” 

‘Do not think I would do anything differently’ 

Pretti and Good’s killings weigh heavily on suburban observers, who more often observe agents in vehicles by themselves. 

Solberg has had trouble sleeping since Tuesday’s pursuit by federal agents. They feel uneasy about leaving their home or walking their dog. But they said they know the fear they experienced is the same feeling a lot of neighbors who worry about being taken by ICE experience every day, and they’re committed to doing what they can. 

Local police in their town said they couldn’t help but that Solberg could report it to the federal government for an internal investigation. They’re even more committed to observing federal agents now. 

“It feels like we are genuinely alone, and it's just community members supporting community members, which is beautiful,” Solberg said. “It's impossible to escape, and I don't know if I'm going to come out of this alive.”

Elizabeth said many of the suburban observers, the majority of whom are women, share a personality type. 

“Many of us have encountered bullies our entire lives,” Elizabeth said. “Over the last decade, we've watched other people be bullied, and I think that turns you into somebody that, even if that bully is wearing full tactical gear, I'm not interested in laying down for you.” 

Elizabeth has shared a message with her husband, grandma and sister: “If I am killed doing this, throw my body at the White House, martyr the shit out of me and raise hell. Do not be sad. Do not think I would do anything differently. I would do it over and over again — this is too important to sit down and shut up and not do anything.” 

Michele said her husband is supportive, but worried. Her oldest daughter just learned about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at school. 

“She just goes, ‘Mom, that's something Martin Luther King wanted. He wanted everyone to just love one another, and he would definitely be there if he was here now,’” Michele said. “Oh my God. You can get this as a 9-year-old that some adults don't even get.” 

‘Showing the world what’s possible’ 

Solberg said it’s been beautiful to see all the different people in the suburbs who are starting to work together. Elizabeth said being involved with other observers has restored a bit of her faith in humanity. 

“As horrible and dark as this time is, we are generally showing the world what’s possible when you focus on what matters and you try to take care of one another,” Elizabeth said. “I can’t think of anything more beautiful than that.” 

And in the suburbs, known for more moderate politics than the core cities, observers said they can feel a shift in some of their neighbors. Elizabeth said, “I generally like hearing people say for the first time, ‘Holy crap, that’s not OK.’” 

Michele saw that change in attitudes in her community on a recent day when she was called out to help watch school buses unload students.  

“There was a woman on the side of the road just bawling, and I stopped and I said, 'Are you okay? Has anything happened?' And she's like, 'I’m just terrified that ICE is here, and I don't know what to do,’” Michele said. 

“I'm like, ‘You're here, you're caring. You are doing something.’”

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Immigration enforcement in Minnesota

Jon Collins

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After a frightening pursuit by federal agents, suburban ICE observers say fear hasn’t stopped them from protecting their communities.

Pursued by federal agents, suburban ICE observers remain resolved

A line of vehicles side by side block a highway.

Pursued by federal agents, suburban ICE observers remain resolved

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