AIM patrols return to Minneapolis streets amid ICE presence

American Indian Movement patrols have returned to Minneapolis streets as federal immigration enforcement activity increases in the area, according to ICT.

AIM members and other Indigenous volunteers are patrolling along Franklin Avenue to help elders, youths and community members feel safe. Crow Bellecourt, executive director of the Indigenous Protector Movement, said the patrols now include close to 100 people and operate from morning into late evening. Bellecourt, whose father Clyde Bellecourt helped found AIM in 1968, described the return of patrols as “full circle.”

Heather Bruegl, an activist and historian with ties to AIM, said the patrols reflect the movement’s origins in monitoring policing practices and protecting community members. Mary LaGarde, executive director of the Minneapolis American Indian Center, said fear has increased among elders and families due to the federal law enforcement presence. Volunteers have arrived from across the region to support the patrols, according to ICT.