Workers urge Target and US companies to speak up over ICE raids
Target and mega Minnesota businesses are facing rising discontent from staff as workers fear Trump admin immigration crackdown put them at risk on job.
Employees are pushing firms to provide clearer guidance about how to reply if Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrive at their worksites and asking them to do more limit agents access to stores and parking lots.
The pressure have been acute at Target a national name and one of state flagship employers after detention of two workers inside one of its suburban Minneapolis stores last month.
In aftermath more than 300 staff signed internal letter seen by BBC urging executive to speak up and take steps to keep ICE officers of Trarget properties.
At one restaurant run by Minneapolis restaurant group frustration about how executives were handling the issue prompted staff to go on strike for three days in late january.
Last week two sides reached agreement on how to handle ICE which consist of posting signs explicitly denying agents reach to private areas of restaurant without judicial warrant.
Legal experts said companies are in tough position when it comes to limiting reach.
Access to non public region like employee break rooms requires a signed judicial warrant.
The rules governing quasi public spaces are less clear which means that in many cases it is up employers to make their own assessment said Jessie Hahn an attorney at National Immigration Law Center.
It is very difficult for employers because they desire to make sure they are addressing their employees worries but also operating within parameters of law Shanon Stevenson a partner at law firm Fisher Philips said.
Workers and Activists group say firms should do more.
Rean Wong president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663 in Minnesota said some union members have showed alarm after workers were seized in parking lots where they work.
The union represents grocery store employees at several large chains.
Even workers that are US citizens say they are worried about being detained because of their race. Wong said.
In September the Supreme Court ruled that it is legal for immigration agents to use race as factor when deciding who to question about immigration status.
Wong said some chains had adopted policies to limit cooperation with ICE on private property in reply.
She said The call from employers need to be stronger because they are impacted too economically.
The Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha A Twin cities worker center is campaigning for DR Horton America mega Home builder and other large housing developers to speak up.
The muted reply from Target which is headquartered in Minneapolis and has long been corporate leader in states had drawn particular scrutiny.
It has said challenges at firm which has struggled to navigate political controversies related to its diversity equity and inclusion DEI practices and LGBTQ merchandise.
Target is Minnesota leading corporate citizen said Ulla nilsen.
As a corporate citizen are you going to stay silent and allow our democracy to be completely destroyed?
Five people who worked at Target past month most of whom spoke to BBC on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation described growing frustration among staff spared by ICE reply.
