Anti-ICE Resistance Manuals and Training Discovered at Minnesota Schools Receiving Federal Funding
Anti-ICE resistance training manuals, including de-arresting and blocking, are being distributed, and in some cases, the training is being held in schools receiving government funding. Image of de-arresting by Minnesota ICE Watch.
Minnesota ICE Watch, an organization that Renee Good and her wife were affiliated with, circulated a document known as the “De-Arrest Primer,” a guide that outlines tactics for interfering with law enforcement during arrests. The document provides instructions on how activists can attempt to pull detainees away from officers, break holds, push and pull officers, and open law enforcement vehicles in an effort to free suspects.
The guide also describes the use of coordinated chanting and crowd tactics intended to create confusion and overwhelm officers during active arrest situations. It acknowledges that these actions may constitute criminal offenses but argues that participants should view the risks as justified. Each instance of interference is described as a “micro-intifada,” a term the document uses to frame these actions as part of a broader strategy of disruption. The guide states that some of these methods were adapted from tactics used during pro‑Palestinian campus protests.
Although no formal publisher is identified, the document has circulated widely on Instagram and through activist communication networks. Minnesota ICE Watch reposted the guide in June, prior to the 2026 increase in anti‑ICE activity, and connected it to training sessions described as preparation for “constitutional observers” or “ICE watchers.”
Public coverage has often described ICE Watch activities as observation-based and nonviolent. However, the contents of the guide suggest organized instruction in physically confronting law enforcement during arrests.
Several anti‑ICE handbooks and training materials are currently being shared across the United States. Some are associated with groups such as COPAL MN (Comunidades Organizando El Poder y la Acción Latina), the Immigrant Defense Network (IDN), and similar organizations that conduct training sessions, protests, and patrol-style monitoring of federal immigration activity. In some cases, critics have raised concerns that this organizing has occurred at schools that receive public funding.
Following the deployment of approximately 3,000 ICE agents to the area in late 2025, some parent‑teacher groups at the school attended by Good’s son formed volunteer “safety committees.” These groups met on school grounds and in nearby community spaces to discuss how to respond to encounters with federal agents. Training included the distribution of “red cards,” commonly known as Know Your Rights materials, and coordination of neighborhood watch schedules.
Reports indicate that Know Your Rights booklets and wallet‑sized red cards were distributed to parents during school drop‑off and pick‑up times. While the school district has stated that it does not distribute political materials, critics point to the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers’ public stance on immigration enforcement and reports that some teachers assisted families in accessing these materials.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and federal officials later alleged that Good had been monitoring and obstructing ICE agents on the morning of January 7, linking her actions to anti‑ICE training provided through community networks connected to the school. Officials cited the reported use of whistles, walkie‑talkies, and blocking tactics practiced by local groups in the weeks leading up to the incident.
Neighbors said Good regularly attended ICE Watch meetings and had received training from the group prior to the confrontation. The guide distributed by the group describes arrest as inherently harmful and encourages escalation rather than passive compliance.
Good’s six‑year‑old son attends a Minneapolis charter school that emphasizes social justice education, including lessons on racism, sexism, and civic engagement. A former staff member said that many parents are active in community organizing and that the curriculum encourages students to think critically about social issues. During a period when ICE agents were operating several blocks from the school, administrators reportedly instructed staff to notify leadership if agents appeared on school property.
Good was later killed during an ICE operation after authorities say she struck an agent with her SUV, prompting the agent to fire in self‑defense. Video released after the incident showed Good’s wife urging her to accelerate toward the agent moments before the shooting.
In the aftermath, the group Defending Education launched a searchable database of K–12 districts nationwide that have adopted policies limiting cooperation with ICE and other federal immigration authorities. The database includes more than 700 districts across 33 states and Washington, D.C., identifying those that have declared themselves “sanctuary” or “safe haven” schools or issued guidance on how staff should respond to immigration agents seeking campus access.
Defending Education argues that such policies place districts in tension with federal authority and may create public safety concerns. The organization maintains that schools should remain focused on education rather than involvement in immigration policy disputes.
Since the incident, some parents and community members have called for the school to be defunded, arguing that publicly funded institutions should not support or facilitate anti‑government resistance efforts. Advocacy groups have also highlighted reports that Minneapolis schools allowed distribution of walkout guides and “Day of Action” materials, which critics say contributed to a broader culture of organized resistance to federal law enforcement.
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