Religion on the Mind An Update From Minneapolis with Mason Mennenga (#375)
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Jan 26, 2026 Mason Mennenga, Minneapolis-based commentator and organizer who documents community responses and activism. He recounts living under intense immigration enforcement and national scrutiny. He describes recording raids, local networks mobilizing support, debates over disrupting worship, and the psychological toll on residents.
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On-The-Ground ICE Raids And Community Response
- Mason Mennenga recorded and witnessed ICE raids near his church and helped document them to protect neighbors.
- He described Signal-based neighborhood organizing and community mutual aid during raids.
Twin Cities' Organizing Capacity Matters
- The Twin Cities have unusually strong community organizing infrastructure that enabled rapid resistance.
- Mason argues that local readiness made coordinated protection and support possible.
Personal Reaction: Powerlessness And Moral Outrage
- Dan Koch reacted to refugee-targeted raids with anger and a sense of powerlessness at national policy choices.
- He framed the actions as deliberate cruelty aimed at non-border communities and legal refugees.
