Buddhist organizations join Minneapolis interfaith protest amid expanded ICE operations and heightened scrutiny of federal tactics

Interfaith coalition broadens as Minneapolis protests intensify

Buddhist organizations and practitioners are preparing to join an interfaith protest in Minneapolis as faith leaders across traditions mobilize for public demonstrations and coordinated actions on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 22–23, 2026. The planned events are framed by organizers as a response to stepped-up federal immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities and the death of Renée Good, a Minneapolis resident who was fatally shot on Jan. 7 during an encounter involving an officer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Minneapolis-based multifaith organizing effort, operating under the name MARCH (Multifaith Antiracism, Change & Healing), has issued a national call for clergy and faith leaders to come to the city for witness and resistance. Organizers describe the gathering as capacity-limited and structured with safety and participant care measures, with registrations reviewed on a rolling basis.

What organizers say the two-day action is demanding

MARCH has tied the Thursday convening to a set of demands intended to be amplified on Friday, including calls for federal immigration operations to end in Minnesota and for legal accountability in connection with Good’s death. The organizing materials also include policy and corporate-directed demands related to funding, oversight and limits on cooperation with immigration enforcement.

• Ending ICE operations in Minnesota
• Legal accountability related to the fatal shooting of Renée Good
• Limiting additional federal funding for ICE and pursuing investigations of alleged constitutional violations
• Encouraging businesses to restrict cooperation with immigration enforcement on their property and operations

Federal surge enforcement and the local impact

The demonstrations come amid what federal officials have described as a large-scale enforcement surge in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Reporting from national outlets has documented sustained activity around the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, a site associated with immigration enforcement operations and immigration court proceedings. The same accounts describe a parallel growth in volunteer-led networks that track enforcement activity, share alerts, and provide support to residents who are fearful of leaving their homes.

In the days after Good’s death, the episode became a flashpoint for wider debate about the scope of federal authority, the conduct of officers on the street, and the effect of enforcement activity on daily life, including school attendance, employment and access to services.

Why Buddhists are joining an interfaith front

Buddhist participation reflects a broader pattern of faith-based engagement in civic protest, including networks that connect contemplative practice with social action. Interfaith programming in January has included events explicitly focused on nonviolent civil resistance and solidarity efforts that bring together multiple religious traditions, including Buddhist communities.

The planned Minneapolis actions are structured as a multifaith presence in public life, combining pastoral support, coordinated protest activity and policy-focused demands.

What comes next

Organizers have indicated that the Thursday gathering is intended as a convening designed to build relationships and align actions, while Friday is positioned as a broader escalation point for public-facing demands. City conditions on the ground — including public safety planning, protest routes and enforcement posture — are expected to shape turnout and the scope of activity across the two days.