Protesters Jam Target Checkout Lines to Make a Statement Against ICE Raids
In a bold display of dissent, activists filled the checkout lines at a Target store in Virginia, making a singular purchase to voice their opposition to the Trump administration's immigration policies.
The grassroots organization ‘Indivisible Charlottesville’ orchestrated this “shop-in” event on Valentine’s Day, transforming a typical shopping experience into a platform for protest.
Images captured within the store reveal shoppers with carts overflowing with containers of salt—a deliberate reference to salt's ability to melt ice. After completing their purchases, participants returned the items, reinforcing the symbolic nature of their actions. Many demonstrators brandished signs denouncing both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Target itself.
On social media, Indivisible Charlottesville called for Target to cease its “collaboration” with federal immigration authorities, alleging that the retailer has permitted ICE operations in its parking lots and allowed agents to enter stores for detaining employees.
This protest is not an isolated incident; Target, which operates nearly 2,000 locations across the U.S., has previously been the site of similar demonstrations.
Just last month, protesters gathered in a Minnesota Target—an area heavily impacted by immigration enforcement—to disrupt the checkout process by purchasing and returning salt.
Earlier in February, activists targeted over 24 Target locations nationwide, urging the Minnesota-based retailer to take a stand against the increasing immigration enforcement in the state.
Representatives from both ICE and Target did not respond promptly to inquiries regarding the protests.
The retailer first faced backlash from anti-ICE activists following the Trump administration's deployment of immigration agents to Minnesota, which coincided with the tragic deaths of two U.S. citizens: Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
A viral video from January showed immigration agents detaining two Target employees at a Minneapolis-area store, both of whom were confirmed as American citizens.
Another video surfaced later, depicting one of the detained individuals after he was allegedly abandoned in a parking lot. “They threw me on the f****** ground,” he recounted.
On January 11, Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino was seen patrolling a Minnesota Target alongside several agents, where they were met with vocal opposition from demonstrators.
While many protesters have called for Target to bar federal agents from entering without judicial warrants, legal experts suggest that such a move would likely contravene existing laws.
According to The Associated Press, public areas of businesses—including parking lots and shopping aisles—are accessible to anyone, including ICE agents without warrants. However, areas like back offices remain off-limits to the public.
