Seven Activists Arrested at Chicago Target Store Amid Protests Against ICE Presence in Minnesota and Illinois

In Chicago, a protest at a Target store in the West Loop led to the arrest of seven individuals on Thursday, according to statements from the local police. The event was orchestrated by an activist group known as The People’s Lobby.

The demonstrators are demanding that Target make a public stance against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), urging the retail giant to advocate for the removal of ICE from both Minnesota and Illinois. Furthermore, the group is calling for Target stores to implement a policy that would prevent immigration agents from entering without a signed judicial warrant.

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Sources with knowledge on the topic have confirmed that Target currently does not have any cooperative agreements with ICE or other immigration enforcement agencies. Despite the pressure from protesters, a Target spokesperson chose not to comment directly on the protest itself. However, they did emphasize the company’s commitment to taking care of its employees.

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A source familiar with the matter confirmed that Target does not have cooperative agreements with ICE or any other immigration enforcement agency.

A Target spokesperson declined to comment on the protest, but said they are taking measures to take care of their team.

He said in a statement, “Our Chief Human Resources Officer shared multiple communications with our field and headquarters teams focused on team member safety, sharing resources for personal care, updates on operations and protocols, and FAQs for our team.”

He went on to say, “Our incoming CEO, Michael Fiddelke, joined 60 CEOs in a joint letter calling for an immediate de-escalation, marking the first collective action by businesses to speak out. The statement was then supported by the Business Roundtable, an association of America’s leading companies. Michael sent a note to our full team, noting that ‘the violence and loss of life in our community is incredibly painful’ and that ‘we are doing everything we can to manage what’s in our control, always keeping the safety of our team and guests our top priority.’ We’ve donated to the Minneapolis Foundation’s “Economic Response Fund” to help small businesses that are financially struggling during this time.”