How to Message the Occupation of Minnesota

"One-pager" and more from Antonia Scatton and the Minnesota Messaging Group

Jan 26, 2026

ICE and Border Patrol agents shooting less-lethals at protestors, January 24 — Chad Davis | chaddavis.photography

Please use this document to craft your own messages.

Share this document as a whole or in part with attribution, or incorporate the recommended language into your own messaging. This language not only works for this moment, but is designed to evoke our underlying values and rights. What follows is a one pager, and then more detail for those who want to go deeper.

FROM ANTONIA SCATTON

One Pager

What to Say

The actions of the Trump administration violate the most sacred promise of our Constitution: that our freedom never be trampled by our own government.

The Trump administration is carrying out an illegal and unconstitutional military occupation of the state of Minnesota, in rural and urban communities alike. Trump is waging a campaign of terror and brutality to instill fear in all those who would stand up to him. He sought to make an example of Minnesota, and instead, the people of Minnesota are showing the world what standing up to tyranny looks like.

Federal agents with DHS and ICE have executed two American citizen legal observers, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Masked, poorly trained agents are stopping, assaulting, and abducting anyone they choose. They are using chemical weapons indiscriminately. People of color are afraid to go to work or school. Businesses are closed and medical facilities dangerously understaffed, especially in rural areas. No one should have to fear leaving their home.

ICE and DHS are violating our Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and to not be deprived of life or liberty without due process of law. We have the right to object to wrong-doing by our government, to not be stopped and questioned without cause, to not be searched or arrested without a warrant signed by a judge, and to legal representation and a fair hearing.

Constitutional rights apply to everyone in the United States, whether they are citizens, legal immigrants, those in the process of seeking asylum or legal status, visitors and even undocumented immigrants.

This is a political attack, both to take the heat off of Trump’s failure to release 99% of the Epstein files (despite being required to by bipartisan federal law) and to punish states that did not vote for him and compel their leaders to comply with illegal demands for private voter data and other unconstitutional violations of state authority.

What We Want

ICE and other federal immigration agents must cease operations now and leave Minnesota.
All incidents of illegal arrests and violent or lethal confrontation must be investigated.
Account for every person detained, assure that their rights are being respected and that they are being held under humane conditions.
Create clear and enforceable operating parameters that strictly limit use of force and require agents to operate within the bounds of the law and constitution.
Federal agents must not operate in any state, city or locality without the approval of local leadership and supervision by local law enforcement.
Federal funding for ICE should be frozen. If ICE will not operate within the law and the Constitution, it should be disbanded and replaced with law enforcement that will.

What NOT to Say

Do not repeat or spread their arguments, not even to debunk them. Their messaging is designed to sow doubt in the mind of the listener, even when you are making the case against what they are saying. Always write and speak from our perspective.

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What’s Happening

Federal immigration agents have been directed by an outlaw administration to engage in illegal and unconstitutional assaults for political purposes aimed at Minnesota residents. They are abusing their power. They have invaded and occupied our communities. This is nothing less than state terrorism.
Republicans in Congress could stop the madness. They took an oath to protect the Constitution. Instead, they add fuel to the fire or look the other way as an out-of-control madman – whom they helped to elect – commits crimes on an almost daily basis.
ICE agents are going door-to-door asking people to turn in their neighbors, setting up checkpoints, and patrolling areas where people gather. They are illegally entering homes without warrants, using battering rams. They are tearing families apart and traumatizing the most vulnerable people in our communities including children in schools and day care centers. They are brutally arresting, accosting and even killing anyone they choose to, including people who are engaged in legal and constitutionally protected observation, and others merely passing by.
Trump wants to distract us from his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein as well as his chronic corruption and policies that are wreaking havoc on our economy and health care.
Trump may be trying to provoke a reaction that will justify invoking the Insurrection Act.

What We Want

We want businesses to enforce the 4th Amendment: cease economic relations with ICE and refuse ICE entry or using their property for staging grounds without the presentation of appropriate judicial warrants.
We want Minnesota municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies to arrest federal agents who break the law.
We want the military and other federal agents, who swore to uphold the Constitution, to disobey illegal orders.
We want Republicans to join Democrats in Congress to repeal the Big Billionaire Bill, which uses our tax dollars to fund this domestic terror force and impoverish American families.

Hold Them All Responsible

ICE and CBP agents are responsible for their brutality and violation of rights and, like any other federal agents, are liable for failing to refuse illegal orders.
Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem and Greg Bovino bear the greatest responsibility for creating this mission and directing ICE to engage in their reign of terror.
Republicans and the Republican Party are their enablers. Republicans created the conditions for this crisis through decades of demonizing immigrants and by acting like law enforcement officers can do no wrong. They roll over as Trump breaks law after law and abuses his office for power and financial gain. Republicans failed to impeach and convict Trump when they should have, and they have blocked every Democratic effort to hold him accountable.

What We Should Do

Talk to voters. This is not about convincing our opponents that they are wrong or talking to others inside the bubble. Focus on reaching those who do not normally follow politics. Voters need to know that we are defending their rights and freedom —and that Republicans want to take it all away.
Tell stories of real people and events (and back it up with video or photos if you can) but be mindful of security: don’t compromise someone without talking to them first.
Record and share video. The images are compelling and seem to be a major factor in turning public opinion —and providing clear evidence.
Give feedback to reporters about their frames & questions. Don’t let them engage in false equivalence. Call them out when they use Republican frames and messages.
Protest at the offices of those who can do something to rein in Trump. Press our elected officials, including all Republican elected officials, about why they are not acting to stop Trump and his dangerous and incompetent Cabinet.
Ask for help from your friends and family in Minnesota and across the country. Ask them to use these messages and contact reporters, Republican leaders, and other elected officials. Ask them to use this messaging in social media. Share this document.

Good Messaging Practices

Do not accidentally expose people to our opponents’ framing. Our opponents try to associate us with negative concepts. When we put two ideas together in a sentence, a neural connection is made between them no matter what other words also appear in the sentence. For example: “Renee Good was not a paid agitator” is processed by the brain as: “Renee Good” plus “paid agitator.” Instead you could say: “Renee Good was a legal observer” connecting the words “Renee Good” and “legal observer”. Become conscious of using the words “not” or “don’t”.
Talk about how you feel and don’t use jargon. Talk in clear everyday language. Talk about right and wrong, not policies.
Don’t label. Describe. Using labels like “fascism” tends to sound like name calling. It calls into question what you mean and what your motives are. It is always better to talk about what the person or group is doing. Then the listener is focused on judging their behavior, not yours.
Project the image of peaceful non-violence. This is messaging too. Throwing things makes us look violent to voters. Remember what Dr King taught us about making a stark contrast between our peaceful protesting and the violent cruelty of our opponents. DO NOT work against our goals.